10 years of tacos: The man who introduced real Mexican food to Singapore
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10 years of tacos: The homo who introduced real Mexican food to Singapore
When Alejandro Blanco first opened Senor Taco and, later, El Mero Mero, many customers thought Mexican cuisine was quesadillas, Coronas, hard taco shells and chilli sauce. 10 years on, things accept inverse.
Alejandro Blanco moved from Mexico 15 years ago and is now a Singapore denizen. (Photograph: Kelvin Chia)
25 Oct 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 10 Jul 2022 01:38AM)
When Alejandro Blanco moved here xv years ago from Monterrey, Mexico, to further his legal career, there weren't many places you could go for late-dark nutrient, and in that location certainly weren't any authentic Mexican tacos to be had, non even for ready money.
Then instead, he satisfied his appetite for practiced nutrient with black pepper crab, which instantly became his favourite dish – to the extent that he and his wife indulged in information technology once a week for six months, ordering one crab each. "We went all in," he laughed.
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But he saw the gap in the market place for authentic Mexican grub and the potential information technology offered. So, five years later on, when the cement company he worked for airtight their Singapore office, he decided to leave the legal profession and open a taco kiosk called Senor Taco at Clarke Quay, excited to introduce Singapore to the nutrient he grew up enjoying. In his quest for perfection, he fifty-fifty fix up a tortilla factory and then that he could serve freshly made tortillas instead of frozen ones.
Little did he know, even so, that it wouldn't exist smooth sailing, due to cultural misunderstandings virtually Mexican food.
"The kickoff day I opened Senor Taco in Clarke Quay – subsequently importing the chillies from Mexico, opening a tortilla factory, existence very proud of having Mexican tacos – one of my kickoff customers was actually unhappy," Blanco recounted. "I asked him why. He said, 'This is not authentic Mexican. Because you don't have crunchy tacos.' Similar the crunchy taco shells you find in Taco Bell, which you volition never find in Mexico."
Other customers "wanted chilli sauce, which is ketchup with chilli, and I was like, 'No, no, no. Forget it. I cannot do this!'"
But, "It'south not that Singaporeans got it wrong," he continued. "I think that overall, there's a lack of awareness of skillful Mexican food. I think the fault is besides ours, as Mexicans, because for many years, nobody really wanted to be out of Mexico. The just exposure other countries received of Mexican food was what you saw in the Usa. It was very Hollywood. 'Mexico: Cacti, sombreros.' Food-wise, it was the same. It was Taco Bell."
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LITTLE United mexican states
In spite of that, Senor Taco "was a success from solar day i," said the 46-yr-one-time; mainly because "there were not a lot of options at that time: No tacos, no Mexican food, no nightlife, the concept of drinks and music. My gut feeling told me people similar to consume at night and tacos are a great thing to eat at night. I really felt strongly about this niche."
Following Senor Taco's expansion to several outlets, Blanco also opened El Mero Mero five years ago. The eatery at Chijmes presents modern Mexican cuisine in a more than elegant setting, with a caput chef who hails from Oaxaca. The Mexican ambassador is a regular and takes the opportunity to entertain guests there.
And in recent months, Blanco has gone on to open a Mexican grocery store right next door, the first and only 1 in Singapore offering products from United mexican states such every bit dried chillies, Mexican cheese, tequila and mezcal (look out for freshly baked pan de muerto and chocolate abuelita adjacent month to celebrate the Twenty-four hours of the Dead holiday).
With these establishments, Blanco is one of only two Mexican restaurant owners hither who are originally from Mexico (the other Mexican-endemic eatery is Los Jefes at NEWest mall). Since Chijmes houses Senor Taco, El Mero Mero and the La Mexicana store, he calls information technology "a little role of Mexico" here in Singapore.
It's emblematic of the way he's embraced life here while flight the flag of authentic Mexican cuisine.
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Now a Singapore citizen, Blanco's two daughters, aged 12 and viii, were born here. He appreciates the condom, the ease of doing business organization and the social diversity. And he's even perfected kopitiam-mode soft boiled eggs for breakfast at home – alongside huevos rancheros, of course.
MARGARITA, LAH!
And in the last couple of years, his job every bit a restaurateur staying true to his roots has become a little easier as people grow more and more well travelled and the differences between Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine are more clearly fatigued.
"I would say the majority at present understands the difference. And I think Netflix has done a skillful job – with all the celebrity chefs, and Taco Chronicles, in that location's much more exposure. I also experience that people now also encompass the difference, particularly Singaporeans," he said.
In the past, "Even though we made an effort to bring more dishes, they were really gravitating towards the quesadilla, the burrito and the Corona margarita. We brought some imported beers from United mexican states just fourscore per cent of our sales would however be Corona beers, because Corona has such a strong brand that it was automatic. Merely now, that has changed."
At El Mero Mero, he showcases a range of dishes from dissimilar parts of Mexico, a culinary diverse land. Many of the ingredients are imported from Mexico and used in fresh salsas likewise as traditional dishes with a modern twist in terms of techniques, plating and presentation.
He does yet have to brand concessions – by having nachos on the bill of fare, for example. "In Mexico, you really don't detect nachos," he said. "For the offset three years, we didn't sell nachos. Just of grade, they have such a powerful branding and presence that it would exist a mistake non to sell them. I'm pretty proud to say that our nachos are less commercialised. They are fabricated from freshly made tortilla chips that we brand at our factory. We only use real cheese, nosotros bake our own beans, and we grill our meats. I would say it's like a VIP version of nachos."
Understanding the importance of listening to the client is function of what has driven Blanco's success. He has plans to expand Senor Taco beyond Singapore in the coming twelvemonth, as well every bit possibly opening more outlets in the Due east and Due west, outside of the Central Business District.
And, as always, information technology's his mission to bring Singapore and Mexico a little closer together in spite of their geographical distance. Maybe nothing says this better than the take-home political party kits that he'due south rolled out at the La Mexicana store called Margarita Lah! "It's a container that has xx margaritas, freshly squeezed lime and 100 per cent premium agave. The only affair you need to add is water ice. Pour, and have the perfect margarita."
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/dining/real-mexican-food-in-singapore-250751
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