Source: Burpple
Hey Hive!
It's time to share yet another one of our recent food haunts we found during quarantine! Even though restaurants and eateries in Singapore have been given the okay to enable dining in (with social distancing measures of course), we've still been limiting our time spent eating out, or just being out in general, to be safe.
So this was way back at the end of March just before quarantine was in full effect with restaurants closing and such. I was hankering for some burritos then I remembered Deadpool's obsession with chimichangas and I was curious as to what they were and after searching I discovered that they're basically just fried burritos! My only minor complaint with burritos is that they're not crispy like tacos so this was perfect! And I found out that there was a chimichanga place literally called Chimichanga not too far from our apartment at the time so we decided to go check it out.
Source: sethlui.com
Hidden away in the heart of Little India, Chimichanga! is said to be one of the first Mexican dive bars in Singapore. Established in 2016, the concept was inspired by the cantinas in rural Mexico (a cantina traditionally is a kind of bar frequented by everyday folks for drinking alcohol and hearty affordable food). Featuring authentic Mexican cuisine, this is the place to go if you want to chow down on familiar favourites such as tacos, quesadillas and burritos. Now years later and over 20,000 tacos sold, Chimichanga! continues to follow their mantra of ‘Hearty, Tasty & Affordable’, which keeps regulars coming back day after day. (Cr: Chimichanga Facebook)
Source: 2bearbear
Located at Dunlop Street, which is basically a long line of small shops and eateries, Chimichanga! was fairly difficult to find. We were constantly consulting Google Maps but the exterior of the building is so understated and they don't really have a huge signage in front that we were initially unsure if we found the right place. But thankfully the owner was there and she guided us in.
Upon entering the shop we were quite surprised and I can definitely see how they tried to emulate a Mexican cantina. I've never actually been to one myself but I imagine this is what they kinda look like.
The tables did give off a grandma's house kinda feel but flashy plastic table cloths aside, I actually really like the aesthetic of this place. The retro-looking posters on the wall, the industrial style paint and flooring really gave off a cozy bar atmosphere. It definitely felt like a place people would go to hang out and drink after work.
But of course, with covid just gaining traction in Singapore I guess people were limiting themselves from going out unnecessarily. That or, they were busy stocking up at supermarkets, preparing for the worst. This was pre-circuit breaker period (a term our government coined for lockdown) and before masks were mandatory. But we were fortunate that we were the only customers there that day.
I thought this place was so insta-worthy tho. But since neither of us drink, it was definitely not somewhere we would normally visit had it not been for my chimichanga craving.
Anyway, since we were the only ones there, we got seated and took some time browsing their menu, which was definitely very retro looking. The background reminded me old photo albums.
They have quite an extensive menu, with appetisers, steak, some rice bowls, and your standard Mexican fare of tacos, quesadillas, burritos and of course, chimichangas. What we didn't expect though, was the chimichanga to have sauce on top of it since it might compromise the crispiness of the wrap but oh well.
It was kinda pricey though but I guess it's kinda expected.
They also some vegetarian options:
The menu also had this handy guide that I thought was pretty funny. It reminded me of similar comic-style posters in the Portal games.
But anyway, since we didn't know whether the food was good, we decided to just get their pork chimichanga to share since we were fearful that the beef may be tough.
After waiting for the owner to fry it, our chimichanga arrived!
It was actually pretty fat and hefty. We didn't expect it to be so thick and neither of us were that hungry at the time so it was probably good that we only got one.
But it looked and smelled really good and we were excited to cut it open and see for ourselves.
And oh man did it look yummy! It smelled so good too! It was actually pretty tough to cut it with how thick it was but we managed it alright.
I think we were right in thinking it wouldn't be that crispy though because it was definitely not as crispy as I thought it would be. And there was so much sauce on top which I think was mayonnaise and guacamole. But thankfully the inside was delicious! The pork was nice and tender and the rice and beans are always a good combo. It was just the right amount of moisture too.
I'm not a big fan of salsa on its own, but it did mix well with the chimichanga filling. I think the sides were a tad cold though, and so was the sauce. If the chimichanga itself was fried a little more and everything was warm, I think it would've been perfect. But I geddit, we were the only customers, and I guess at least it was fresh even if it was cold.
Overall, it was a pretty nice meal and the restaurant itself was definitely a unique experience. But given how difficult it is to locate and the prices being pretty similar to those at the mall, I doubt we'll go there again but it was nice to go off the beaten path and experience something different. And it did somewhat satisfy my craving for chimichangas so I guess that's also good.
But if you like Mexican food and drinks and are looking for a unique place to chill, I'd recommend Chimichanga!
Thanks for reading!
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