Review: Cha Cha Cha

Sometimes, it feels as if every time I eat out, it's only one of three options: French, Italian or Chinese, and I tend to forget that, gasp, there are actually restaurants that cater to different culinary tastes!

A fact I was reminded of at Holland Village, where I was supposed to meet Xiaozheng for dinner before we tried out the newly-opened Eski Bar.

As usual, we couldn't decide where to eat, but Xiaozheng wanted meat, so I decided that based on where we were in Holland Village, that meant either Mexican or Lebanese food. Due to anti-Lebanese tendencies (he thinks it's unnatural), we walked into Cha Cha Cha, this Mexican place I've always gone past but never thought to try.



Cha Cha Cha isn't very big, as you can see, and you do get a bit of a cramped feel once the place fills up a bit, but in my books a popular eatery is a good eatery. There's nothing more disconcerting than having a silent meal in the corner of an empty restaurant as the waiter gives you furtive looks while he cleans glasses behind the counter.

Service was adequate, nothing particularly memorable or noteworthy. Which some might consider a failure in itself, actually.

In terms of food, Cha Cha Cha serves lots of chilli con carne, fajitas and tortillas, pretty much what you'd expect from a Mexican joint. I rather stupidly forgot to take pictures of what I was having, which was a spicy beef stew served with this lovely fragrant rice (cooked with onions and peppers) and of course, soft flour tortillas ($16+).

I understood why Cha Cha Cha was so well-patronised. Prices are pretty reasonable, and food is pretty good. I enjoyed my stew, which went exceptionally well with the rice and tortillas (4.5/5). Mexican food, like a lot of South American food in general, is hearty and feel-good, and goes down very well if you have the right company.

Plus it's located in the heart of Holland Village, which is always a good thing, and near the popular watering holes like Wala Wala, which is even better.

Cha Cha Cha (Mexican, semi-casual)
32 Lorong Mambong
Holland Village
Tel: 6462 1650

Location: 5/5
Ambience: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Comments: A nice break from monotony, and a worthwhile foray into more exotic cuisines

Technorati Tags: Reviews, Singapore, Mexican Food, Singapore