Pinche Pinche

This is a brand shiny new restaurant in Chapel Allerton, in the same location as the much loved (by me at least) Salsa Mexicana. Its the same owner/ chef as it happens. The menu has been streamlined and re jigged and now is focused towards Mexican street food- more like tapas if you will.

There is also a fantastic new tequila menu, something I know not much about but the staff were more than happy to describe the types of tequila on offer. This is not the type of tequila you chuck back with a bite of lime to finish- good tequila has as many nuances as a fine whisky and should be enjoyed in the same way- sipped and savoured from a specially shaped glass. All of the tequilas here are 100% blue agave (poor quality tequilas can be made with as little as 51% of this).

Dan and I decided that instead of choosing from the menu that owner Simon should just send out from the kitchen dishes that he thought that we should have.

First up we shared Tostadas, crispy corn tortillas, one topped with Ceviche (fish 'cooked' by being marinaded in citrus juices) and the other with Nopales- cactus leaf. I have had a version of the civeche before from the old menu- light and delicate and complimented by the fresh herbs and citrus juices. The cactus leaf had a tangy flavour from being marinaded in lime juice and had a firm but juicy texture a little bit like roasted peppers- absolutely delicious and worth a consideration if you like to try new things.

We then tried two varieties of street tacos. These are served in traditional soft tortillas (as opposed to the crisp taco shells which are an American invention) We had the Carne Asada (£4.50) Char-grilled steak in a chili marinade and the Cameron (£5.50) King prawns sautéed with chipotle and lime juice topped with mango salsa. The steak was still a bit on the rare side and really tender. The mango salsa was a fantastic compliment to the plump prawns.

We were then served slow cooked belly ribs (Costillas) (£6.00) in an orange and roasted tomato marinade and served with tomatillo rib sauce. The sauce was delicious but sadly didn't permeate that far into the meat, however the slow cooking meant that the meat was melt in the mouth tender. 

A dish of guacamole followed with tortillas. This was a refreshing interlude before we went on to try the wild card dish of Mole Poblano (£8.00) consisting of poached chicken breast with a mole sauce made from chiles, nuts and a hint of Mexican chocolate. This was served with toasted sesame seeds and topped with sliced radishes and coriander served with refried black beans.

The black beans were fantastic, however the sauce was not to my liking, I think because the flavour of the toasted sesame seeds (which I don't really like) was overpowering the more subtle savory chocolate sauce.

For pudding we had a light bite option of churros- fried pieces of donut like batter, served with a fantastic toffee sauce. Great with hot chocolate and great if like us you want something sweet to end the meal but cant face anything too substantial.

I washed all of this down with a couple of tequila cocktails (£6 each) and a measure of the sipping tequila to finish.

The bill for all this feast for 2 including drinks was £65. We were totally stuffed after this six course banquet- it wouldn't be necessary to order this much for a normal meal, Dan and I just got over excited!

As part of the new look, there has been a total redecoration inside. Contrasting citrus hues on the walls and textiles bring a fresh modern look to the restaurant, and the relocation of the bar to the back of the room means that a lot more light is coming in through the window now.

If you liked Salsa Mexicana before, you will love Pinche Pinche, and if for what ever reason you weren't a fan of Salsa Mex, I think you need to give Pinche Pinche the benefit of the doubt and go to take a look at the fresh decor and revised menu.

*Bight and modern
*Fresh, authentic Mexican street food
*Great Tequila menu

116a Harrogate Road
Chapel Allerton
Leeds
LS7 4NY

0113 2681110

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