Full disclosure - I'm not a vegan.
My vegan friend was in town, however, and in the spirit of solidarity I agreed to give 'Club Mexicana' at Pamela a whirl.
On paper, the idea actually sounded quite appealing - robust, Mexican flavours, vibrant vegetables, spice, small plates. The reality was a mixed bag; elements of my expectations were met, but overall I was underwhelmed.
The first dish out was 'Blue & White Corn Chips & Guacamole'. Safe, easy, and pleasant. The making of the guac appeared a bit slapdash - there was, I kid you not, close to half a solid avocado, suggesting that it hadn't been mashed with any real effort.
We had hoped to try the 'Mexican Street Corn' but sadly they had run out, along with a number of other items on the menu.
Next out was 'To-fish Ceviche Tostada'. Whilst it was a poor facsimile of fish (contrary to other reviews I've seen claiming otherwise), it was both pleasant and nicely presented.
'Chicken Wings with Hot Sauce And Pickles' was bizarre. It appeared more like a schnitzel, as it was heavily breaded and stodgy on the inside. The faux-meat itself was puzzling ... not outright unpleasant, but quite an acquired taste. Perhaps veteran vegan diners will find it more familiar, but I wouldn't push it to meat eaters as a convincing or desirable alternative. This marked a consistent theme I've found with vegan food, which was borne out here - the more it tries to emulate non-vegan cuisine, the weaker it tends to be.
On that same theme, one of the highlights of the meal was 'Annato Glazed Aubergine'. My dining companions felt it was over-seasoned, but I enjoyed the bracingly heavy-handed spicing of the aubergine. Full of flavour (I love achiote/annatto) and true to its ingredients, rather than contrived. They could do with a touch less cooking time, but it didn't mar my enjoyment of it.
The other highlight of the meal was the 'Jackfruit Tinga Masa Pancake'. Here was the sort of thing I was hoping for - harmoniously bringing together a range of delicious ingredients into a dish that gave pleasure with an array of textures and flavours. It may not reach the heady heights of the best omnivorous Mexican cuisine, but it was a commendable dish that I'd happily eat again.
On the other hand, 'Blue Corn Quesadilla' was difficult to eat. Vegan 'cheeze' is exactly as bad as you might imagine. Its sheer quantity and obnoxiousness crowded out everything else in the dish. Even the vegan struggled to finish her part, and it remained unfinished.
Environment is what you'd expect in a Vegan pop-up in Haggerston, which is to say it was perfectly agreeable, though not really my scene. Madonna and Spice Girls on the playlist is either a blessing or a curse depending on your musical tastes.
Staff were friendly and drinks were good - a solid range of beers and cocktails. read more