Having played for two London clubs over the course of his career - Crystal Palace and West Ham - we'll presume that footballer José Fonte is pretty well acquainted with the London restaurant scene. Let's hope so as he's just about to open his first restaurant here.
Zócalo in Soho will be the first of several London openings planned by Fonte and his business partners Andre Martin (ex-Zuma and Roka) and Pritesh and Shiv Amlani. They've taken on the franchise of a business that's already going great guns in Northern Europe. If you haven't encountered it before on trips to say Helsinki or Copenhagen, it's a Mexican affair with a particular emphasis on their build-your-own Latin American feasts. Think of it as a Latin American version of Muragame Udon where you pick what you fancy and then wait to get your order when your buzzer tells you it's ready.
The menu "inspired by the taquerias in San Francisco’s Mission District" is loosely split into burritos, bowls, quesadillas, tacos, nachos and salads. For most, you get to pick your protein of choice - pulled jackfruit, chipotle grilled chicken, carnitas pork etc. - and then add it to the dish. Here are some examples:
- Dolores Green quesadilla - with cheese, slaw, corn salsa pico de gallo, picked onion, salsa verde and guac.
- Block Party Bowl - with rice of salad, Mexican slaw, svarta bönor, nachos, BBQ sauce and chipotle cream
- You Got Mango tacos - with romaine lettuce, guacamole, cilantro, lime and mango and a pineapple salsa
Of course, if you're having tacos, you may be considering a drink to go with that and the cocktail list features margaritas, palomas and a Mexican orange caipirinha along with wine, beer and soft drinks like aguas frescos and jarritos.
If all goes well, expect this to be the first of several branches of Zócalo you see around town.
More about Zócalo
Where is it? 21 Great Windmill Street, London W1D 7LB
When does it open? September 2023
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @zocalouk
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