Fresca Mexican Kitchen, The Gardens Mall, KL

Last week, I met up with some of my secondary school friends in The Gardens Mall. We originally planned to go to Kita No Zen for Japanese food but when we got to the restaurant, there was a huge queue just to get in. It was definitely not a good idea to be hunting for a restaurant at 8pm on a Friday night... must remember to make a reservation next time!! So we tried Din Tai Fung next, long queue as well! The same thing at Fong Lye and every other restaurant in The Gardens, it seems. :(

Then I remembered that Fresca Mexican Kitchen has recently opened its doors and we prayed hard that not many people have heard of it yet hence there would be a table for us!! Luckily for us, we managed to secure a table for 10 people. 

Fresca is situated opposite The Han Room on the ground floor. While The Han Room is brightly lit, Fresca is the complete opposite, very dimly lit with some tealights at the table. Great for a romantic dinner, but not so great for food photography. The decor is pretty nice, I especially like the hanging wine glasses near the bar (sorry forgot to take photo cos too busy chatting LOL). 

When we visited, it was just the 5th day of operation but food quality was good. Service was also friendly and food was served in an efficient manner. Prices are reasonable for a restaurant located in shopping mall, starting from RM14 for quesadilla up to RM60 for the most expensive item (cordero a la tamarindo - rack of lamb). Please check out my Facebook page here for the menu. 

Mexican creme caramel

Fresca means "cool" or "fresh" in Spanish, the official language of Mexico. The food served here is classic Mexican, specialising in botanas i.e. small plates which are great for sharing. At the moment, they are having a Buy 1 Free 1 promo on their Electric Blue Margarita (RM39 for grande).

Aguas Fresca ("fresh water") are non-alcoholic flavoured coolers which are great in hot weather. We tried the Tamarindo (RM8.50), made from tamarind fruit, sweet and sour in taste and rich in Vitamin B and calcium as well as Hibiscus (RM8.50), a cranberry flavoured drink made from dried hibiscus flower, and rich in Vitamin C and minerals. Out of the two, I prefer the Tamarindo. There are also other flavours such as Horchata, Limon and Mango. Cocktails are available for RM26 each.

Hibiscus aguas fresca

Tamarindo aquas fresca

I shall not elaborate much on the food since I didnt try them all (only took small bites), but overall they were tasty and nicely flavoured. I will definitely return another day to try more of their stuff with Hubby.

Tacos, which are described as equivalent to our local chapatis. We tried the Tacos Ensenada (RM19) , flour tortillas filled with beer battered fish and homemade coleslaw, originating from Ensenada, Baja California.

Fajita, found in traditional and Tex-Mex cuisine - served with tortilla, guacamole, pico de gallo and a special chipotle cream sauce. Chicken (RM34), beef tenderloin (RM45) or mixed (RM39).

Chicken fajita

Ensalada Cesar (RM21) - never knew this but caesar salad originated from Tijuana Mexico, created by an Italian restaurateur, Caesar Cardini who lived there. Made up of crisp romaine lettuce, classic Caesar dressing with Parmesan shaving, grilled chicken and warm garlic bread.

Enchiladas Verdes (RM15) - corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken covered in salsa verde and gratin-cheese finish.

Pescado a la Veracruzana (RM37) - fillet of fish sauteed with onions, olives and Jalapeno chili. A specialty of Veracruz, a coastal town in Mexico. Served with Mexican white rice and mixed salad.

Flan de la casa (RM14) - traditional Mexican creme caramel, with a firmer cake-like texture. I was told to eat the creme caramel first then drink the liquid in the shot glass.

Full set of photos, including food and drinks menu can be viewed here. 

Opening times: 10am to 10pm daily. 

Pork-free.

Location: Fresca Mexican Kitchen, Ground Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur. (opposite The Han Room)

Tel: 03-2201-2893

*All photos taken with iPhone4S.