Tequila! Head to MadCo in Chennai for all things Mexican this week

From March 24, paneer queserotta, prawn tostadas, beef birria and more feature on MadCo's special Mexican pop up menu by Chef Mathangi Kumar alongside experimental cocktails, including a marigold highball

At MadCo, Chennai’s intimate speakeasy, we sip on a cocktail inspired by both a michelada and a picante, and bite into a buttery Mexican grilled cheese with some queso beer sauce. All that seems to be missing is a sombrero, for those perfect Instagram photos of course. 

For the next few days, the speakeasy will host a Mexican pop up, with a food menu curated by Chef Mathangi Kumar, and cocktails to go with.

There are a selection of cocktails to choose from and Rohit Rajput, the bartender at MadCo is excited about olives, gooseberry and even a secret hot sauce he has perfected that features in the drinks. If you like sweet notes, go the Marigold Highball way and if it is savoury flavours that you crave, the sathukudi cocktail comes with three different types of salt on the glass; regular, a spicy Andhra one, and coriander. 

Prawn tostadas | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Ancho chiles, among the most popular chillies used in Mexican cuisine have been imported and there is a slow cooked beef cheek in the birria chat. Also try the squid karuvad, dried squid which is a speciality from Keelakarai on some panko-fried calamari. Because this is Mathangi’s version of Tex Mex, expect a lot of fiery local flavours as well.

“I wanted to play around with Mexican staples and while the menu is meat heavy, there is a lot that will appeal to the vegetarians. The quesarotta for instance, comes stuffed with paneer, and we also have grilled baby corn tossed in a cowboy butter and orange miso glaze,” Mathangi explains.