The Place
Compared to our friends down in Shenzhen, Guangzhou has suffered from a lack of authentic Mexican eats. That is slowly starting to change, with more restaurants specializing in tacos, nachos and ceviche beginning to pop up. The latest edition to Guangzhou’s growing burrito brotherhood: Bandidos Mexican Cantina.
Image via Rob Turnbull
Located in the space formerly occupied by The Brew Bistro & Bar in Zhujiang New Town, the interior layout of Bandidos is virtually unrecognizable from its predecessor. Colorful Day of the Dead-inspired murals reinforce Bandidos’ Mexican theme, while newly installed booths offer an air of privacy that just wasn’t present at The Brew.
The Food
Currently in a ‘soft opening’ phase, Bandidos is only offering a nine-item tasting menu for the time being. Despite the small size of the current food list, big flavors await curious patrons as proprietor Rob Turnbull tells us that additional dishes (including burritos, enchiladas and soups) – as well as brunch and lunch menus – will be rolled out in the near future.
The man behind the menu, Arturo Villegas Rosas, is originally from Mexico City but has spent time living all over Mexico. Described to us by Turnbull as a man who “takes food seriously,” Arturo has been preparing traditional Mexican cuisine for 16 years – and his expertise is evident in Bandidos’ food.
Image by Matt Bossons/That's
Image by Matt Bossons/That's
We started our gastronomic gallivant through the menu with the aguachile (RMB48), one of the Arturo’s signature dishes: a hearty portion of fresh shrimp mixed with purple onions and cabbage, tomatoes and cucumber, all soaked in piquant lime juice. Flavorful and texture-rich, this refreshing dish is served with a bowl of corn tortilla chips for scooping. We’re willing to bet the aguachile will be a popular snack on Guangzhou’s hotter, more humid days.
Image by Matt Bossons/That's
Another favorite was the taquitos pollo picante (RMB48), spicy Mexican-style chicken entombed in a deep-fried corn tortilla and served with a side of sour cream. Chopped into crispy, bite-size morsels, Bandidos’ taquitos are an easy-to-share, pre-meal snack.
And of course, no trip to a Mexican cantina is complete without tacos! We sampled two of the three taco varieties currently available: tacos de carne asada and tacos de pastor (both RMB68 for three tacos).
Image by Matt Bossons/That's
The tacos de carne asada come on a double corn tortilla, stuffed with roasted beef with a touch of cumin, corn and coriander, while the tacos de pastor boast Mexican-style roasted pork with pineapple pico de gallo. We found the portion sizes for both orders to be quite fair, particularly when compared with some of Guangzhou’s other taco purveyors (looking at you, Mi Casa).
While we didn’t sample Bandidos’ third taco option, vegetarians will be happy to know that it is meat-free, filled with peppers, eggplant and pumpkin (tacos vegetarian, RMB68).
Image by Matt Bossons/That's
We capped our meal off with a giant pile of Arturo’s nachos, nachos with cochinita (RMB88). Different from standard pub nachos, this rendition of the classic chip-based dish is made with Yucatan-style pork and vinegar-cured onions.
The Vibe
The vibe here is a double whammy: sociable and somehow private all at the same time. Fun and lively on our visit, Bandidos Mexican Cantina succeeds in bring the festive atmosphere so commonly associated with Mexican celebrations to Guangzhou. But, if you aren’t looking to sip a margarita and mingle with our city’s taco lovers, rest assured you can find privacy in the restaurant’s booths.
Price: RMB150
Who’s going: virtually everyone (on our visit anyway)
Good for: authentic Mexican eats, margaritas, feeling like you’re not in China
Nearest metro: Zhujiang New Town (Exit B2), 10 minutes
Open daily, 11am to 1-2am (reduced hours during soft opening, call restaurant for more info); see listing for Bandidos Mexican Cantina.
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