Lupe’s Cantina: What I thought of authentic Mexican restaurant in Leeds with its own tequila menu
One of the best holidays we’ve ever been on was to Mexico.
The weather was perfect, the beach stunning, the hotel luxurious, the people utterly lovely.
And the food? The food was amazing. So it’s quite the statement that what we ate at Lupe’s Cantina this week was the best Mexican food we’ve had, hands down.
It’s not served in a five-star resort but a colourful but unassumingly bijou restaurant in Burley.
A weekday evening and the place was absolutely buzzing. It’s cosy, with traditional artwork and an eclectic collection of ornaments everywhere. Religious statues and donkeys sit side by side with images of el Diá de los Muertos.
We study the well-thumbed menu by the muted lighting (take your reading glasses, if you need them). There’s the main menu, a specials menu, a drinks menu and street food.
The choice itself is delightfully flexible. Fancy a starter? There’s a section with street food, soups, salads and dips. Not eaten for hours so you want tortillas followed by a meat or seafood dish? Go for it.
We decide to share a guacamole de Granada – it was in turn yielding yet crisp thanks to liberal helpings of pomegranate and cheese.
It would have been rude not to scoop them up with a generous bowl of tortilla chips. And quesadillas with Mexican cheese. Don’t judge, okay? We were hungry.
Our main courses followed soon afterwards – tacos with herb marinated steak for my guest and enchiladas with wild mushrooms and spinach for yours truly.
The steak is paired with a roasted tomato salsa and coriander – a superb combination. Despite the sizeable starter, he could have cheerfully demolished a dozen of them.
The enchiladas are smothered in a mole negro – a traditional deep, dark, smoky sauce with a hint of sweetness. Sour cream and melted cheese provide the finishing touches to a dish that’s rich and satisfying yet feels healthy at the same time.
The vegetarian selection is plentiful and well thought-out, with various enchiladas, tacos and street food options to choose from.
If meat-eaters are expecting to see chilli con carne and chicken fajitas, think again – you will find authentic lamb, roasted pork and sirloin steak dishes as well as an extensive seafood menu with sea bass and shrimp ceviche, tiger prawns and scallops on offer.
Special mention must go to the drinks selection. Alongside the usual offerings there is not only a superb collection of Mexican beers, there is also a whole section on the menu dedicated to tequila. Definitely worth giving it a shot.
Incredibly, our bill came to just £38 which included our drinks. That’s a whole lot cheaper than a flight to Cancun.