MexMix — Restaurant in Hà Nội

Don't let looks deceive you. I thought we might be sitting on the street (which would have been fine), but closer examination led us inside to a very hip and elegant interior suitable for a date or conversation with friends. Seating for perhaps 20 people or so, much of it at tables for 2. Cash and probably e-wallet payments accepted, not credit cards.

Their menu is a combination of Mexican classics (tacos, tostadas, burritos, quesadillas, etc.) as well as a variety of global cuisine inspirations (pastas, etc.). I came for the Mexican food though, and this place does offer some unique options to draw you in.

Mole - a traditional Mexican sauce utilizing spices and flavorings like cinnamon and cacoa - is featured prominently here. They boast handmade tortillas (some of them fried in oil) and locally as well as Mexico-sourced ingredients. Serving sizes are a little small for the price but they also showcase innovative flavors.

The chicken mole quesadilla features the meat and sauce between two home-made fried tortillas. A little difficult to cut through but manageable with a fork and some determination. Cinnamon is the first taste and smell to hit you and prepares you for something sweet, but the sauce is only (and appropriately) faintly sweet, and rather rich and almost earthy in a good way, The shredded chicken bits are tender and the overall effect is flavorful and enjoyable.

Likewise the chicken mole tostada is similar, but without the second tortilla on top and with the addition of a very faint bit of melted cheese, then some lettuce and slices of fresh avocado to top it off. The tostada is accompanied by a red and green sauce (homemade) that have a healthy but manageable level of spiciness to them.

Chips & guacamole are very enjoyable and the guacamole is delicious with just a slight bit of spicy heat after the fact (some of the copious red bits in the guacamole are tomato and some are chilis!). The tortilla chips are too precisely shaped to be locally made (I assume!) but are served warm and are delicious - with enough fortitude to not crack when trying to scoop out guacamole and with the perfect level of saltiness. A slightly more generous serving of chips would be good to finish off the guac!

The least satisfying portion of the meal were the drinks. The mojitos look the part but are darker, either from spiced rum or perhaps brown sugar or palm sugar as the sweetener. The flavor was very mild, mostly like soda water with the lime (and rum) imperceptible. Plenty of fresh mint leaves for garnish but I prefer my mojitos a little sweeter. The margarita - despite being boasted on the menu as the best in town - less enjoyable. Overly acidic/citrusy/lime-y. Hopefully my experience was the exception rather than the rule, and the crushed ice was an enjoyable touch.

Again, the lack of cilantro in the pico de gallo is surprising considering cilantro is a major herb in Vietnamese cuisine. Jalapenos and habeneros instead of Asian chili varieties would also make the flavor profiles more authentic.

But as a whole I was more than pleasantly surprised by my visit here. They offer a different window into Mexican cuisine that is welcome and helps differentiate them from their...

Awesome place, the menu is half Mexican (tacos, tostadas, burritos, guacamole, etc) and half what I’d call fusion…some Western and some Asian. This is a small friendly place where it’s easy to meet people from all over the world who live in Hanoi and have adopted Mex Mix as their friendly neighborhood place to hang out. The sign says Best Margaritas and they are DELICIOUS. I had a taco with guacamole and refried beans, tasty, my friend’s seafood pasta (see photo) was a hit, and my highest recommendation is this seafood dish I think it’s called salmons and clams in ceramic pot, there is a broth full of flavor goodness. Get bread to dip!! Inside probably about 7 or 8 tables, and an outdoor patio as well.. The owner is a Vietnamese Hanoi woman who puts her heart and soul into Mex Mix and it shows. Also, I have it in good authority from ‘the regulars’ that the kitchen is immaculate and sanitation meets Western standards. Looking for a place where you have a variety of cuisine options, a clean kitchen, and friendly local atmosphere?...

this is the strangest Mexican food I think I've ever had, nothing tastes like Mexican food even though it looks Mexican food. Tasted like they put some weird pork pate and the refried beans, the salsa were just strange and weird and not seasoned properly. In fact nothing was seasoned properly, as like these people had never tasted Mexican food before and never been to Mexico. I went because I saw they had three different types of Molay, but all of them I think we're too sweet and the one I got was too sweet, it was a very strange enchilada with weird cheese on top. The chips were very strange, nothing was quite right. I can make everything on the menu myself including all of molés. Nothing tastes like anything that I'm used to in Mexico. I really wanted to like it, but I will not be back. The owners were very nice actually and the service was good, the food was just so weird and kind of expensive. it was the weirdest most horrible dry tamale also that I've ever...