All Things Mexican at Tequila Kitchen

Taking over the Melriches Coffeehouse location on Mainland St., the new addition to Yaletown's array of restaurants is the charming Tequila Kitchen. The outside of the restaurant is nothing fancy, and pales in comparison to some of its stylish neighbors. Inside, things are simple and friendly, although some more decorations certainly wouldn't hurt. The whole vibe of the place is quite inviting, complemented by good music and friendly staff.

As an opening promotion, Tequila Kitchen is featuring a $25 eight-item tasting menu. Hearing about this steal, my friend and I headed over there Thursday night. We were given the set menu to glance over, and a drinks menu to probe throughout dinner. The restaurant prides itself on using one and a half ounces of premium tequila for the cocktails, the presence of which was definitely felt in both of our drinks. Even though I found my fruity Acapulco to be refreshing and tasty, my friend thought that Mojitos should stick with rum. The restaurant serves up about twenty different types of tequila and makes an array of cocktails and margaritas (moderately priced in the $8-10 range), so I encourage lovers of the stuff to give their creations a try.

While the tasting menu is extremely generous, there were both hits and misses in terms of the dishes. Highlights of the night were definitely the home-made tortilla chips, the black bean soup, and the perfectly executed dessert. The octopus, with its super-chewy texture, didn't offer much in the way in taste, even when paired with mango salsa. The trio of meats was average at best - definitely too much sauce, even when eaten with the steamed veggies and tortillas. Overall, the presentation, service, and atmosphere made up for what the food lacked. The whole meal took us about two hours to devour, so make sure you come hungry, and with plenty of time to spare.

Tequila Kitchen can become a wonderful addition to Yaletown, providing it irons out a few kinks and keeps the quality of the food above par. At the end of the meal, everyone is invited to sign a comments book, which indicates that the Kitchen is willing to improve on its weaknesses right at the beginning. Bravo for a promising start!

Catch the $25 set menu for another two weeks.

Tequila Kitchen
1043 Mainland Street
604-681-2120
www.tequilakitchen.ca

Winter Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday: 5 - 11 pm
Closed Mondays