Mumbai Food: New Mexican takeaway in Khar fails to impress

Nachos with quessa cheese

Call us stupid, but the concept of healthy eating has always made us sick. There is no justifiable reason for this. But somehow, the people who harp on it seem to us to be the sort who'd go to a dance party and then complain that the music is too loud. They seem to lack the joie de vivre required in enjoying a greasy curry or a fat, juicy steak. And what's worse is when they are sanctimonious about their lifestyle decisions. It makes us feel like saying, "Please pass us the loaded fries while you extol the virtues of a quinoa salad, thank you very much."

But we make an exception to our general eating habits when we hear of Loca Lucho, a Mexican takeaway in Bandra that boasts of healthy food. It's barely a week old. But given how professional their service staff is when we make a call to place our order, it looks like thorough preparations have been done. This is further evident when the food arrives in just under an hour - it's perfectly packed in brown paper
bags and high-quality cardboard boxes, with extra points for the disposable wooden cutlery wrapped in tissue paper.

But proof of the pudding lies in the eating, of course. So we empty a bag full of nachos (R171) on a plate and dip one in gooey quessa cheese before taking a bite. We had a bit of trepidation about this order, to be honest, because home-delivered nachos tend to get soggy if they are packed in the same box with all the toppings. But that's not the case here since the cheese has a container of its own, meaning the nachos retain their crunch.

Charred Beef Burrito Bowl

Moreover, they do seem healthy, with what looks like a purplish ragi version added to the mix. Do they taste good, though? Thankfully, they do. The baked triangles are lightly spiced and pair well with the cheese dip. So we move with some optimism towards the charred beef burrito bowl (Rs 333) now that we're off to a good start.

We've always thought about how Mexican food has similarities with Indian cuisine. We mean, if you place a tortilla, rice and red kidney beans - regular staples in the South American country - next to a chapatti, chawal and rajma, it would be hard to tell them apart. One difference, though, lies in their extensive use of guacamole and sour cream, both of which play a key role in this dish we try. They impart a cooling effect to the chunks of beef, with lightly sautéed onions, green peppers and cherry tomatoes completing the mouthful when we scoop them together with rice.

It's a no-frills experience, but one that's comforting at the same time. That leaves the soft shell tacos (Rs333), and we remember the first time we tried one, back in the late '90s, when quality global cuisine was as alien in India as the idea of winter is for people in Mumbai. It had seemed like a terribly exotic dish at the time, though it had tasted so bad that our first impression of Mexican food wasn't pleasant at all.

Loca Lucho's tacos, however, redeem things since the two half-wrapped tortillas have all the right fillings - peri peri pork, chipotle chicken, kidney beans, jalapenos, cheese and guacamole - meaning we have to admit that despite carrying the "healthy" tag, the food at this joint isn't bad at all. But does that also mean you'll soon find us digging into a quinoa salad? Well, yes, if our life is on the line.

TIME 11.30 am to 11 pm
AT Carter Road, Khar West
CALL 26004546

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Loca Lucho didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals