A return to IndiMex
Sunday, June 28, 2015
I've written about IndiMex before but was curious about their new menu items so recently returned to try them out. Fusion cuisine is nothing new to Brisbane but there isn't anything as adventurous as fusing Indian and Mexican as IndiMex do. Both cuisines are known for their strong flavours and while both are heavily reliant on spices to add flavour, they use different ones. IndiMex is the brainchild of chef and owner GJ Singh, whose background is Indian but has trained all over the world including stints in Japan and in Mexican cuisine. He draws upon his experience and love of flavour to think up combinations that incorporate Mexican and Indian elements and applies them to our traditional breakfast items. He understands that not everyone is as adventurous as him though so keeps some more traditional items on the menu too.
We arrived on a weekday morning early before work and as such, had our pick of tables. There are both inside and outside seating but we preferred to sit outdoors. Unfortunately at that time the sun was still rising and so most of the tables meant one of use were either sitting in direct sunlight (got to protect the skin!) or meant we were looking directly into it. We ended up choosing a table where we could both sit next to each other, facing away from the sun. The restaurant is festively decorated in bright colours which say Mexican Fiesta to me, helped with the well stocked bar which make me think IndiMex would be a fun place for evening or Sunday afternoon drinks! We ordered our coffees and began to peruse the menu.
The menu includes some basic bacon and egg options and big breakfasts, which all sound good but I was there for some real IndiMex food! Previously I'd tried the IndiMex Brekkie ($9.90) and the Masala Omelette ($9.90), both which I'd been a fan of. The new menu items weren't on the menu yet but were advertised on boards outside. GJ was around and after chatting to him, he suggested we try the new Burrito Brekkie and the Chimichanga Brekkie and we also ordered the IndiMex Brekkie, which includes Masala scrambled eggs, chickpea curry and parathas (Indian flatbread) and got a side of Daal Makhani ($2.00) as it's a favourite of mine.
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| Perfect flat white & long black |
Our coffees arrived quickly and both L and I agreed that they were excellent. My long black was strong without any bitterness, just as I like it. Soon afterwards our meals arrived and it was lucky that we'd sat at a larger table because we needed it for all of that food! I know we ordered three meals between the two of us but they were all massive. The burrito was an absolute beast - a combination of chorizo, bacon and black lentils wrapped in a flour tortilla, smothered in a spicy chipotle sauce and cheese with TWO fried eggs on top and then served with guacamole and sour cream! The chimichanga was similarly huge with the crispy deep fried burrito filled with an Indian-style potato bhaji mash and served with bacon, chorizo, seasoned scrambled eggs, grilled tomato, guacamole, sour cream and some fresh spinach. We didn't even know where to start!
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| Our insane breakfast feast - clockwise from top: IndiMex Brekkie, Brekkie Chimichanga, Brekkie Burrito |
I started with the perfectly fried crispy, golden chimichanga and being somewhat wheat intolerant, i just sampled the tortilla but dug into the potato bhaji filling. It was clear from the first bite that there is no skimping on flavour here at IndiMex! The filling was spicy and delicious and I could have eaten all of it, but was saving room for everything else. The meal could almost feed two, it was that substantial. The slices of chorizo were thick and pan fried and the bacon was done slightly crispy. Honestly, I'm not a big meat eater so only tried a bit of each. The deliciously seasoned scrambled eggs were perfectly fluffy and soft and I devoured my share of them. The freshly made house guacamole was on point - it had fresh tomato and coriander mixed through and was perfectly seasoned. Altogether it was an impressive breakfast meal with all of the elements perfectly cooked and delicious.
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| Brekkie Chimichanga - Potato bhaji rolled in a flour tortilla, deep fried and served with bacon, chorizo and seasoned scrambled eggs. |
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| Burrito Brekkie - Bacon, black lentils and chorizo wrapped in a burrito roll with chipotle sauce and melted grilled cheese, served with two eggs, Cajun seasoning, fresh in-house guacamole and sour cream. |
Unsurprisingly we were pretty full at this point but persevered and moved on to the IndiMex Brekkie. Having spent some time in India I can vouch for the authenticity of the Indian components, especially the Masala scrambled eggs which are spiced and have chopped tomato, onion and coriander throughout and are a popular breakfast item in India. I really enjoyed these eggs which were lighter due to the vegetables and surprisingly chilli spicy, which I loved but wasn't mentioned on the menu so may take some by surprise! As a chickpea fan, I loved the side of chickpea curry and I adored the daal makhani which uses black urid dal and has a touch of cream. The parathas were hot and flaky and the perfect accompaniment to have with the curries. A touch oilier than I like but that's due to personal preference. It was also served with a delicious spicy chutney. The IndiMex Brekkie was definitely the lightest of the three meals and the favourite for both of us.
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| IndiMex Brekkie - Chickpea and potato bhaji served with Indian scrambled eggs and parathas |
GJ also insisted we try their house speciality drink, the Chai Masala ($4.00), which I had been eyeing off and I'm so glad we did. A delicious sweet, spicy tea infusion made on milk; it was so comforting and I could have had multiple cups of it! They also do Lassi (yoghurt smoothie drinks) which I would love to try another time.
Overall we really enjoyed our breakfast at IndiMex but it was far more full on than we can usually handle for breakfast! I absolutely love real Indian food and would love to see more places that do traditional Indian breakfasts. I asked GJ about his feelings on serving them and his response was that he felt they wouldn't be popular and he potentially has a point. If anyone knows where I can get good dosa and idli for breakfast, please let me know! In the meantime I love that IndiMex is there for some Indian breakfast options. As much as I like Mexican food, I'm more likely to order the more Indian meals. We did note there aren't any really interesting lighter options at IndiMex and sweet options are limited to pancakes and fruit and yoghurt. I do think that some of the meals could be lightened up by reducing the amount of components and perhaps switching things like sour cream for yoghurt but that's truly just my preference for lighter and less rich food.
The fact is, IndiMex is serving up really tasty and well-executed meals which are seriously good value. If you haven't tried it already, I definitely do recommend it especially if you have an appetite. Being a lover for anything out of the ordinary, I absolutely love what GJ is doing conceptually. He is pushing boundaries and Brisbane should take note and give it a try. Indian-slash-Mexican may not sound appealing to some but I urge you to give it a go as I swear it's not as scary as it may sound! My one regret of my meal is not ordering their speciality IndiMex Mind Blowing Flavours hot sauce on the side so I'm thinking a revisit in the future will be required.
Disclaimer: We were invited guests of IndiMex but this review reflects, as always, my true opinion
https://www.indimex.com.au/
Disclaimer: We were invited guests of IndiMex but this review reflects, as always, my true opinion
https://www.indimex.com.au/
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