Santiaga Mexican Cuisine changed this city’s entire Mexican food scene when it opened. With an omakase bar-style space and a more chill a la carte option, this Mahatun Plaza venue takes an almost obsessive approach to Mexican flavors. Now, their new menu, Mexican Chilli Voyage, is bringing chillies that Bangkok hasn’t seen before. 

 

First off, let’s start with the fact that few—if any—Bangkok restaurants have these ingredients, chillies bought on Mexican streets and imported into Bangkok for this singular menu from Chef Mauricio: morita, pasilla, ancho, pasilla daxaqueno, guajillo, mulato, and more. A few of the dishes will be moved onto the a la carte menu, but some of these chillies will only last so long. 

 

Kicking things off, the Requeson features a jalapeno and epagate queso you slather on the house made tortillas with a dash of salsa marita. It’s a rich dish to kick off the menu, and one that sets the tone: classic flavors, creative flair. 

 

 

The Chileatole Tlaxcala is an ode to corn, with smoked scallops sliced thick in a mix of epagate, chyote, and a bit of bamboo that gives the dish an elegant texture. This one comes with heat, so be warned. 

 

Next might be the biggest star of the menu for many. The Chile Relleno is simply a can’t-miss. It’s not just a creative Oaxacan ancho chilli, and one you’re not going to see again once supplies run out; the peppery chilli comes on a bed of queso crema and shrimp butter alongside a thin and juicy kuruma prawn. 

 

Up next is Mole de Olla, with a short rib in an ancho and mulato chilli and beef broth—hearty, familiar, and delectable—followed by the showstopper: the Pulpo al Chintexle. Here, you’ll get octopus bursting with that wood-fired flavor from the black chilli. 

 

The last dish before dessert is a rare get, a pink mole, often an occasion at weddings. The Mole Rosa is a delightfully creative twist, featuring confit goose and Swiss chard. Pro tip: ask for a tortilla either to put your bite on or to mop up the mole. 

 

 

The meal comes to an end with a Kakigori De Melon which, as you might have guessed, is a not-too-sweet take on the shaved ice kakigori with a coconut horchata reduction and pecans that give it a balanced texture. 

 

Luckily, there’s an alcohol pairing that goes with this celebration of Mexican fare and pretty impressive to boot. These are not easy flavors to pair, but a real stand out was a 2021 Hungarian wine, an ultra sweet tipple to mix with the heavy flavors of the mole. Similarly, the michelada is a proper, tart treat made with simple Corona beer. 

 

Overall, this is a great showing from Santiaga Mexican Cuisine, which recently ranked at 25 at Top Tables 2024, and it’s a journey into chillies that Bangkok needed.