PUBLISHED January 21st, 2017 06:30 am
Mexican food joints – the good ones, at least – are few and far between in Singapore, which is not to say there hasn’t been a healthy growth in their ranks over the last year or so. A few months after the Loco Group opened its second Super Loco at the Customs House, we now see the hip eatery Mex Out joining the fray with Barrio at VivoCity. Coincidence or not, it also happens to be right by a waterfront.
Following the success of Barrio at 313@Somerset (the vibrant neo-Aztec taqueria that replaced Smoothie King last June), this second outlet marks Mex Out’s first venture outside of the city, and with any luck will bring some much-needed life back into the once-trendy shopping mall.
True to its values, Fresh-Mex remains at the heart of Barrio’s cuisine. Influenced by Mexican-American cuisine, the menu juxtaposes ancient Mayan and Aztec culinary traditions with modern flavours from Baja California and the Caribbean. Just like its Somerset outlet, the restaurant invokes the same laid-back vibe of a Mexican beer garden, along with a cheery ‘Make Salsa Not War’ neon sign gracing the wall.
The new location has both outdoor seats – looking out towards Sentosa Island – and indoor seats by the bar counter, as well as an open kitchen concept that pretty much explicitly displays the freshness of the foods being prepared. Ah yes, and the colours; Mexican cuisine is quite literally drenched in vibrant colours – from the yellow-green of the guacamole to the gentle red of the pico de gallo (fresh salsa).
Open all day every day, crowd-favourites at Barrio at VivoCity include the Barbacoa Quesadilla ($13.40) – char grilled flank steak, housemade chilli jam, cheddar, and jalapenos encased in a huge 12-inch tortilla and Loaded Nachos ($13.60), essentially nachos decked with a plethora of chilli con carne; cotija, mozarella, cheddar, and swiss cheese; salsa; sour cream; and a generous heap of guac.
The portions at Barrio are extravagant, so you’ll want to take a couple of friends along for the ride. Otherwise, how else would you eat all that and still finish the popular beer-battered Fish Tacos ($13.40 for two)? The Pulled Pork Torta ($15.90) is another signature and our personal favourite, featuring chipotle-marinated pork topped with aioli, cotijata cheese, and classic mayonnaise.
Daredevils can follow up with the vegetarian Stuffed Jalapenos ($8.40), but be warned: it’s definitely spicy. A smart move is to just skip that and go straight to dessert, and in Mexico that means crunchy golden sticks of Churros in Chocolate Sauce ($5.90/three), available with sugar or sticky cinnamon coating.
With the latest launch also comes a new weekend breakfast menu to look forward to. Think hearty options like the Breakfast Burrito ($12.60) packed with bacon, fried egg, mushrooms and tomato rice; Guacamole on Toast ($7.90); and a relatively healthy-ish Churros with Yoghurt and Fruits ($11.90) – berry yoghurt, dried cranberries, and raisins, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.
Barrio has collaborated with the Mexican distillery Sauza Tequila to create authentic margarita experiences with potent 100% agave tequila, so if you’re ever in the area on a weekday afternoon, head down for a leisurely happy hour affair from 3pm to 5pm. We’ve tried it, and it’s a real pick-me-up!
Barrio by Mex Out is located at VivoCity 1 Harbourfront Walk #01-116, Singapore 098585, p. +65 6265 6260. Open Mon-Thu 11am – 11pm, Fri 11am – 12am, Sat 9am – 12am, Sun 9am – 11pm.