A new contemporary Mexican restaurant has opened in the bustling foodie district of Bree Street in Cape Town.

Officially opening its doors on the 25th of May this year, Hacienda sets itself apart from tex-mex restaurants as it aims to offer a modern twist on authentic coastal Mexican cuisine.

An earthly setting

Hacienda is a Spanish word that directly translates to ‘large estate or plantation with a dwelling house’, with the name in mind, the restaurant’s look and feel aims to reflect that of earthly textures and organic material with different hues of brown, a splash of gold and other neutral tones that feature throughout.

Unique pairings and a burst of flavour 

Headed by Executive Chef Justin Barker and Sous Chef Michael Badenhorst, the menu offers an authentic spiced Baja cuisine experience with a limited number of dishes.

Baja California is an area located on the North-Western coastline of Mexico with a Mediterranean climate. The dishes traditionally served in this area have a strong focus on seafood along with fresh fruit, meat and vegetables.

Supporting local suppliers is at the helm of the restaurant’s agenda and only fresh and organic produce, free-range meat and sustainably sourced seafood products are used to create the vibrant flavours of Mexican cuisine.

The grilled section of the menu offers a range of options such as lamb chops, wagyu Denver, charred octopus and guajillo-dusted corn.

guajillo-dusted corn

Additionally, other mains feature in the ‘bowls and plates’ section such as the kingklip bowl, a mosaic kingklip with lime gel, coconut cream and chipotle roasted leeks.

kingklip bowl

The menu caters to vegetarians and vegans with alternative options such as the Oaxaca Adobe Rice and more.

The desserts section offers a range of options from decadently sweet flan de chocolate, and churros to the savoury and sweet pastel de maiz dulce.

All about Tequila 

Staying true to its Mexican roots, Hacienda has a bespoke selection of tequilas and mescals used to create their cocktails.

“We have a very good relationship with Patron in South Africa and they have imported tequilas exclusively for us. We stock their entire international range, even bottles that were limitedly made and we also have tequilas on our list that is only available to us in South Africa.”

Hacienda also shared with Eat Out that a tequila tasting pairing menu is in the works to create a truly all-Mexican experience.