The best Mexican food in Shanghai! Trust me, I`ve been everywhere.

The Haiku Summary:

Mexico Lindo:

Tacos too good to be true.

They must've been Shanghaied!

When my friend told me he knew a pretty good Mexican place here in Shanghai, I was skeptical. Given my past experiences here in China, I had prepared for a long haul without the sweet piquant flavor of jalepenos, the shocking richness of guacamole, and the taste of homemade tortillas. But oh Mexico Lindo, how aptly named you are! What a thing of beauty you have founded in the sensuous, Sinitic sprawl that is Shanghai! Que lindo, indeed!

The atmosphere of this, and numerous other restaurants in the Hongmei area is nothing short of spectacular. My buddy commented that they're just like the bistros in his native LA. This oft-jaded East Coaster could do nothing but nod in agreement.

Mexico Lindo sits in its own renovated villa, well lighted, and appointed with just the right fixtures to give it that 16th century Spanish colonial feel so prevalent in Mexico. Also of particular note is the (ostensibly, original) mural lining the stairwell to the second floor, reminiscent of the Mexican greats who dominated this style in the 20th century.

Now the food. When we sat down, we were immediately served a basket of fresh, warm, homemade tortilla chips, which were wonderful. (We liked them so much that we ordered a second bowl, but be warned, it's 10RMB for each bowl after the first complementary one.) The only disappointment of this entire meal was the salsa that accompanied these chips at the beginning. It was a little soupy, and tasted a little too much like cayenne pepper. For my entree, I ordered the burrito filled with pork carnitas, mexican rice, cheese, black beans, and topped with guacamole, sour cream, and a pineapple salsa, all of which came with a small green salad topped with some kind of spicy vinaigrette. Not only was the dish delicious, it was also gigantic -- well worth the 95RMB I paid for it.

I really couldn't recommend this place enough. As others have noted, it might be a little out of the way from downtown, but rest assured, it is well worth the trip.

We picked up the name and address at random from a listing , so the long drive To the restaurant was a surprise.We had booked but could not get a table at first downstairs and were about to leave in a huff but I am glad we didnt. Because the ambience, the food and the service is amazing. As we sat looking out at the the pitter-patter raindrops near the back porch, replete with a wonderful repast of delicious food, it was easy to believe that the cozy villa was where we belonged. The food is aesthetically presented, reasonably priced and deliciously flavoured.The staff is courteous and smiling but dont hover around like Banco's ghost. Its a great place to spend a cozy evening with family or close friends and worth going across town for a relaxing meal.