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The exotic blend

You may not know what Tex-Mex cuisine is but chances are that you have already tasted the food items that fall in that category. Nachos, chilies, spicy dips, fajitas are all a part of this fusion. Tex-Mex dishes (named after Texas and Mexico), at the core, are rooted in Tejano culture of Texas. And pepper, chilies, avocado, cheese, and corn are an integral part of this culinary heritage.
By Swasti Gautam/ Rakshya Khadka

You may not know what Tex-Mex cuisine is but chances are that you have already tasted the food items that fall in that category. Nachos, chilies, spicy dips, fajitas are all a part of this fusion. Tex-Mex dishes (named after Texas and Mexico), at the core, are rooted in Tejano culture of Texas. And pepper, chilies, avocado, cheese, and corn are an integral part of this culinary heritage. 


This August, Crowne Plaza Kathmandu-Soaltee is all set to celebrate Tex-Mex food festival in all its glory. So if you love nachos, spices, and grilled meat served with tortilla bread, you ought to visit the Tex-Mex festival at their Garden Terrace Restaurant. 


According to Suraj Thapa, the junior sous chef of Crowne Plaza Kathmandu-Soaltee, the Tejano culture of Texas stems from the Spanish speaking population of Texas. The history of these dishes date back to many years ago when Mexico and Texas were a part of the Spanish civilization and chili peppers and corn were grown in abundance in that region.  


Many call Tex-Mex ‘The Hybrid Cuisine for Everyone’ and rightly so. It is a modern cuisine that has influences from all over the world. It is the unique flavor that these dishes boast that no one can resist. So, if you are looking for a great start to get introduced to this cuisine Crowne Plaza Kathmandu-Soaltee will be a great host to you. 


Tuna Fajitas Nachos Con Salate



This one’s as fresh as they come. Mini tacos sporting all colors of the rainbow are stuffed with peppers, onions, and sizeable chunks of fresh tuna. Served with fresh salad and ranchero sauce, these two items give the dish two extreme tastes. The salad is a little subdued and might need just a little more spicing to suit your taste. The ranchero sauce, on the other hand, is fiery and tartly. Also as a special reward, wedge fries lend a little heaviness to the multitudes of the dish.


Tex-Mex Combo (Veg)


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No Tex-Mex hasn’t forgotten the vegetarians of the town. Mini tortillas have a corn and bean filling that have a certain tanginess to them. Chili cheese salad and corn on the cob served with pico de gallo deliver the taste that every vegetarian desires for. This is a portion-full and healthy meal for your night out.


Blackened Pork Soft Tacos



Here you get a nicely grilled pork chop, a bread fajita stuffing with beans, onions, colored capsicum, garlic, and coriander. At its core is the beetroot rice topped with steamed corn that gives this dish an occasional spice. The pork chop is served with glazed apples that heighten the sweetness of the pork. And the guacamole is joined by the pico de gallo on the sidelines to tie up the disarming feel of the dish.

 


Royal Tortillas Al Carbon



Corn tortillas wrap an ensemble of processed ham and cheese in this blessing of a dish. Spiced chicken sausages, guacamole (an avocado dip), pico de gallo (a salsa sauce of raw tomatoes), and sour cream stand firm in giving this dish a real Mexican feel. There are too many flavors at play here. The spice of the sausage is disarming and sudden, the sour cream calm and soft and the tortilla is a tender balance of the moist filling and the dryness of the wrap. 


Fajita Nachos Con Pablano



Now, wait for this, there’s a lot more than you can process. A wheat flour tortilla is wrapped around chicken fajitas, frijoles, cheddar cheese, and grilled pablano peppers. Complementing the tortilla is a selection of sour cream, fresh guacamole, and pico de gallo (which is Mexican at its very core). There’s so much happening in this dish that makes every bite delightful. The tortilla bread with its dry wrap wonderfully plays with the tenderness of the filling while the rest of the ingredients either downplay or highlight the flavor. 


Picante Camaron Y Arroz



Brace yourself for the onslaught of Mexican flavors like you have never felt before. This is a set meal of grilled shrimps that have a velvety softness to them, jalapeno sausages that introduce an abrupt spice and beetroot rice topped with cheddar cheese that set a buzz in your palate. The rice is the star of the magic that is this dish. It stealthily works its trick in quiet until it sets flame to the insides of your mouth. A miracle, we assure you.


Churros



God bless whoever came up with idea of Churros! Churros is a traditional deep fried dough pastry and here at Tex-Mex you get the crispy cigars with a hint of cinnamon. Also the chocolate sauce you get with it is melted dark chocolate mixed with cream – it’s bitter, arrestingly sweet, and delightful. The cigars are mellow and when dipped in the chocolate sauce their softness is accentuated. This makes it the sweetest dessert in the menu.


Fried Banana



Indulge in this culinary delight as it comes wrapped to you in a crispy cinnamon flour tortilla and drizzled with con chocolate sauce. The sweetness of the stuffing is occasionally interrupted by nuts that make it a crunchy delight. The warm dessert is then outbalanced by the coolness of the Blue Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream that comes with it. You get the clash of the hot and the cold that makes for a delightfully splendid dessert.

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