Tacos are supposed to be slanted

IF YOU find Mexican food heavy or greasy, chances are that it isn’t actually Mexican food. Ask Jorge Bernal, an actual Mexican who’s been cooking the authentic stuff all his life. 
He’ll assure you that the cuisine of his homeland is far different from what’s been popularised around the world, which is basically Tex-Mex. And it’s Tex-Mex that’s found in most of Bangkok’s “Mexican” restaurants. 
If you’re dubious, you only need ask Bernal to invite you into his home. Failing that, you can visit his just-opened restaurant, Slanted Taco on Sukhumvit Soi 23.
“People ask me all the time what Mexican food is really like, because what you get in most restaurants is very cheesy, heavy, has lots of beans and comes in enormous portions – not even a big guy like me can finish a meal!
“And that’s a shame,” Bernal says, “because if Thais get to know what authentic Mexican food is really like, they’ll love it. Mexican food is very similar to Thai food. It’s light, balanced and tasty with aromatic herbs and chillies. It’s light but also fulfilling.”
Bernal follows the recipes used by how own family back in Mexico City. And, since Mexico’s every bit as hot as Thailand, all the ingredients he needs come from local sources, so the food is fresh and the cost reasonable. 
The extensive but manageable menu at Slanted Taco offers the expected items along with several you’ve probably never heard of – but will be delighted to discover.

A great starter is Corn Chips with Guacamole (Bt200). The crisp chips are freshly made on the premises and not overly salty as is often the case elsewhere. 
Pozole Corn Soup (Bt180) is another nice light was to begin, a light and savoury broth with corn and braised pork. Pozole is an ancient Aztec dish, and they must have known a thing or two about flavour. You can squeeze in some lime juice for extra tang or a few drops of super-spicy chilli oil for more kick. 
Yet another recommended appetiser is Chorizoqueso (Bt250), a hearty meeting of chilli sausage and cheese. Again, Bernal makes his own chorizo sausage. He melts cheese over it and sears the top to create a fragrant, savoury and quite rich dish served with a flour tortilla and fresh tomato salsa. 

Chorizoqueso

The Quesadillas (from Bt200) are also lovely and light, offered with a choice of cheese, chicken, pork or prawn filling. On top is more of that tomato salsa and on the side a mild chilli sauce.
The superstars of Mexican cuisine next await your pleasure. Burritos (from Bt210) have the filling of your choice, including Mexican rice, fried beans, cheese and lettuce, wrapped in a soft flour tortilla. 
The Wet Burrito is especially interesting with the addition of melted mozzarella and cheddar, and the preferred filling for this is chicken “tinga”, which is rich and tasty with a great herbal aroma. 

Burrito

The Tacos (from Bt70) have extra options among the meat fillings. This Mayan favourite in a corn tortilla can be stuffed with roasted chicken, pork carnitas, chicken tinga, grilled beef, sea bass, prawns or, for vegetarians, sauteed mushrooms. 
Regardless of the filling, they’re light and fresh and won’t leave you feeling bloated. One or two tacos still leave you room to try other dishes.

Taco

And that room is perhaps best devoted to some seriously decadent desserts. 
Flan Napolitano (Bt80) is a traditional way to end the meal, perfectly balancing cream, custard and cheese. It’s not overly sweet, and nor is the Three-milk Cake (also Bt80), which the French know as pastel de tres leches. 
This is a good-sized square of sponge cake that’s soaked up fresh milk and both sweetened and unsweetened condensed milk before being topped with whipped cream. 
  

NO WALLS HERE, PLEASE
>> Slanted Taco is on Sukhumvit Soi 23, close to the MRT Sukhumvit and BTS Asoke stations.
>> It’s open weekdays from 4 to midnight and weekends from 2. 
>> Book a table at (02) 258 0546 or www.Facebook.com/SlantedTaco.