Mexican munches at Senor Pepe

Yesterday, I unabashedly confessed to Don - "I have never tasted Mexican food". He assured - "Knowing your taste - you'll love it"! Yes, I loved Mexican!

It was the Valentine's Day eve and we had no table booked. Hyderabad, in case you aren't aware, is quite a turn down when it comes to restaurants - nah, the food will make you lips go smack be it the traditional biryani or non-Hyderabadi inclusions, but all those places where you 'smack' remains so crowded and the waiting stretches so long (usually) that by the time you're seated, you have already yawned 3 times and considered trying another eatery 8 times. And to decide to eat out on a Valentine's Day without booking your tables was lethal, almost! We realised it only half way, stuck at the chocked roads to Banjara Hills - Valentines' Day traffic - again!

The 1 hr waiting at Yokko Sizzler made the rats in my stomach delare mutiny and we literally sniffed through Banjara Hills for a restaurant where we can sit and hog without much ado! Blue-lit "Coco's" got us midway, when we almost decided to boomerang to our good old kitchen. It read Tex-Mex and I was thrilled. The one-smoke-long waiting was bearable. The items on the menu were tongue-twisters, if you ask me, and even after reading the descriptions I looked as blank and kept looking all around, drooling outrageously at the sight of those around me hogging at amazingly appetizing "somethings". Don suggested we start with a pint of Kingfisher Lager Beer with Chicken Tacos - crisp tortillas with fried onion and chicken filling. How I longed to nibble at seafood, but Don hates the smell of it, leave taste and on a Valentine's Day I didn't quite wan't us to have our own different platters (the Squids' experience fresh in my mind). The stuff inside the Tacos tasted very Indian and if not for the crisp tortilla, it could have easily passed off as an Indian dish.

Next came lamb Fajitas (faheetas) - its (in my lingo) a thin-crust, amazingly soft roti, served with lamb sizzler that had shredded lamb, potato wedges and a little amount of fried rice. I was full. But Don, as usual, wanted more. Not 'cause he was hungry - that's his primordial hog instinct (hahaha)! Impromptu came Chicken Enchiladas - softened tortilla, stuffed with fried chicken and onions and layered with lots and lots of cheese. I was too full already to listen to my tastebuds react to it. And Don (happens always, I tell you) realised he was done after two bites (barely). I wanted to wind up wiht the Shikaar Fried Ice Cream (never tasted fried ice cream), but 11pm was too late for it, they said, and we had to settle for our regular choc-brownie-with-vanilla ice cream :( .

How I hate to leave food-paid-for at restautants - an entire plate of Enchiladas (minus 2 bites)and an almost spilling mug of beer - and remember it the next day when I am back to dal-bhat-koni (egg).

Highs: Ambience is lively and service fast. Non-veg, serve drinks, has home-delivery. Food is decent (considering its my first tryst with Tex-Mex food).

Lows: The place feels a little cluttered - how I resisted picking one of the "somethings" from the table next. Food, a friend said, is better at the pub at the top floor - Coco's. Live music, cool breeze - would have been perfect for our V-Day dinner.

ADDRESS: 217, Road No 2., Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500033
Phone: +91-40-23541493 / 23542835

Next time...and that need not be V-Day 2009...with Don it can be a V-day everyday!!

[Hope it makes up for the 'hog' thing ;) ]