Photo of
July 14, 2014
[Mezcal and tequila will be on the menu at Topolobamba.][1]
Mezcal and tequila will be on the menu at Topolobamba.

All being well, the highly anticipated Topolobamba on Glasgow’s St Vincent Street should open to the public this Wednesday.

Rather than being a vaguely Tex Mex joint, Topolobamba is aiming to serve genuine Mexican street food with recipes taken from the country’s four main culinary regions.

Canteen and bar

Billed as a canteen and bar, the venture is aiming to be as authentic as possible and will be importing key ingredients from the North American country.

A sneak peek at the menu shows that it is certainly a long way from a box standard Mexican.

Tequila-basted prawns

Dishes which jump out include the tamales stuffed with barbacoa beef or Yucatan pork; grilled prawns basted in Agave tequila and chilli; taquitos filled with tangy cactus and marinated chicken plus a baked fish of the day served with a chilli red mole.

While not a tapas restaurant, Topolobamba will be serving smaller portions so that diners can try two or three dishes a visit.

[Topolobamba has been taking shape over the last few months.][3]
Topolobamba has been taking shape over the last few months.

Amber gambler?

A fun touch is the traffic light system on the bar which will indicate how hot the chilli is on that particular day.

Customers will be welcome to pop in for a margarita, tequila or Mexican beer. Tortilla chips and bowls of salsa on the bar will help encourage drinkers through the door.

Given the boom in authentic Latin American restaurants in London, it is interesting to see a team try to develop a similar concept in Glasgow.

With the Commonwealth Games just around the corner, Topolobamba couldn’t have picked a better time to launch a new venture.