Think of Fonda as the younger sibling of KOL, perhaps the means of making Mexican more mainstream in the UK. Chef-patron Santiago Lastra created a small revolution when he launched his first restaurant in Marylebone. It was a homage to the cuisine of his home country but fused with a very British perspective. If KOL is for grown-ups (with a serious price tag attached), then Fonda is full of fun, capturing the joyfulness of all things Mexican and plonking it just off Regent’s Street.
Step into Fonda and you feel the vibe straightaway. There is a buzz, an energy, some sort of Mexican passion. The walls are a warm terracotta hue decked with some intrepid artwork, there is an open kitchen where the chefs ply their trade and the music lifts everything. Admittedly there is still the novelty of recent opening attached, but almost every table was occupied on the recent weeknight when your reviewer and his dining comrade visited. And rightly so, given the experience.
It is hard to fault the enthusiasm of the team at Fonda. Servers were on hand to satisfy every need, but in a far from intrusive fashion. They certainly proved handy in helping explain the menu. As is the trend, everything is intended for sharing. Except for the comal, obviously. And a comal, in case you were not aware, is a smooth flat griddle used for preparing (one-person) tortillas. After a supremely silky pumpkin mole dip to whet the appetite, a dish from the ‘specials’ section came next followed by the obligatory comal and then two mains. Somehow the ordering complexity didn’t matter since each dish appeared with a flourish of genius and some wonderful presentation too. A couple of paloma cocktails and a good bottle of approachable Austrian red wine probably helped too.
First up on the food front was the crudo. It was a fascinating fusion of all things joyous about Japan and Mexico, a perfect culinary crossover, at least for your reviewer and his comrade. Here, bluefin tuna was mingled delicately with a soy and sesame salsa. The umami provided a wonderful foil to the fatty fish, while the scotch bonnet chilli (a clear nod to KOL here) provided a helpful lift. If this dish was great, then Fonda truly came into its own with the mains. Mole poblano brought back fond memories of time well spent in Mexico. At Fonda, it was textured and comforting, paired perfectly with slow-cooked short rib. Slow cooking was also in full force with the venue’s offering of carnitas, or confit pork shoulder. Throughout, spice is present, but more subtle than stupid.
Satisfied after all the above, there was still room for dessert. Fonda’s ‘arroz con leche’, or rice pudding, was a far cry from the iterations that used to grace school canteens in the 1980s. Here, it was light yet indulgent, the base enhanced with mezcal custard and finished with quince and cinnamon. An arguable candidate for dish of the evening. Rereading the menu while penning this piece, the distinct feeling is wow, there are still a dozen dishes on Fonda’s menu yet to be tried. Bring me gringa (lobster), hen of the woods (mushroom), Santiago’s cheesecake and more. A return visit is in order. At around £100/head all-in, it won’t break the bank either.