A wall says a lot about a coffee shop. Starbucks screws abstract art onto its partitions, while Shuiwei’s Email Coffee sports shelves of fake books lit by gaudy chandeliers.
At Xico, a Latin-themed coffee shop with a respectable menu, the downstairs walls are covered in a Mexican tile pattern, with the usual bright colors eschewed for cooler blacks and blues.
“If we used Mexican colors, it would be like this is a party place,” says Mexican partner Christian Saldana. “That’s not what we are going for, so we used Argentine colors.” It’s a nod to the two Argentinean partners and evidence that Xico is, as Saldana explains, looking to be a window into Latin American culture as a whole.
Formerly a hairdressing salon, a wooden Aztec disc hangs on the wall of Xico’s humble first floor and colorful, for-sale alebrije figurines from Oaxaca sit on a back shelf. A narrow, wall-hugging staircase twists its way up to cozy second-floor seating, which is also the space Xico’s house band rocks on Saturdays, during the cafe’s open mic.
Sourcing its single-origin beans from the coffee district in Veracruz, Mexico, the Altura coffee is dark roasted in-house and gives the sweet mocha (RMB28) and slightly bitter latte (RMB26) a somewhat nutty flavor.
Xico is also the only place in Shenzhen we’ve seen serving the Argentine mate (RMB30), a bitter herbal tea drunk through a filtered metal straw. It won’t appeal to those with a sweet tooth, but it’s worth trying for everyone else.
This cafe’s soul is actually in its Latin-style food: tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos, with tortillas and chips sourced weekly from the same supplier as much-praised Mexican restaurant Pancho’s.
If you want to crank up the spice level you can add the cafe’s homemade pico de gallo, a sour-spicy mix of tomato, onion, chili, olive oil and lemon.
The pork burrito is the highlight of our visit. It’s simple enough to be called ‘homemade’ and an ample blend of beans and cheese that more than justify the RMB40 price.
Where’s the rub? Getting to this Latin oasis is a hassle. At a 15-or-so minute walk from the Daxin subway station, the cafe is so far down a residential side street that finding it can feel like a quest Don Quixote would relish.
Despite the remote locale, Xico is becoming a Hispanophile hotbed, with 7pm Friday Spanish corner and music nights already proving popular.
There are plans to expand to five other locations across the city, and if they come to fruition, Xico will join Shenzhen’s lexicon as a place for Latin munchies and imported coffee. Until then, visiting is best done during the cafe’s weekly events or with friends who don’t mind a walk.
Price: RMB70 for food and coffee
Who’s going: Spanish speakers, Latin culture lovers
Good for: Brushing up on your Spanish, burritos, tacos
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