Along with soldiers, weapons and horses, the armies also brought along spices to Mexico during the Spanish conquest.
Ever since, the fiery condiments from Espana became regulars in the kitchens of Mexican households.
The Residency’s sous chef Ganesh narrates this bit of history as we bite into a piece of roasted fish, marinated in Mexican red pepper powder and spices and blink back tears. “Mexican cuisine can be a little too spicy for our taste buds. So, we also have the comparatively bland Italian cuisine as part of the festival,” he says.
The fare begins with vegetarian quesadillas. There are two kinds, one that is stuffed with refried beans and the other with vegetables. We have it with an attractive red vegetable minestrone soup. The chef then brings in baked green and yellow zucchini and baked aubergine.
The vegetables are juicy, and the drizzle of cheese on top is a nice touch. The colours — jade green, chilli red and a deep yellow —catch our attention.
Spicy polenta cakes, made of cornmeal, are up next. They taste best with a generous dab of the tart green tomato salsa, sour cream and an onion-tomato relish. The crispy chicken tacos are spicy. The initial crunch is followed by the relish of meaty pieces. There are vegetable tacos too. Pasta, mushroom risotto and Mexican rice make up the main course.
The fest will have live counters that will serve up hot pasta, tacos, nachos, fajita and pizza.
The grilled Spanish fish marinated with coriander and green chilli also blends like a dream with the sour cream.
The chicken Parmigiana, covered with cheddar cheese, has chicken pieces that are shallow fried and baked. The tomato sauce dressing adds a tangy flavour to this otherwise bland dish.
Do not miss Fillet Mignon, the juicy and tender steak. A pizza arrives, bursting with cheese and zucchini. We can’t say no. But we are reeling with all that Mexican/Italian love.
But, wait…is that Tiramisu?
The fest is open for dinner on weekdays and lunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday.
It is priced at Rs. 960 for adults and Rs. 570 for children. On till November 9. For reservation, call 0422-2241414 or call 97877-77770.
