Wahaca has a Torta!
Bierria and Artisanal Bread in Waterloo, London.
Wahaca Waterloo is found across the road from the main station. Its façade is small but that is just the entrance to an attractive and colourful light-filled basement on the corner of Waterloo Road and The Cut, opposite The Old Vic. It’s a great location, convenient for theatre-goers, commuters and visitors.
Wahaca has just launched partnerships with local bakeries to present a menu item which has outstanding flavour and texture, and also supports a food business in the area. The dish is a hearty Birria Torta. There’s only a limited number of tortas available at each Wahaca restaurant each day, so go early to take advantage of this magnificent sarnie!
A torta is the ubiquitous sandwich enjoyed everywhere in Mexico. It can be filled with all manner of meats, cheeses and veggies, but this one at Wahaca is over-stuffed with slow-cooked birria beef, roasted red onions, pickled vegetables, creamy avocado, grilled cheese, coriander and a jalapeño aioli. The torta is made with pillowy bread from The Dusty Knuckle Bakery in London (Wahaca restaurants in other cities have their own local bakeries) and is served with a bowl of rich, aromatic birria broth for dunking.
The spirit is different
We started our meal with a brace of cocktails and the torta. I enjoyed a traditional and ever popular Margarita. Mezcal Negroni was my guest’s choice of cocktail: Campari and red vermouth balanced with sweet smoky mezcal. This is the perfect choice for those who have never tried mezcal before. Yes, it’s made of agave, just like tequila, but the process to make the spirit is different and the resulting flavour is remarkable.
We enjoyed Pico de Gallo of chopped tomato, onion, lime and fresh herbs, and Guacamole made with avocado, lime and coriander, served with blue and golden tortilla chips. Then it was on to Pork Pibil on tacos, made with free-range meat slow-cooked in citrus and achiote, in two soft corn tortillas. This is a celebrated Mexican classic: ‘Pibil’ is a Mayan word for ‘cooked underground’. Not sure if there is a cooking pit in the back yard of Wahaca in Waterloo, though their finished pork is unmissable anyway! It should be a signature dish here.
Our Grilled Chicken and Avocado tacos were moist and flavourful, and the Prawn Aguachile was a vibrant melange of marinated seafood in habanero, fresh lime and coconut, with avocado, crisp tostadas and spicy chilli salsa macha on the side. A light dish but with fresh complexity. If you like ceviche then this will be the dish for you!
Wahaca Waterloo is unique. It’s a fun venue with food and decor to match. It’s an oasis of delicious calm at lunchtime but buzzing with life in the evening. Yes, folks can have a great time with friends at Wahaca, but it’s those vibrant Mexican dishes which will ensure many happy returns.
