Mexican: Achiote Taqueria

The fennel bulbs decided to do Mexican food one Friday evening. Mexican food wasn't just particularly existent in our vocabulary, and we ought to give Achiote Taqueria in Rockwell Center's Power Plant Mall a try.

When one thinks of Mexican food, the ubiquitous nachos, tacos, salsas, and refried beans come to mind. Fast food versions are quite popular, and sadly they do not impart a very good impression of Mexican cuisine. Achiote Taqueria serves good Mexican food and cervezas and cocktails too, including the famous "Margarita".

At first, the tortilla soup (Php160) was ordered. Free-range chicken broth was used together with avocado, crispy tortilla strips, Chihuahua cheese, cilantro and lime. The serving was good enough to be shared by two. The marriage of textures was delightful. The richness of the avocado and the broth were complimented by the use of cilantro, which markedly adds another dimension.

Next, Mushroom Quesadillas (Php360) was had. Chihuahua cheese was once again used together with wild mushrooms, and black beans. Fresh greens were served on the side. Salsa Verde (Green Salsa) was used as the sauce. The tortillas were cooked very nicely and evenly, more like a wheaten pancake. It tasted heartily, and also one need not worry about getting too fat as no meat was used.

Lastly, an Enchilada (Php380) was ordered. One can customise their own fajitas, burritos, or enchiladas. An enchilada does not really differ greatly from a fajita or a quesadilla since a tortilla is used to wrap the meat inside, but the meat is smothered in chili sauce or a  kind of salsa. The fennel bulbs chose steak and salsa rosso for the stuffing, and wheat tortillas. Black beans and white cilantro rice were served on the side, and all were just scrumptious. One has to mention that even though this is an enchilada, the quality of the meat was fairly good.

Good quality ingredients, good cooking, and overall good food were all part of our Achiote Taquiera experience. The staff were friendly and outgoing too, and despite being busy and full on a Friday evening, we did not feel the least neglected.

Sensibility

One place that the fennel bulbs would love to visit, whether it be for shopping or for some eating, is Rockwell. It's pretty much a community of its own, and what's very good about it is that there's just an overall sense of goodness about the place. The selections in Rockwell are quite basic, but a few hidden gems just have to be discovered. A relatively new place inside the compound, tucked in quiet Joya drive, is Lu. 

The place is wonderful for an evening dinner. The interiors are modern with hints of red. 

The servers are clad in white or red tops. The lighting is a bit dim. One feels a bit elated to step inside

the restaurant, and the dimness on the other hand is calming. 

The creators of Lu have fairly good aesthetic sense. Even the menus were carefully thought out. The white text and the font used work well against the red background. And finally the food - it's a personally concocted range of dishes which largely draws from Mediterranean elements, with a few coming from the Far East. Overall, it's - (though it may sound as cliche as the term has become nowadays) - fusion. One finds a dish as experimental as  fried Hainanese chicken (which is originally steamed), and Capellini topped with traditional Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish-style sauteed shrimps in peppers and garlic) on the menu. 

For starters, the fennel bulbs ordered some zucchini fritters (Php225). Actually the description on the menu says zucchini blossoms. Zucchini and squash blossoms can be locally found in markets and in Filipino cuisine, blossoms are often cooked in coconut milk. But they are just as good when deep-fried and served with a dip. Lus take on the fritters is good enough - with tomatoes and ricotta cheese. 

But for its value, one would wish that there were more blossoms to munch on. 

Next is a farro salad (Php285) consisting of a hearty combination of pearl barley grains, lentils, olives, and cherry tomatoes in vinaigrette. It's a very hearty salad, and the hints of mint in the vinaigrette bring to mind North Africa as it resembles tabbouleh to a certain extent. 

For the entree, it was Moroccan fish and shrimp brochettes over edamame yoghurt rice (Php425). It's a very experimental dish indeed. The starch element combines Western and Eastern ingredients (yoghurt and edamame respectively). The hint of herbs reminds one of the flavour of tzatziki (a Greek yoghurt, cucumber, and olive oil dip), but the distinct and nutty flavour of edamame stands out punctilliously. A milder legume would have worked better as edamame often requires a strong counterpart, and in Japan, it's often the free appetizer served in an Izakaya. 

The fish and the shrimps, on the other hand, are grilled well and deliciously and go well with the lightness of the yoghurt flavour of the rice. 

For dessert, apriocat baklava (Php175) was ordered. The pastry was sumptuous by all means. But the miniscule portions leave one wanting for more. 

In the end, there's a bit of restraint on inventiveness. Combining and drawing from elements to create new dishes, amongst other entities, can be quite thrilling for some, but on the downside, it can be alienating. And this is where sensibility - which is gradually developed and honed in one's relationship to his own craft - plays an important role. Overall, Lu is a good place, but a little more sensibility will even make it better.