Eat This: Tacos at Cafe Pacifico, Covent GardenBy Cass Horowitz
There’s no shortage of Mexican food in London owing to the outbreak of burrito shops on almost every street. I often wonder what Mexicans would make of our rice-heavy wraps carefully topped with a sprinkling of cheese and guacamole which, at over £1 a scoop, is probably worth its weight in gold.
Cafe Pacifico: The Lowdown
Cafe Pacifico was certainly well ahead of the trend, in fact, they’re the UK’s oldest Mexican Bar and Restuarant, serving Londoners since 1982. In case you missed it, 16th August was National Rum Day, and to celebrate I popped down to this Covent Garden institution to sample a variety of rums, tequila (can’t be avoided), and traditional tacos.
Cafe Pacifico has the kind of atmosphere you can only build up over time; a big room, a little rough around the edges with a noisy, fun atmosphere.
It goes without saying there are more Margarita options than you could possibly wish for,with sizes ranging from small to medium to passed-out-on-the-pavement-wearing-a-large-hat. For National Rum Day, the Resturant Director Carlos Fernando Londoño and his team went the extra mile and created the Mi Tia cocktail, mixed with passion fruit, lime juice, and almond syrup.
Cafe Pacifico: The Food
There are no surprises on the menu, with every type of tortilla, tostada and taco one could wish for. I would recommend kicking off with the Antojitos Platter. If you’re having difficulty making your Mexcian mind up, it has a little bit of everything and everything is a little bit delicious. Meanwhile, if you’ve still got the room for mains, go for the fajitas to share or – my personal favourite – the tacos. Both would be perfect for groups and one thing that may surprise you is the amount of flavour packed into these dishes. Not a bland meat or soggy side dish in site.
There are plenty of white tablecloths, ‘would you like to try wine sir’ restaurants in London. However, if you’re looking for something a little more casual and tequila-fuelled, then the Mexicans often know best. Covent Garden’s Cafe Pacifico is a reliable, historical spot for a fun night out and tasty traditional Mexican classics. ¡A huevo!
5 Langley St, London WC2H 9JA
For more information on Cafe Pacifico, see here.
