Mumbai, India
When I heard of its location, I said to myself, another dark, gloomy and lackadaisical ‘lounge’ bar, yes this address has seen many places come and go but I was pleasantly surprised to see it revamped completely, with plenty of daylight coming in and house Tijuana Iguana a week old eatery-lounge-club (Ameri-Mex Grill and Lounge and they call themselves) . It is a maiden venture in India for Jai Lalwani an established restaurateur from Tampa, Florida. The restaurant is spaced out on three levels, the ground with high chair seating, the mezzanine with relaxed sofa seating( apt for private parties) and the yet to open upstairs is going to be an informal club kind of setting.
The beverage list was concise with offerings to satiate every thirsty soul. Their wine section with around 15 wines covered different styles of wine and priced competitively between 350 -450 a glass. I ordered for two vodka based cocktails, Sex and the City and Cantaloupe, the former a take on the classic cosmopolitan with some pineapple and peach Schnapps and the latter a mix of fresh watermelon juice and Green melon syrup. Both were bursting with flavours but lacked the balance and the aesthetics to be worth the Rs 600 tag. What really kept me up with the drinks were the Nachos with Salsa and Sour cream, I was disappointed that they were commercial chips but I realized that for Rs 250 they happily serve you unlimited portions of the same. That is a steal… even more if you like Cornitos. (hope they hold on to this proposition for long)
The food menu is grouped under appetizers, Entrees, Soups and salads, Sandwiches, Burgers and lastly the Ameri-Mex favourite of Fajita, Burritos etc, I struggled with it for a few minutes to find vegetarian options and finally found all of them on the last page under a separate header, vegetarian. The sweet beetroot, salty goat cheese, crunchy broccoli and toasted pine nuts salad (Rs 300) in a sharp ranch dressing made a good combination. The quesadillas (Rs 375) were with a lot of vegetable, warm and comforting just like the burritos (Rs 450) loaded with beans, the lime and cilantro rice and Mexican sauces. The Enchiladas topped with a smoked pimento like sauce gave the much-needed heat. Lastly I tried their bean burger, it came in a whole wheat bun with home cut wedges. The patty worked very well with the cheese, but I would rather stick to the quesadillas or the Enchiladas. I skipped dessert because the only option available was a Snickers pie, a combination of snickers; Oreo and Vanilla ice-cream and I ain’t a fan of the last two.
Vegetarian meal for two: Rs 1500 – food only
Verdict:
– Excellent Ambience
– Food was good and pub like. Their menu is designed for drinks, from small bites to the big plates.
– Sadly based on the two drinks we ordered, I think they have a lot of work to do here.
They have planned special events like the revered ladies nights, expat nights, Salsa nights and more. Call them to know more. Lastly they are running a limited menu and plan to go with their full soon, plan accordingly.
Salud!!!
Tijuana Iguana
Bombay Mutual Annexe, Rustom Sidhwa Marg,Gunbow Street, Opposite Residency Hotel Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India 400001
Tel No – 022 22695756
Timings: 12 noon till 01:30am
Indian Gourmand 
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