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Reviews for Caliente: Mexico in the City

by Kiwi A.
6th May 2013

We’ve eaten at all of the Mexican restaurants in Wellington and surrounding suburbs, and this place is hands down the best and most authentic restaurant so far.

As soon as I stepped into the cavernous space, I felt transported back to San Miguel de Allende, a beautiful little Mexican town set atop the hills of Guanajuato, Mexico. There are little artisan touches throughout, and lots of festive colour.

Our party ordered the classic margaritas on the rocks, which are excellent with the rim of salt.

For the entrees, we had the guacamole with salsa and freshmade corn chips. Man, it’s been a long time since I tasted fresh corn chips. It made me SO HAPPY. Little touches like this throughout our meal made the visit worthwhile.

The taquitoes were scrumptious, with a lovely balance between the sweet and acidic tang of the pineapple with the richness of the braised duck; definitely a standout for the evening.

For the main, duck mole. Compliments to the chef on making an excellent mole for my duck, which was cooked to medium-rare perfection with gorgeous crispy skin.

I had a taste of everything, and enjoyed it all.

We had no room for dessert, but will definitely be back for it as well as the new street food lunch menu. I love a good taco and can’t wait to try theirs.

Comment from Michael M. of Caliente: Mexico in the City 12/05/2013    Hide »

Thank you for your comments Kiwi A! All Caliente team is so…    More »

Thank you for your comments Kiwi A!

All Caliente team is so happy that you visit us.

We will be so happy to see you once again.

Regards,

Caliente management

by Paul R.
2nd May 2013

Que rico!!

Authentic Latin atmosphere and great music. Awesome venue and a cool place to come with friends.

Menu are all in spanish which makes selection entertaining. The waiter was able to help and everyone liked their choices. Good sized portions and most importantly delicious!

Comment from Michael M. of Caliente: Mexico in the City 12/05/2013    Hide »

Thank you for your comments Paul! We are so happy that you…    More »

Thank you for your comments Paul!

We are so happy that you liked our restaurant. We are trying to make the best for all of you and bring the best of Mexican-Latin culture. Our floor manager Lainie is doing a great job to give the best for all of you.

We will be so happy to see you once again.

Regards,

Caliente management

by Claudia B.
22nd April 2013

We have been living in New Zealand for more than 2 years. We have eaten Mexican food before, but nothing quite like this.

We had dinner at Caliente and we had Cochinita Pibil (Crispy Pork Belly) & Brisket Birria (Braised Brisket) and they said that it was cooked for more than 2 days, Wow!!! It literally melted in the mouth. Our mains were absolutely delicious. The mains at Caliente were incredibly authentic, we were both transported to Mexico.

We decided to finish a lovely meal with dessert….and my god was that a good decision! We had the Pan De Muerto and Chocolate, Chile and Vanilla…..it was to die for! The Chocolate Chile was rich, creamy and had a wonderful kick of chile at the end. My partner said his Pan De Muerto was amazing and soft. Our waiter told us that it is baked fresh on site every day and we can see that she wasn’t telling fibs!

It was such a lovely night, we will be going back again soon.

by Stephen B.
7th April 2013

As soon as we walked in the door the music and atmosphere was very inviting. We started with incredible margaritas to accompany our food to share which was the start of a delicious experience in real Mexican cuisine.

The quality of what was served was beyond anything I have experienced from a Mexican restaurant and I would go so far to say this has to be one of The southern hemisphere’s best Mexican dining experiences.

The decor and lighting and expeience of the waiter is still a work in progress but that was completely overshadowed by the absolute quality of the food. We will be back as this is now my favorite place in Wellington.

by Cassie R.
16th February 2013

Went for lunch with a group and was very impressed. We only tried the quesadillas and burritos but both were very satisfactory – good size portions, delicious, and the side salads were a nice addition too. The price made it a little out of the range of a casual meal but was definitely worth it. Service was attentive and staff were friendly, plus the place has a good atmosphere.

by Kevin R.
11th February 2013

You have to be kidding. $17 for a two-taco plate? No thank you.

by Lynne S.
7th February 2013

I had the fish taco then swapped halfway through with my companion and finished his pork burrito. Both were lovely & I really enjoyed having a good tomatillo salsa on the side. Waiting staff were great & went out of their way to hurry our order through as I was running short of time; much appreciated. I could have taken a little more chilli and did find the portions rather large for a workday lunch. Would love to see a “small plates” section on the menu. Will definitely go again.

by Kimmie W.
3rd February 2013

Even though the menu we tried was a temporary one for the seven’s, the food was amazing! Definitely recommend!
Also, the thick hot chocolate I had was very good – similar to Scopa’s but not quite as rich.

Very nice decor as well

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