The Fat Cactus

First of all, who is ever opposed to indulging in authentic Mexican food? That’s what I suspected, me neither. The best thing that has ever happened to avocados is guacamole. Let’s talk about how good guacamole is. So, when a friend suggested that we try out the Fat Cactus, I was more than eager. She did forewarn us that during a Friday and Saturday night, it’s usually a hangout for the younger crowd. Any guesses as to which day of the week we chose to try out the Fat Cactus? Yes, on a Friday night, we did, however, choose to be seated indoors which suited us as the hangout spot in at their outdoor seating area.

Our visit was to the Fat Cactus branch in Woodstock which is situated on Albert Road. They do have two further branches, one in Mowbray and the other in Gardens. The decor of the Fat Cactus is quite eclectic. As there were decal and frames filling up most of the walls and other available surfaces.

Drinks

For drinks, I chose the frozen strawberry margarita, which was divine. When in a 
Mexican restaurant why not choose something the Mexicans created especially something containing Tequila. My husband, on the other hand, not a fan of tequila, chose to have the Corona Cerveza. Cervecería Modelo produces the Corona Extra, which is a beer, in Mexico. It was first produced in 1925 and is considered to be the best-selling Mexican beer. Consequently, the manufacturer exports the Corona to more than 180 countries worldwide. As a result, it is as authentic as you can get.

Starter

We chose to share a starter of chilli poppers. According to the Fat Cactus, the chilli poppers are considered to be their number one Cape Town original. These are jalapenos which are stuffed with cheese, covered with a batter and deep fried. They are accompanied by a salsa mayo. Brace yourselves, these poppers were hot, like really spicy. I’ve eaten chilli poppers at numerous places, but this rank high up for living true to their name. Although it was hot, it was so tasty that I kept wanting to have more. Mayo compliments any dish and this salsa mayo certainly did the trick here.

Mains

Mexican Chicken Enchilada

The menu offers all your Mexican favourites from the quesadilla, nachos and fajitas to enchiladas, Texan burgers, tacos and burritos. There are also vegetarian and vegan options available for those who prefer these.

I chose the Mexican Chicken Enchilada for my main. An enchilada is usually a corn tortilla which is rolled around a filling and topped with a sauce. In this instance, the filling was chicken which was cooked with distinct Mexican flavours. It was accompanied by guacamole and salsa. Once filled, cheese covers the enchilada and finally, it is baked until it was golden in colour. The tortilla enclosing the filling was soft and scrumptious. There was ample chicken filling provided. Together with the sauce, guacamole and salsa, it was well-balanced and I thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

Grilled Chicken Fajita

My husband, on the other hand, chose the grilled chicken fajitas. The grilled chicken comes in flavours of either lime and coriander, hot buffalo, barbeque or chipotle barbeque. He chose the lime and coriander as his flavour. A fajita pronounced Fah-Hee-Tah consists of strips of grilled meat and vegetables served as a taco on a tortilla. It is usually accompanied with crema. The fajita is of Tex-Mex (Texan-Mexican) origin and is rather a popular dish worldwide. The grilled chicken fajita contained two mini tortillas containing the lime and coriander filling and topped with sour cream. Despite seeming to be a small portion, it packed quite a punch and was very satisfying. My husband completely relished his meal.

 

Recommendation

Overall if you are in the Woodstock area and are looking to have authentic Mexican food, then this is definitely the place that you should try. They do have other branches in Cape Town. Although I have not tried them if you would like to try them out. I would definitely recommend you try the Fat Cactus out for your Mexican indulgence. From imported Mexican drinks to traditional meals, they have everything you would want.

If you do try them out, please let me know in the comments below how your experience was. Did you enjoy the Mexican feast?

If you liked this, why don’t you check out my post on Groot Constantia situated in the Constantia Kloof Winelands.

Fat Cactus Contact Details:

Website: http://fatcactus.co.za/

Tel: 021 447 1713

E-mail: [email protected]