Halisco Too Review
Not to sully Christian theology, but Halisco has recently achieved holy trinity status with three dedicated venues on Preston Street in Brighton. The addition of Halisco Too at the former Annakuma site completes the triangle and I, for one, am chuffed to bits.
Having been a fan of their Mexican-inspired small plates and unbelievable margs since the flagship venue Halisco opened its doors in 2019, I have watched the evolution unfold. Next came Bar Halisco, which serves as a focal point for the aforementioned margs and an overflow space for the flagship.
The unit that once housed Annakuma, created in honour of owners Ali and Mo’s late mother, has now been transformed into Halisco Too after demand for the Mexican vibes snowballed. (Happy side note: the badgers remain)
You’ll now find Halisco flagship serving tacos and small plates, with Halisco Too serving burritos and small plates. Without digressing into too much over-explanation, the upshot here is that you lucky people now have three venues in which to immerse yourselves in Mexican splendour – total win.
To celebrate this fact, I was given a table at Halisco Bar where I savoured the new Clementine Margarita and a selection of small plates. The food never disappoints. It’s indicative of a passionate chef who enjoys pushing the boundaries of contemporary Mexican-inspired fare. Suffice to say, you’ll find more than just bog-standard nachos and quesadillas.
I ordered sweetcorn ribs with paprika butter, charred hispi cabbage with chilli garlic butter, black garlic mayo and hazelnuts, and marinated lamb chops with pickled cucumber yoghurt and pistachio. Each mouthful was a triumph of flavours. The vegetable dishes, both vegan, are a lesson in why meat doesn’t need to be the star of the show. The lamb was succulent and charred, complemented by the cool yoghurt side. I finished strong with crispy pork belly tacos that were true to their word and stacked with filling.
There’s a reason why Halisco has stood the test of time and expanded as an indie venture, the full-to-bursting venues on a casual Wednesday in March say more than my review ever could. Long may they prosper.
www.halisco-brighton.co.uk | 50 Preston Steet, Brighton BN1 2HE
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