Salsa Street | Restaurant Review

The little Mexican food haven hidden inside The Grove

Nooked in the corner of The Grove, lies a little slice of Mexico that shouldn’t go under your radar. Food is a huge part of Mexican culture and heritage, so Salsa Street had a lot on their plate (pun intended) by choosing to serve this cuisine in particular. Fortunately for everyone, they do a pretty awesome job upholding that standard.

Before they moved to The Grove, Salsa Street operated primarily as a Cloud Kitchen for almost a year. Now it’s one of the four outlets at The Grove which is located in the heart of Nugegoda.

Note: Salsa Street does not serve beverages along with their meals. However, customers can take their pick from the other outlets available at The Grove, which has a galore of delicious beverages! The Grove also accommodates BYOB which is LKR 2,000/= per head, so don’t hesitate to grab a bottle of wine when you’re making your way there.

Read on to see how our time at Salsa Street went down!

 

Appetisers

Chips With Queso – LKR 1,200 (5/5)

The chips were merely a side character in this dish because the real star was the gooey queso dip. Made by combining cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan cheese with a blend of diced veggies, the queso dip is a cheese lover’s dream dip. And me myself, being such a fan, could not get enough of it!

Chips With Salsa – LKR 900 (5/5)

In keeping with how salsa is traditionally prepared, the salsa was tangy and spicy. This is mainly credited to its rich and acidic tomato base accompanied with a blend of chilli powder, jalapeños and kochchi miris. Yet again, we enjoyed the salsa so much that more salsa would’ve gone a long way.

Chips With Refried Beans – LKR 900 (5/5)

Unlike the other dips served with chips, the refried bean dip was sweeter and less intense. The refried beans were seasoned with special Mexican seasoning and cheese which gave rise to its authentic Mexican taste. This dip would be ideal for someone who isn’t a fan of heavy spice.

 

Mains

Tacos

All tacos served at Salsa Street are served with either a hard or soft shell. Opting for the hard shell means the filling would get a bigger spotlight. The soft shell is somewhat messier than the deep-fried hard shell, but also, so worth the mess! On the other hand, the hard shell cushions the filling and adds a crunchy element to the meal – but in all honesty, both shells are delectable  and you’d be making a great choice in whichever one you pick.

Beef Tacos – LKR 1,500 (4/5)

Salsa Street is not sparse with their filling, so on that account, the beef-packed tacos were extremely flavourful. The beef filling was made with ground beef and had a strong peppery taste. There was also a spicy aftertaste which was true to Mexican authenticity, but is also something we Sri Lankans enjoy.

Chicken Tacos – LKR 1,500 (5/5)

The chicken filling for this taco was tomato-based, which was quite contrasting in terms of the flavour of the beef tacos. The filling was more moist and juicy compared to the beef filling. Additionally because the meat itself wasn’t as packed with spice as the beef filling, it also complemented the cheese and crunchy veggie filling.

Burritos

Beef Burrito – LKR 1,500 (5/5)

Who doesn’t love a good burrito right? The spicy minced beef filling was a nice contrast to the soft and pillowy texture of the wheat flour tortilla which wrapped up the filling. The portion size was also perfect for one because it was filling but not overbearing.

Chicken Burrito – LKR 1,500 (5/5)

My personal favourite tomato-based chicken filling made an appearance again following the chicken tacos, and if you’re in the mood for tacos but don’t want to deal with the mess, I’d personally recommend going with this! It paired nicely with the extra refried bean paste and salsa provided as well.

Enchiladas

Beef Enchilada – LKR 1,500 (5/5)

If the name ‘enchilada’ is novel to you, don’t be dissuaded from trying this out. Enchiladas resemble savoury pancakes in that they consist of a generally savoury filling wrapped in a tortilla and baked to perfection. The beef enchilada at Salsa Street was an eye opener into just how amazing and diverse Mexican cuisine can be and I realised just how much I’ve been missing out – I’d be in the mood for this any day of the week.

Chicken Enchilada – LKR 1,500 (5/5)

This dish literally melts in your mouth. The tangy flavour of the chicken combined with the softness of the tortilla wraps you up like a warm blanket. Bonus; the ample serving of cheese atop the enchiladas is also something I highly enjoyed because you can never have too much cheese.

 

Desserts

Churros with Chocolate Sauce – LKR 800 (5/5)

The Mexican churro is one of the more popular Mexican desserts and after dining at Salsa Street I understand and support the hype! The deep fried churros were tossed in sugar and cinnamon, giving this almost doughnut-like dessert its exceptional flavour. It really can’t get any better than steamy hot churros dipped in the special Salsa Street dark chocolate sauce. Don’t forget to eat it while it’s hot!

 

Ambience

Salsa Street has one of the more unique ambience settings simply because it is located inside The Grove. The great thing about being located in such a dynamic space is that the setting within it is quite diverse. Customers have the option of sitting indoors, outdoors or on the verandah. Within the whole space, there’s a very calm and serene atmosphere as the ambience clearly surrounds itself with nature – and on nights where The Grove hosts live music, the vibe elevates all on its own. This makes Salsa Street the perfect place for a casual night out with friends or a place to go to with your family to have a meal.

Final Thoughts

All in all, despite Salsa Street still being relatively new to Sri Lanka’s food and hospitality industry, it’s definitely going places. The authentic Mexican flavours are just what you would imagine them to be – a fiery and intense flavour haven, and I seemingly can’t find the words to express how its taste exceeds the usual Mexican fast food. You’d be missing out if you don’t give it a try.

 

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