Aqua Java - Fiesta Mexicana

Critic´s Review

• Food: 3 / 5
• Service: 3.5 / 5
• Decor: 3 / 5

-By Salmoli Mukerji

Calcutta is now brimming with modern coffee shops specializing in meticulously made espressos and much more. While the drinks are topped with foam, so pillowy and white, ready for latte art, the house-special cuisine featured, are usually innovative spread worth every counting calorie. This new one gives people a taste of what its like to have 'Tacos' and 'Quesadillas' in Calcutta.

Decor

A charming cafe-eatery off Park Street, modern, unfussy and sizeable, including blood-red upholstery, high, wood-back comfortable seating, square, wobbly, wee-bit-small-for-four tables, bright ochre coated walls and radiant Aztec motif lampshades. Warm and welcoming Spanish soundtracks pervade the open kitchen behind the order counters. Cosy and desolate, on a drizzly Monday evening as we supped on.

Food

On the menu are Five Salsa Sampler (Rs.165) - with inspiring offerings like Beetroot and Apple, Papaya and Kafir lime, Mango and Tomato et al - we go for it. but change our mind when interrupted midway to be told it will take over 30 minutes to serve! Instead we order Nachos Grande Supreme (Rs.170), Tortilla Soup (Rs.110), Tacos folded around Jalapeno, Marinated Chicken and Mushroom in Salsa (Rs.190), Chicken Quesadillas (Rs. 190) and Vegetarian Chimichanga (Rs. 190). Now, don't expect a 'taco-centric, margarita-laced' menu out of Texas!

Plus and Minus

Efficient service. In flat 5 minutes, arrives a big portion of warm nachos stacked with refried beans, regular tomato salsa, jalapenos, cheese and dollop of fresh cream. It lacks the habanero spike and definitely no sour cream tang. The clear Mexican soup with red beans and vegetables come with a piquant freshness enticing the palate. The taco fixings with diced chicken cradled in corn tortillas comes in a cheesy mushroom incarnation. The Quesadillas look and taste promising with fresh veggie and chicken stuffing with a cheesy dab, but the deep fried burritos in the Chimichanga could have definitely been lighter. The mains come with sides of Mexican rice, a portion of Pico da Gallo and a dollop of whipped cream. Pumping out an array of dishes, the cafe definitely raises a Mexican hope for the city, but the cuisine is not necessarily tradition-bound by Mexico. What it lacks is hearty Mexican sour cream, smoked meats, beans, avocados and the freshness of greens! We haven't tasted everything yet, but the elaborate menu also features pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, puffs and Wai-Wai. Along with exotic coffee creations, sodas, shakes blends, iced teas and delectable desserts. We choose a perfect Hot Chocolate Fantasy (Rs.75) and a delicate, cinnamon-brushed Warm Apple Crumble (Rs.75) to wrap up.

Must Try

Nachos, Quesadillas, Chimichanga.