Las Iguanas: punchy Mexican and South American classics with thirst quenching cocktails equals a perfect night!
Upon our arrival at Las Iguanas on Mill Lane, my partner and I were greeted by an attentive front of house waitress, seating us at a table just by the front windows. At around seven thirty on a Friday night, the restaurant humming with guests – creating a cozy ambience. As we looked over the menu, I couldn’t fail to notice the smell of vibrant and fresh spices throughout the restaurant.
The amiable waitress highlighted some of the favourite cocktails and taking her advice, we ordered a Caipirinha and a Mango Collins.
Described as Las Iguanas’ ‘award-winning signature cocktail’, the Caipirinha was punchy and tangy, with the lime juice complementing the Las Iguanas Magnifica Cachaca. Like night and day, the Mango Collins contrasted to the Caipirinha – mellow, but full of sweet tropical notes.
Taking the waitress’ advice again, we ordered the Buttermilk Fried Chicken to share as a starter, which was accompanied by agave aioli, spring onions and pineapple citrus slaw.
The waitress was absolutely spot on with her recommendation: succulent and tender chicken with a crunchy and zesty side. With our tastebuds allured, we eagerly awaited our main course and sipped away on our sumptuous cocktails.
Before long, our mains arrived: the Gaucho Smash and the Taste of Mexico.
The Gaucho Smash quite literally smashed our expectations. Two patties wedged between smoky streaky bacon, cheese, pickles and burger sauce. Perhaps it’s bold to say, but this could be the best burger in Cardiff…
Diving into the Taste of Mexico, we agreed this dish was perfect for sharing alongside the burger. This main features a flavour of each of Las Iguanas’ best dishes: pork quesadillas, chicken fajitas and chilli. This platter was brimming with bold and snappy flavours and we kept going back for more. The chilli, by name and by nature (luckily, we had water as well as our cocktails) was an explosion of piquant and colourful notes, balanced by the rice. Lightly toasted tortillas warmed by the spiced chicken and pilled with guacamole and salsa were the assured pinnacle of the plate.
Feeling very full and content, we felt certain that there was no room for dessert. That was before the waitress returned to the table with dessert menus and convinced us that we couldn’t without trying the churros.
Easily convinced, the churros appeared almost instantly, steaming and crispy. Dusted with cinnamon sugar, we dipped these delights into the rich, silky chocolate ganache. This sweet dish was the perfect end to our Latin American journey!
The final verdict: dinner at Las Iguanas is an experience you can’t afford to miss! The rich colour palette of the southern hemisphere is so distinct that it felt like we were transported to the heart of Latin America.
REVIEWED BY HELEN TURNBULL
Las Iguanas
8 Mill Ln, Cardiff CF10 1FL
