The day after moving into my new apartment it seemed
sensible to start exploring the neighbourhood. Happily, Charlie and I found
this little place on a stroll down Overtoom.
The food is fresh, the flavours are truer than the average
Tex-Mex place but not quite authentic Mexican. The place itself is best suited
to take away food as there are only a few tables and the decor can only be
described as industrial chic (and chic is really stretching it). They’ll
prepare your order before you arrive if you call ahead (or you can now order
online for delivery) but I love sitting watching my meal being put together and
the meat thrown on their charcoal fired grills.
The first time I visited I was beginning to regret my choice
until the food arrived. Despite the cold weather I was craving lettuce (this
happens when I’ve had a few too many glasses of wine or if I’ve had a
gluttonous week) and the wild salmon taco seemed like a good idea. Two large
salmon fillets were hidden under chopped Cos lettuce, slices of red onion and
lashings of mango salsa- it was the perfect fix. The salmon was cooked
perfectly (still a rich pink in the centre) and the flavours were perfectly
balanced. The wedge of lime was the perfect addition to cut through the
otherwise (healthily) sweet dish.
My lunch partner ordered a steak burrito and was not
disappointed when a huge plate arrived piled high with meat, beans, cheese and
tomato sauce. Though I sampled a good chunk of it, my lunch buddy still
struggled to finish the meal. It was the succulent chargrilled steak and fresh
tomato salsa that spurred him on. This was definitely something from the more
North American side of Tex-Mex.
Tomatillo has a great selection of organic meat as well as
having excellent meal options for vegetarians and coeliacs (who often feel like
an afterthought). The staff are very helpful and will be happy to answer any of
your questions and will allow you to sample any of their salsas before making a
decision. They serve a small selection of beers (Dos Equis, Pacifico, Corona
and Negra Modelo), wines by bottle or half bottle as well as delicious
non-alcoholic blended drinks (the mango liquado is delicious). The food is
simple and very fresh- if you’re in the area on a sunny day opt for takeaway
and head to Vondelpark.
The prices are very reasonable (especially considering the
portion sizes and the quality of the food)- mains range from 4€ (for a
vegetarian taco) to around 13€ (for a steak burrito). You can request your
choice of salsa- typically they have tomato, Pico de Gallo, Tomatillo chipotle,
sweetcorn and the infamous habanero as well as more interesting blends that
will change depending on the menu Roasted tomato with orange and their
pineapple salsa are both treats to the palate.
If you have room, or decide to split a main meal, make sure
to order dessert. Their rhubarb crumble is divine- orange and aniseed is used
to add complexity- and they often do specials such as chocolate brownies.
Overtoom 261, 1054 HW Amsterdam, Netherlands
020 683 3086
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