A walkathon around Dubai Mall one busy weekend had us craving for some seriously good, authentic Mexican grub, and this is how we found ourselves at Rosa Mexicano.
Founded in New York way back in 1984 by Mexican immigrant Josefina Howard, the restaurant has two franchises in Dubai. One is located in Mirdiff Mall, and the other, where we dined at, is located on the lower ground floor of Dubai Mall.
Rosa Mexicano translates to ‘Mexican Pink’. Entering the premises is like looking through rose-tinted glasses. The interiors are surprisingly spacious from what the front facade would lead you to believe, and everything is very festively colourful and Mexican.
The staff wear sombreros and gorgeous Mexican shawls, and guests are encouraged to try these out for themselves, and shoot selfies against a Rosa Mexicano backdrop.
As a nod to its adopted home in Dubai Mall, this Rosa Mexicano branch features a replica of the Dubai Mall waterfall, complete with miniature versions of the Herculean divers.
We started our meal at Rosa Mexicano with guacamole. Rosa Mexicano’s Guacamole en Molcajete has been the chain’s signature dish since its humble beginnings in 1984. The guacamole is prepared on the spot in a traditional ‘molcajete’, a very heavy Mexican mortar and pestle. The usual mashup of avocado, jalapeno, cilantro and onions goes into the mix, and it is served with taco chips and a tangy-hot tomato salsa on the side.
And here is what we had for appetizers:
Nachos De Tres Queso: Rosa Mexicano’s hand-cut crispy tortillas served in layers of three decadent cheeses, and topped with black bean, guacamole, pico de gallo, chipotle and serrano chilies. This is one divinely delicious Mexican treat! Don’t be shy to get your hands dirty, not recommended for a first date scenario!
Crispy Jalapenos: These deep-fried, breaded jalapenos are oozing with a melted cheese interior, and are a delight to eat with the semi-spicy ranchera sauce that comes on the side.
For drinks, we sipped on Rosa Mexicano’s refreshingly icy Strawberry and Passionfruit Margaritas. I was also very excited to see Rosa Mexicano stocks the Mexican fizzy drink brand Jarritos! I absolutely love the Jarritos drink in Tamarind, and got myself a bottle of that as well.
The appetizers round at Rosa Mexicano was filling enough! Their portion sizes are generously large, and you really can end it right here. But we are foodies, and we have to report back on the entire course 😉
We shared a platter of Rosa Mexicano’s Quesadillas. This flour tortillas have a Chihuahua filling, and are served with guacamole and pico de gallo.
Incase you were wondering, no cute pups were harmed in the creation of this dish 🙂 Chihuahua is Mexican cheese!
We also had a serving of Rosa Mexicano’s mixed grill skillet consisting of beautifully basted, succulent pieces of beef tenderloin, plump, juicy shrimps and mildly spiced, tender chicken strips. The platter comes with additional cheese, guacamole and sour cream. We also got a bowl of Rosa Mexicano’s very smokey, dense black bean sauce which I particularly loved (despite all the Mexican bean jokes running at the back of my mind!).
My carnivorous Hubby had to have the Carne Asada, Rosa Mexicano’s take on beef steak laced with Mexican spices and served with thick-cut chips and a green salad. It was a little over-cooked for his liking, pity they didn’t ask him how he wanted it done. But the flavors were all there, and it satiated his beefy appetite perfectly well.
No matter how stuffed I am at the end of a hearty meal, I always manage to have room for dessert. At Rosa Mexicano, we shared a serving of their Chocolate Molten Cake. The cake itself has banana in it, and the interior is stuffed with warm, gooey peanut butter and dark chocolate. If you are a PB fan, this is an absolute must-try! Sinfully rich and filling, we managed to scrape this baby clean!
Craving Mexican? Make Rosa Mexicano your next stop. They also have a great lunch scheme to get you enticed:
Would you like a Frozen Margarita absolutely FREE with your meal at Rosa Mexicano? Go on, its on me 🙂 Just show the lovely people at Rosa Mexicano the voucher below, and claim a margarita of your choosing. This voucher is valid till 5th June 2016.
Rosa Mexicano is located on the lower ground floor of Dubai Mall. Call 04 3882505 for details. You can also look them up in Mirdiff Mall.
The Tezzy Files 