Where you're likely to find the whole enchilada
La Tortilla
Hohenzollernstr. 120
Tel. (089) 300 27 14
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10-18; Sun. 10-16
You’re smack dab in the middle of Schwabing and about to sample the best Mexican food in town. Much of La Tortilla’s clientele comes from South of the Border, stopping in for a short chat with the staff and to stock up on refried beans and fresh corn tortillas. The shelves of the mini-grocery are stacked with chips, cactus strips and myriad chili varieties. La Tortilla is unfortunately a Stehcafé — this means no seating and no WC. But the food definitely makes it worthwhile. If La Tortilla transformed itself into a restaurant, it could easily put the rest of Munich’s Tex-Mex scene out of business. Real Mexican food is supposed to be baroque, reeling in rich flavors and textures. The house Canastitas con guacamole (DM 5), a creamy avocado concoction presented in a crispy tortilla shell, is no exception. Other winners include Tacos al pastor (DM 8), generously stuffed with succulent marinated pork, and chicken enchiladas (DM 8), draped in spicy brown mole sauce and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. If you want to re-create la cocina Méjicana in your own kitchen, check out the selection of cookbooks for sale. While you’re at it, consider a festive tortilla warmer and a sombrero.
FOOD 10, SERVICE 9, ATMOSPHERE 7
JOE PEÑA’S
Buttermelcherstr. 17
Tel. (089) 22 64 63
Hours: daily 17-1
The real reason to go to Joe Peña’s near Isartor is to drink during happy hour, a half-price hallelujah from 17:00 to 20:00. Here, the peach margaritas are perfect, the Mai Tais marvelous. Why the restaurant is named after the first Mexican to play big league baseball in the States is not clear. No catcher’s mitts or Louisville Sluggers grace the walls. Instead, the décor is simply hard to discern for lack of light. The ambience is a dash of poseur and a dose of tar: bartenders toss bottles about while, in the hazy, smoke-filled dining room, patrons dab their watering eyes. For a place that likes to turn its tables over quickly, the service staff is surprisingly friendly, thanks to a flotilla of cheerful, good-looking twenysomethings.
Joe Peña’s is a chain, and the food fits the bill. The chips and dips (DM 12.50) do not really whet your whistle. Nor do the nachos (DM 10.50), all eight of them floating in a sea of plate. Dabbed ever so daintily with wisps of melted cheese, you could call them “Minimalist art” or “appetizer, post-striptease,” but not nachos. The tapas platter (DM 13.50) is a selection of more chips, more mayonnaise-inspired dips
and a smattering of other forlorn finger food. The corn husk that suggests “hot tamale inside” disappoints with a bland filling that leaves mucho to be desired. The burrito de verduras, or vegetarian burrito (DM 18.80), is a mediocre mound of zucchini, chilies, corn and sour cream. Joe Peña’s only saving culinary grace is its gigantic fajitas platter (DM 28.50), served still sizzling in a cast-iron skillet accompanied by guacamole, shredded cheese and refried beans. Perhaps it would be best to visit this bar for happy hour and say adios before dinnertime.
FOOD 6, SERVICE 9, ATMOSPHERE 7
ZAPATA
Wilderich-Lang-Str. 4 (corner of Schulstr.)
Tel. (089) 166 58 22
Hours: daily 17 – 1
The legendary Mexican rebel Emiliano Zapata lives on in this eponymous Neuhausen cantina. Black-and-white photos of Old Méjico hang on the walls, competing with cacti and sequined sombreros interwoven with sparkling strings of light. Prints of flamenco dancers in full twirl, Brazilian coffee sacks and well-worn leather saddles set the stage. The farmer-soldier himself stares down at the barflies from a larger-than-life mural. The clientele is lively and chic, but it’s never too loud to have a conversation, and seldom too smoky to stay late and people watch. Reservations are an absolute must, even mid-week, even at the bar. Zapata’s menu is entertainingly extensive. While lacking in unusual sauces or exotic ingredients, the restaurant’s recipes rely on plenty of fresh vegetables and meats served in large portions. Platos Zapata (DM 16.50) overflows with chicken wings, quesadas, corn on the cob and crunchy tapas. Nachos come in several varieties, the best being the mysteriously monikered “chicken” nachos (DM 12.50), topped by tender strips of turkey and a sprinkling of yellow corn under a crusty cheese blanket. The chimichanga Doña Chayo is about as dainty as an aircraft carrier and loaded to the hilt with chicken or tuna (or beef, for the trusting). This plump, piñata-like tortilla is best shared with a companion and washed down with a superior piña colada. Zapata’s happy hour is from 17:00 to 20:00 and from 23:00 to 1:00.
FOOD 8, SERVICE 10, ATMOSPHERE 10
