On a Monday evening, as I ticked things off my to-do list at work, my phone pinged!

It was a message from SOCIAL – a popular bar and restaurant chain in India. What first appeared to be a marketing message was more than just that. It was an invitation to Mela Mexicana.

Mela Mexicana by SOCIAL was organised to give customers an exclusive look at their Mexican-inspired menu. Food and drinks were on the house.

The only caveat? In Bangalore, the event was held at Kormangala. On a Tuesday. But I’m one for new experiences and free tastings, so I signed up my friend Talwar and myself.

Now, I request you to be nice about the next thing I’m going to say.

I rarely step out of my comfort zone. I’m the person who will taste new flavours at Baskin Robbins and still pick Black Currant. I will read the entire cocktail menu and settle on a Gin with Sprite. I will browse the menu before checking out a new restaurant to ensure they serve the safer options.

Yet, I thought a tasting of a desi-tadka Mexican menu was a good idea. Out of 10 questionable decisions, at least one shined. In this case, it was bringing Talwar along.

Where I played safe, his eyes were drawn to the weirdest combination on the menu. So, that way we got to try almost all the drinks.

In this event review blog, I’ve covered the motivation behind Mela Mexicana, and offered an honest review of the cocktails and food. Enjoy!

How I got invited to Mela Mexicana at SOCIAL

Exclusive club members received a WhatsApp message about the event. All I had to do was fill a form with my name, number and preferred location to attend Mela Mexicana at SOCIAL. Then, I had to wait for a confirmation email. Surprisingly, I got a confirmation within hours. Probably because I was so quick to sign up.

What did Mela Mexicana look like at SOCIAL Kormangala?

When we arrived, we were given three drink coupons each. I knew “on the house” came with undisclosed terms and conditions. That didn’t dim our spirits because between the two of us, we had six coupons and 7 drinks on the menu.

While we skimmed through the food and drinks menu, three complimentary starters were served. Event organisers, including a mixologist, if I remember correctly, circled the room.

The mixologist explained the idea behind Mela Mexicana. He described SOCIAL’s constant effort to bring something new and revamp the menu over the past 12 years, while bringing that burst of desi-ness.

Speaking about this fusion, Divya Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer at Impresat Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd, which runs SOCIAL, has said, “Mexico and India share that emotional language of spice, street food, colour, music and big-table conversation.”

So this menu was no different.

All the drinks were made with Mezcal, a traditional Mexican distilled alcoholic beverage. But mixed with a mela of ingredients like coriander, tamarind and other spices.

A little more about the story behind the menu (click to read)

Chef Ashish, DAZE, CASTILLO, Chef De Cuisine, and Chef Shamsul, Group Executive Chef, come together to explore the delicious similarities between Mexico and India, two cultures that take their street food seriously, their spice personally, and their celebrations loudly.

Drawing from Ashish’s Mexican roots and Shamsul’s understanding of India’s evolving food culture, the menu reimagines classic Mexican flavours through a distinctly SOCIAL lens.
– (From the SOCIAL Mela Mexicana Menu)

What we tried from the COCTELES (MEXI-COCKTAILS):

Hibshi Margarita
Jose Cuervo Silver, hibiscus, sweet lithci and kaffir lime.
Erica: 10/10. It was sweet, strong and lovely.
Talwar: 7/10

Batanga
Jose Cuervo Silver, cola, fresh lime and a rim lined with salt.
Erica: 5/10. It was neither here nor there. Pretty unforgettable.
Talwar: Does not remember

Pineapple Jalapeno Picante
Jose Cuervo Silver with pickled pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro, lime, and a dash of brine.
Erica: 10/10.
Talwar: 10/10. Star of the cocktail menu

El Tamarindo
Desi-mexi favourite: smoked spicy tamarind gets a taste of Jose Cuervo Silver, fresh coriander, and zesty lime.
Erica: I refused to try it
Talwar: 10/10

Borracho Michelada
Beer and Jose Cuervo Silver meet hot sauce, soy, Worcestershire, Tajín, and fresh lime.
Erica & Talwar: We don’t remember…but I am sure Talwar liked it.

Cantarito [1L]
When life gives you lemons, pair it with Jose Cuervo Silver, beer, orange, and grapefruit!
Erica: 0/10. This monstrosity of a drink ruined our taste palate. It tasted like diluted water. Yes, makes no sense. Just like the drink.
Talwar: 2/10

What we tried from the food menu at Mela Mexicana

By the time the food arrived, we were six drinks and one shot down in total. So, the names are fuzzy, but the photos are clear.

Tinga Tostada – Chicken Tikka- Tikka takeover on a Mexican favourite.
Erica & Talwar – 8/10. The desi-fication was good, but the food arrived cold.

Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla- Juicy chicken and molten cheese folded into a golden tortilla.
Erica & Talwar – we don’t recollect. But wish we tried it, if we didn’t.

Al Pastor Chicken Taco – Smoky, spice-marinated chicken tucked into soft tacos. Cluck yeah!
Erica & Talwar- 5/10. Extremely dry. Lacked flavor.

Birria Sando – Lamb birria and nihari mutton stacked on a brioche loaf and loaded with cheese.
Erica – 10/10. So gooooooooood!
Talwar – 10/10. It slapped!

Complimentary bar bites
Guac ‘N’ Roll Chips – Veg – Roll your own guac-avocado with tortillas.
Erica and Talwar: 8/10

Corn Chivda Chaat – Chivda, pero make it Mexican. Corn flakes tossed with pico, salsa macha and Mexican nuts.
Erica and Talwar: 10/10. Light snack, good combination.

Nacho Average Love Triangle – Three shades of crunchy. Pink, green and black nachos with salsa.
Erica and Talwar: 10/10. Light, pretty and yum!

We also ordered Dry Noods aka Fideos Secos – Mexico’s comfort food. Thin noodles deep fried and tossed in creamy sauce – but had to cancel it because the food took about an hour to arrive. We had to ask five times, and only then it arrived, cold. Then after we pointed that out, the waiter took it back and gave us a hot plate. So, it was too much waiting.

Mela Mexicana experience summed up.

This was the first time I attended a tasting event. So, I enjoyed it. Having great company helped! Since Talwar and I are non-vegetarians, we were excited to try more food. However, the wait was unbelievably long. So, that disappointed me.

Where I was hesitant to try new flavours, Talwar went all out. That way, as I mentioned, we tasted six out of seven cocktails! I’d go back for the food, the Picante and the Margarita.

They also served complimentary tequila shots in really cute cactus-shaped glasses. That lifted our spirits before we left.

I watched their event highlight reels and came across other articles while writing this event blog review. Turns out, other SOCIAL outlets had a live band, decor, games and more. This was absent during the Kormangala event. The DJ spun tunes far from the theme of the evening. So the disconnect was as clear as day.

At the end of the day, when there’s tequila, you leave happier than you came.