Mexico Lindo
Suzhou 's trail-blazing Mexican Restaurant and Night Club is launched in the I.S.P .

Dateline 29 May – Two years after taking Shanghai's Hongqiao district by storm, Mexico Lindo formally opened its doors today in Suzhou's ‘Modern Plaza', the brand new lakeside leisure and entertainment complex, a mere ten-minute scenic drive from town.

With its unique blend of tasty Mexican and Tex-Mex food, from a menu inspired by one of Shanghai's top Mexican chefs, a drinks list that includes a selection of the biggest tequilas this side of the Yangtze River and live music provided by a pure Latin resident band, Mexico Lindo is the perfect place to gather with friends, colleagues or business associates for lunch or to unwind at the end of a stressful day.

Mexico Lindo enjoys an enviable location – the setting is romantic Lake Jinji (Golden Rooster), a protected natural environment. The waterfront area has been sensitively landscaped with pathways and promenades and planted with camphor trees.

Mexico Lindo's owner's imaginative design evokes the sunlit main square of a Mexican pueblo, with its rustic brick colonnade and allusion to a Spanish colonial church in the gable over the cantina bar. The theme culminates in the restaurant on the second floor where water plashes from a cooling fountain, fashioned from a mosaic of blue and white tiles. The colour scheme throughout is bold and vibrant - the predominant shades of lemon and lime, reminiscent of the fruits that go into Mexico Lindo's trademark margaritas. Floor to ceiling plate glass windows use natural light to maximum effect while the dark pinewood furniture and Spanish terracotta floor tiles infuse warmth. Contributing details include Aztec moon motifs and Mexico Lindo's own iguana logo which even finds its way into the ladies' restroom.
The action takes place on three levels. The first floor entrance leads directly to the cantina and dance floor. Here patrons have an unimpeded view of the stage as they sip a cocktail at the long bar, enjoy a lamb birria at a table, or a made-to-order guacamole from the couch beneath the colonnade. From the balcony of the mezzanine guests can look down on the revelers partying below, chat over a drink or watch sports events on one of the strategically placed TV screens. Those visiting the restaurant on the second floor will be bowled over by the stunning mural, inspired by Diego Rivera's History of Mexico frescoes. The sequence begins at the top of the stairs with a recreation of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan , and concludes behind the bar with depictions of the colourful characters who contributed to the Mexican revolution. Patrons can dine indoors or al fresco on the terrace tastefully decorated with timber decking and potted plants. (There is additional terrace seating at ground level.)
Mexico Lindo's mouthwatering range of traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes is characterized by its authentic salsas – tomatillo-jalape?o, black bean-mango, spicy blackened tomato, Oaxaca black mole (a sauce made with chocolate) to name but a few. All items are prepared with flare and attention to detail and made from scratch daily.

For a light lunch, try the signature Latin lamb sandwich served with a chimichurri garlic sauce, the Nicaraguan tuna ceviche (a salad of fish marianated in lime juice, habanero pepper, cilantro, coconut milk and a secret ingredient), or dive into a bowl of nachos – huge, home-made corn chips stacked with dollops of black beans, guacamole, sour cream, green salad and a sliver of chili chipotle for extra zing. Mexico Lindo is also proud to offer its signature tenderloin steak as a lunch special.

Mexico Lindo's appetizers feature a refreshing made-by-order guacamole , with tomatoes, chilies and cilantro, prepared at your table, or the utterly memorable spicy prawns pan-seared, then braised in a sauce of garlic, tomato and roasted peppers. The succulent chicken enchiladas de la casa, like the corn tortillas, are stuffed with a tasty mix of roasted tomato sauce, garlic, chicken, sprinkled with fresh cheese served with tomato-jalapeno salsa. Spread a little sour cream with chipotle peppers on the side for extra lift.

Of the main courses the lamb birria is a must, a fork-tender stew with complex savoury flavours, cooked over a low fire and set in a stone bowl. Another winner is the Gaucho steak, a 300gm choice cut stuffed with roasted garlic and jalape?os, grilled to perfection after a spell in a marinade of sugar, salt, pureed cilantro, jalape?os and tequila, and served on a bed of watercress in ancho-vinaigrette and south of the border onion rings. The classic fajitas are served sizzling on a cast iron skillet with fresh vegetables, white beans, rice and warm homemade tortillas in Chinese steam baskets. Choose between beef, spicy chicken or chipotle prawn.
Opening hours: Monday-Tuesday 11:30a.m. to midnight.
Wednesday-Sunday 11:30a.m. to 2am.
Major credit cards accepted.