*Situated at neighbourhood cocktail bar, The Golden Pineapple*

Mexican food is something I feel Brighton lacks in the same abundance compared with other cuisines. Japanese? We have Kujira, Bincho Yakitori, Shogun Ramen and O’shio amongst many others. Looking for a decent Neapolitan pizza? VIP, Fatto a Mano, Franco Manca, Nu Posto and dozens more options (many of which I’m yet to try because I am a Fatto loyalist). Sharing plate restaurants? Don’t even get me started!

*Prawn Tostada with lime, chilli, cucumber and onion*

Admittedly, Mexican is never top of my list. Most probably for the reason that there are several good, but personally I feel not great Mexican options in and around the city (although I do still need to venture to London Road to try Carlito Burrito and Casa Azul at The Open Market). Sure, burritos are good - they’re simple, fun and filling, but not something I would go out of my way to for lunch or dinner - perhaps more for a takeaway on a lazy Saturday night. Wahaca have good market-style plates on offer from tacos to taquitos, tostadas to croquetas, quesadillas to churros. However, I’m not so forthcoming to show my support for chains. To some extent, chain restaurants have to provide their customers with the same experience across all venues. In order to maintain the same standards with both the food and service, everything feels a bit ‘samey’ and unauthentic.

On the other hand, there’s something gratifying about dining at an independent restaurant. You’re far more likely to have a unique experience because they are usually ran by a close-knit team that do things differently to others. Excellent customer service is crucial to ensure their survival, so you can be confident that staff will be especially attentive. In addition to this they are often far more responsive to customer feedback - not just giving a standardised reply on Trip Advisor or Instagram, but personally engaging with the customer to ask about their experience and use this feedback to improve. Most importantly, in dining with an independent you’re supporting local business, local people and your local community. It’s for all of the above reasons that I am practically an ambassador for Tlaloc. Beyond their one-of-a-kind food offerings, I particularly feel that their service (despite being only a small team of 3, with the assistance of a few floor staff) is what makes them shine.

LIKEABLE PEOPLE AND SERVICE THAT’S NEXT TO NONE

The warm, family-spirit amongst the team at Tlaloc really can’t go unnoticed. I could even sense it from the few friendly calls and texts I had with Co-Founder, Beata, when I was trying to book! (Note that all bookings here are made directly via text). I later learnt that this morale really translates into the charming service they provide to guests. I’d even go as far as saying this was some of the best service I’ve received in Brighton recently - something particularly commendable given Tlaloc’s recent surge in popularity, thus it would be easy for their standards to fall. I digress.

*Top: Mole Rancero (Pork belly with Tlaloc’s own Mole), bottom left: Birria (slow-cooked, pulled goat), bottom right: Vegan Mushroom taco*

For whatever reason I had only heard of Tlaloc since their short collaboration with Pelicano in the second week of July, when in fact they established in September 2018. After an influx of recommendations by other local foodies it quickly shot to the top of my list. Eat Out to Help Out came around when Tlaloc returned to their current space at cocktail bar The Golden Pineapple, which is a cosy oasis on Ship Street. I was then frantically trying to find a table amidst hundreds of other diners. This is the pop up with reviews saying “Please don’t go there - it will get too popular and I won’t be able to book!!”. It wasn’t until the final week of August where we finally had a table confirmed and despite the wait, I can honestly say it lives up to the hype.

A TASTE TRIP TO MEXICO

As mentioned, The Golden Pineapple is a hidden gem offering a punchy, yet ever-changing cocktail menu. With names such as ‘Disco Sour’ and ‘Tropical Lady’, cocktails are a unique take on classics while fresh Mexican-esque ingredients. I went for the ‘Would You Guava?’. This was a tropical concoction of gin combined with guava, passionfruit and ginger, which gave it a kick amongst those Summery flavours. We weren’t here to get boozy, but I will definitely return on a weekend to try more of their fascinating offerings.

We dined during EOTHO where we had the three course set menu, which continues to run Wednesday - Sunday each week. Though I was very happy with all of the dishes on offer, I did find the menu slightly limited - perhaps something to consider if you’re dining with a group. I suspect the menu is this way due to the pandemic and for this reason I’m very sympathetic.

It’s important to note that everything served is cooked from scratch, from the tortillas to the fillings and salsas. I believe this is something that really separates Tlaloc from the rest. Although their Instagram doesn’t give much away visually, all of our food was presented in an aesthetically pleasing way with colourful vegetables and herbs to garnish our plates.

STARTERS

For starters we could choose from the Prawn Tostada with lime, chilli, cucumber and onion, and the Sikil P’ak - a sauce made with roasted pumpkin seeds, tomato, garlic, and guajillo chilli, alongside hand-pressed tortillas to dip. We couldn’t resist the prawns which were prepared with delicate, fine textures, heat and sweetness alongside a crunchy tostada. This is a small but mighty plate which leaves flavours of cucumber and lime bouncing off your tongue. I’m still very eager to try the Sikil P’ak on a future visit.

MIX AND MATCH TACO MAINS

*Chocolate Tart, crushed pistachios and strawberry glaze*

For our mix and match taco course, I went for the Mole Rancero - roasted pork belly with Tlaloc’s own mole which is made from over 25 ingredients (including chilli and chocolate), the Birria - slow-cooked pulled goat in an smoky, rich gravy, and the Vegan mushroom taco, made with caramelised onion, garlic, thyme and guajillo (a fruity, tangy tasting dried chilli). The star of the show was undoubtedly the pulled goat, with its meltingly-tender texture and the supporting flavours of coriander and lime (there’s a theme here isn’t there) to give it a zesty finish. Tacos were sturdy and withstood the meaty juices, allowing a complimentary crunch alongside those vegetables.

CREATIVE, HOME-BAKED DESSERTS

We finished our meal with each of the desserts of the day, which are all handmade by Co-Founder and in-house baking wizard, Beata. I opted for the Tres Leches cake, which is a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk - evaporated, condensed and heavy cream, topped with mascarpone cream and berries for a clean, fruity finish. Beata explained that Tres Leches is made with no butter, making it incredibly light with many air bubbles - almost resembling the texture of a moist GF alternative. My friend chose the Chocolate Tart which was velvety yet dense and carried deeper, chocolatey flavours. This was topped with crushed pistachios and poached strawberries as a glaze, balancing out the rich flavours of cacao. All in all, a sumptuous end to our evening!

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

*Traditional Tres Leches served with mascarpone and berries.*

Tlaloc really have set the example for other independents to follow from their simple yet striking plates of food to unblemished service, as well as the serene atmosphere of The Golden Pineapple. The only point I’d mention is the slightly limited menu, which again I suspect is only temporary. I would love to come back and try their well-known ‘Sea Bass Al Pastor’; “Al pastor” is a Lebanese-influenced mix of chillies and spices used to marinate the fish, which is then served with roasted pineapple, pineapple salsa, salsa verde, onion, coriander, radish, and lime. Delicious. Furthermore, from October they have been offering a weekend brunch menu of Quesadillas, Chilaquiles (corn tortillas cut into quarters and lightly fried) and Huevos Rancheros (Mexican-style eggs), which all look marvellous.

Muchisimas gracias Tlaloc! It’s safe to say, I am now a mexiFAN.

_

Tlaloc is situated in The Golden Pineapple Cocktail Bar:

14 Ship St, Brighton, BN1 1AD

Opening times as follows:

Wednesday to Friday from 5pm - 10pm,

Saturday - Sunday from 12pm - 3pm for brunch and 5pm until 10pm for dinner.

TLALOC, BRIGHTON