Does the Mexican food at Luchador match the view?
I have discovered a new way of dining out on a weekend in Dubai. I arrive at my chosen restaurant for an early cocktail, around 5.30pm pre-‘sunset’. I order one starter with a cocktail, a second appetiser with a glass of wine. And so on with main courses and dessert. Out by 9pm. I am coining this ‘staggered dining.’ Relaxing and fulfilling, both literally and mentally. That’s how my evening rolls at Luchador, a new rooftop Mexican cantina on the 11th floor of the Aloft Palm Jumeirah – located on the wrong crescent for sunset, made up for by ocean views of both Burj towers.
Luchador not ‘lunchador’ as a follower comments draws inspiration from the term, Lucha Libre for Mexico’s wrestling sport – a bizarre naming strategy for a restaurant, but one that is meant to represent the energetic spirit of the concept. Don’t worry, you won’t be expected to wrestle for your food, however brightly painted wrestling masks adorn the entrance. Aztec tiles and art, along with dark wood and exposed walls animate this casual restaurant, bar and terrace – complete with day beds.
On a Friday, Luchador is empty on arrival, with a few tables occupied by the time we leave. That leaves us to choose a prime spot – a high table on the terrace with us both seated sea-facing. The waiters hail from Spanish speaking countries, and the chef is Mexican – all good indicators of authenticity. However, some requests are lost in translation, for instance a slight chilling of red wine, where we have to spell out what we want. The margaritas are well mixed, but as expected from this type of casual concept, the wine list is tiny and uninspiring. The bar bites menu runs until 6.30pm when a la carte kicks in – in both menus, quite a few typos need addressing.
The guacamole is chunky with the avocado, tomato, onions and chilli freshly pounded, whilst the tacos are nicely crisped. An octopus and avocado ceviche follows with a gorgeous garden-like presentation. Marinated in the hottest habanero chillies I have ever tasted, the punchy flavour is slightly offset by a tart and citrusy ponzu sauce.
The tacos are divided into two, slightly confusing sections, ‘taquero mucho’ for three pieces (AED55-75), and ‘tacos and taquitos’ for individual portions at AED15 per piece. The ‘pibil’ in the former section consists of slow-cooked short rib with an achiote marinade giving the beef a delectable sweet and peppery flavour, balanced by pickled onions – all wrapped in super soft corn tortillas. We order two tacos de pescado – freshly battered white fish goujons and shredded veg, with just enough roasted chilli mayo to elevate and not overpower – this time in an equally as good flour tortilla.
Almost taco-ed out, we can’t resist the sole quesadilla on the menu, a huge portion. A pan-fried flour tortilla filling of chicken, a beef and chilli chorizo (no pork licence), enveloped in melted cheese, interestingly, has a strong anise flavour that must come from the sausage. I would have liked the tortilla slightly more crisped, but that aside, along with salsa, sour cream and guacamole dips, makes for moreish fodder.
The churros are probably Dubai’s second best after Peyote – here the ‘doughnuts’ are slimmer, yet still with a crispy sugar dusted coating, and soft inside. The dark chocolate sauce is smooth and velvety. Unusually for me, I polish off dessert.
A guitarist and singer, who sadly lip-syncs, play from 7pm onwards – thankfully the music level is toned down so you can actually have a conversation without shouting. Even on a relatively quiet night, there is some ambiance thanks to the inviting décor and terrace view. The price point of AED155 based on three courses each without alcohol has to be one of Dubai’s lowest for a licensed restaurant offering incredible value for money. Given the location in a mid-market hotel, I am expecting average food, so it’s a pleasant surprise to uncover excellent, authentic Mexican fare. With all this in mind, along with a striking, relaxed setting, and, overall, good friendly service, Luchador scores a high four out of five FooDiva knife rating. I’ll be back. Early.
Are you an early or late dinner fan? Where’s your go-to Mexican spot?
A bientôt.
FooDiva. x
Excited to hear the prices point! Aed155 is perhaps the lowest price point in any Foodiva review? With VIVA deep discount grocery supermarkets opening up, is time Dubai cut down on the prices at licensed restaurants ?
There should be awards for affordable licensed restaurants AK! We are definitely seeing a trend towards casual licensed restaurants in Dubai. BB Social is another good example of this with a prime DIFC location and excellent food at a decent price point, alcohol included 🙂