Features

Mexican Fiesta month at the Veranda Coffee Shop, Montien Hotel

Its a festive atmosphere this month at the Veranda Coffee Shop in the Montien Hotel during Mexican Fiesta month.

The lovely Ms. Pornpimol Geybui met my companion and I in the lobby of the Montien hotel and escorted us to a garden irradiated with moonlight. The setting was a bit incongruous, as one usually associates Mexico with bullfights, screaming Oles, and Speedy Gonzales. The palm ruffling breeze, atmospheric lighting and unobtrusive music did make the perfect setting for any kind of dining, though.
Ms. Pornpimon told us the Montien has made a speciality of ethnic food festivals for the past six years. These usually run for about a month and then a new corner of the world is represented by its cuisine. She explained that Vietnamese cuisine is the favourite with Thai customers, whereas Mexican, Australian and Mongolian are the choices for the expatriate community.
The staple foods of Mexico are maize, beans and rice, usually eaten in combination, providing plenty of protein. The food we were served was more ‘festival food’, usually eaten on special occasions, with more meat than in ‘everyday’ Mexican food.
As Mexican food is quite filling and we wanted to sample all of the best dishes, Ms. Pornpimon kindly ordered very small portions of everything for us to taste.
If not prepared properly, Mexican food often has a heaviness and is much too filling. Mexicans usually eat small meals four or five times a day, as people do in Thailand.
When our first plate of food arrived we could tell before tasting a bite that Chef Horst Reichel had done thorough research on the food of this country (which is on the same latitudes as Thailand). The presentation of the food was bright and festive, emphasising the attractiveness of the ingredients.
The first dish to be served was a Chicken and Crab Burrito. Hot and steaming, tender chicken slices were covered with a blanket of cheese, out of which crab claws poked seductively.
‘Delicious!’ exclaimed my dinner companion.
Our hostess then had a plate of steaming tacos and tostadas served. The beef was not cooked to a frazzle and retained its natural favours which were complimented by the fragrant spices. The chicken was not dry and more subtly seasoned so its more delicate flavour could be tasted.
The Tortillas, Mexico’s staple food, could be compared to Indian flat-breads and were perfectly done. The baked breads were not tough and the fried Tortillas, used in the tostadas, were not brittle or oily. Perfection!
The tostadas were filled with cheese, tomatoes and other seasonings which gave a piquant flavour which was never overbearing.
We were a bit sorry we were doing a food review as we wanted to eat more of each dish. Unfortunately, self control won and we were served a Chilli Con Carne, which was a real masterpiece. Served in a oyster-shell shaped tortilla, delectable Chilli con Carne poured out of it, Cornucopia style.
The thing that was most impressive about Chef Reichel’s preparation was his balancing of the flavours. This is very important in Mexican food as various dishes have a monotonous similarity of taste if not prepared properly.
Chef Reichel let all the ingredients speak for themselves with a bit of urging from this and that unknown but perfectly chosen spice. All dishes were accompanied by a plate of sauces including Salsa, Guacamole, refried beans and condiments.
Ms. Pornpimon urged us to have more but by that time my friend and I were feeling just replete. We finished the meal with coffee. Aah!
We suggest that everyone with a fondness for Mexican food or those who have never tried it before catch the festival before it ends the end of this month.
The prices for the Mexican Special are mid-range.

Recipe

Although I do have a recipe for the sauce, I’d rather share a well tested remedy against a persistent hiccup.
Take a slice of lime and sprinkle it with salt. Top that off with plenty of Worcestershire sauce and a dash of Angostura. Pop this whole thing in your mouth and bite firmly. Don’t swallow but remove it after a few minutes. The hiccups get such a shock that in ninety percent of the cases they flee instantly. Try it!!!