Of the Mexican restaurants trying to elevate the cuisine, none is more talked about than Santaiga, which burst onto the scene last year with its lauded “Mexican omakase” concept. In September, however, the spot delved into a whole new way to try their elevated Mexican fare: a la carte. 

 

The vibe is surprisingly laid back compared to the downstairs kaunta seki-style dining area Santiaga fans know; it’s decked out in dark wood tones and brick-accent walls, overlooked by a bright, fully stocked bar and wine room. 

 

The list of appetizers sets the stage: creative, bold, and stylish. The tlayuda (B850) an Oaxaca dish, is of a type you likely won’t find elsewhere in the city. An hours-long house-cooked corn tortilla is piled with chorizo, fresh greens, a piquant cheese, and refried beans. The dish arrives at your table piled high with herbs and you break the brittle corn tortilla with your fork and eat it like a pizza. Importantly, this dish doesn’t forget the kick; this is Mexican food after all.

 

For something altogether more soothing, we tried the chilorio pork rillette (B350), a sort of confit preparation method that leaves you with a delectable pulled meat feel spread over sourdough bread, all accompanied by a selection of pickles and there’s also a “From the Garden” section for the veggie inclined. 

 

There’s also a taco menu, on which the smoked yellowfin tuna (B320) comes piled high on two tortillas and topped with a sliver of guac and stripped salsa fresca; the big takeaway from this dish is the smokiness, a shockingly savory pile of meat that’s still somehow refreshing. 

 

Unfortunately, the much talked about barbacoa lamb was not available that day, so we made due with the tocino en salsa tomatillo (B850), which turned out to be the star of the evening. It’s a supple strip of braised pork belly—fatty but melt-in-your-mouth—with tomatillo (a type of husk tomato reminiscent of a potato) ringed in by sunflower sprouts. The chicken in a savory green pipian sauce comes beautifully prepared with crispy skin that sloughs off.  

 

Away from Mauriicio Rosales in the kitchen and at the bar, diners will find an assortment of original, crafted cocktails that more or less stay on theme. The simple Mazgroni (B370) skips the gin for Alpus mezcal, and the Fortune Cookies (B350) is a sweet, easy-to-drink cocktail featuring Montelobos Espadin mezcal with a mix of white creme de cacao, butterscotch, and horchata. 

 

Part of Billy Bautista’s Mahatun Plaza resto empire, this is one of perhaps only two venues offering this level of elevated Mexican food in Bangkok. The shine has not come off of the Mexican omakase gimmick, and the a la carte menu provides diners with a way to eat at this spot in a way that’s more casual—even though the flavors are anything but.