THE FOOD REVIEW: Pachangas, Mexican restaurant in Newbury’s Market Place
Pachangas, Newbury’s newly-opened Mexican restaurant, takes its name from a Latin American slang word meaning a party that includes food, drinks, family, friends and music.
It’s a suitable title for the town’s new food hotspot, with a menu that emphasises sharing all its different dishes among one’s fellow hungry companions.
The Market Place restaurant also has a vibrant interior to match, with sombreros donning the walls, a colourful neon sign by the bar, and dia de los muertos-inspired murals dotted around the place.
Arriving on a packed Thursday evening, myself and a friend were welcomed in by friendly staff and seated at a pleasant booth table.
Choosing what to have was definitely the most difficult thing we had to do all evening because of the sheer choice of what Pachangas has to offer.
Once we had finally chosen from the different options of tacos, nachos, burritos, enchiladas, chimichangas and sides, the rest of our evening was easy, as we were served by helpful waiters and waitresses who brought out our food in a timely fashion.
To start, we ordered the spicy halloumi tacos (£7.50) and the fish tacos (£7.75), both dishes coming with two tacos each.
The fried fish was in a cumin and paprika batter, and it had a spicy mayo topping with avocado and red cabbage underneath. A nice starter with a spicy kick.
The crispy fried halloumi was topped with salsa and was on top of a bed of coriander and sundried tomatoes. This was a really lovely mix of flavours and definitely my highlight of the meal.
The simple combination of different ingredients made for a bold and tasty taco. I’ll be getting this again next time!
The tacos themselves were soft, but fried long enough to have crispy edges that added to the texture.
For the main course, we shared a smoked beef brisket chimichanga (£12.50) and a chicken al pastor enchilada (£14.50).
The chimichanga delivered on its deep fried promise. A large, cheesy, meaty parcel that will get any carnivore’s mouth watering.
Surrounded by tasty red sauce and topped with some salad, this was a hearty meal that will leave everyone satisfied.
The enchilada was the typical cheese-filled baked tortilla you’d expect. The chicken filling was cooked perfectly, and the peppers and onions on top provided a welcome fresh additive.
A deserved staple on any Mexican menu, and Pachangas has done it justice.
We also had a side of homemade salsa. It was a generous portion of spicy sauce that was perfect for dipping, dolloping and spreading onto any of the menu items.
For dessert we shared a portion of churros (£6.50) that came out hot, fresh and caked in cinnamon sugar.
Paired with ice cream, chocolate sauce and salted caramel sauce, they were a delicious end to a delightful meal.
Unfortunately, the restaurant hasn’t quite sorted its alcohol licence yet (which is something I am assured will be rectified soon), but for drinks it does offer a fine virgin cocktail menu (£6.95) full of various fruity and fresh concoctions.
Pachangas is a truly welcome addition to Newbury’s fine selection of independent restaurants.
It has a wide-ranging menu (which also includes pizzas, burgers and other options for silly people who don’t like Mexican food) that contains reasonably priced dishes that explode with bold and exciting flavours.
I had a real blast, and I look forward to returning soon!