Lounging at Luchador
I’m always on the prowl for a few things, a cool spot for sun-downers and Mexican being at the top of the list. Luchador it seems then, is excatly the kind of joint I’m looking for.
I’ve been to Luchadoor a few times now and let’s be honest this Mexican wrestling inspired Latino restaurant located at the Aloft Palm Jumeirah is pretty far out of the way…..for some reason it always seems like a long journey to get all the way around to that end of the Palm.
Anyway, while that may be the case, once you get there this venue does offer some great views from the Palm back towards the Marina and the Burj Al Arab, which when accompanied by a beverage or two creates a nice little vibe, particularly when the music is on point. You could do worse in the cooler climes of winter to find yourself here downing a casual drink and munching on some Mexican eats.
There’s a variety of seating arrangements, from inside to out - each providing their own vibe. As for the style, while the erstwhile theme is that of Lucha Libre wrestling, this really only goes as far a some of the branding and a wall of masks at the entry.
The menu runs through all the things you would expect in the form of Guacamole and Tacos which includes the Pescado, Trompo, Pollo and Dorados ranging between 55 and 65 Dirhams for a trio. The clear pick of the bunch are the Fish Tacos - the Pescado which are as good as any fish taco in the city. The rest fall a little short compared to other places but then again they are considerably cheaper….
From there, this Cantina offers a few things that a quite unique to Luchador. There’s a bunch of Botanas, along with a few nice Ceviche dishes and Sopa. Of these, the Durazno (AED 65) and the Ceviche Habanero (AED 70) stand out but for different reasons.
The Durazno is a mild and easy going tuna in leche de tigre. While the Ceviche Habanero features some of the most obscenely hot Habenareo chili I’ve ever had in my life. This thing was like a camel bite to the face and this is from someone that loves it hot.
Anyway, moving on from the mayhem of that dish, there’s actually quite a few other items of interest here. There’s the Queso Chorizo (AED 65) which is a melted cheese with chorizo number that comes in a cast iron dish that you then break apart and put in tortillas. Then there is the lovely Pozole Blanco (AED 50) which is their take on the traditional Mexican pork and hominy stew that is bursting with flavor. This was a real stand out.
Switching it up to mains and again if seeking out the unexpected, you may want to take a look at the Gaoneras (AED 175) which is a Black Angus Striploin, covered with melted cheese, mushrooms and pineapple cooked on a big block of salt. Who doesn’t love steak and cheese? It starts out pretty mild but as times goes on - be warned the tender steak does tend to get a little salty, hence the pineapple to cut through.
While Luchador does something different to the other Licensed Mexican joints in Dubai, it is kind of let down by a few things that if improved upon could take it from good to great.
Overall, the food is pretty good without being spectacular and the menu is reasonably priced, despite seemingly having gone up a little recently.
On the other hand, the drinks are at the absolute top end of the scale price wise, which is a bit of shame given the views and the live band on offer at this venue. Maybe that’s the rationale? In any event, I could imagine that if it was a little more competitive on the beverage front that there might a much stronger turn out in the late afternoons. Perhaps one of the reasons is that the kitchen doesn’t actually open until 6pm which seems kinda strange.
Bottom Line:
There’s a lot to love at Luchador, however it’s as if all of the elements are there but they just haven’t been brought together yet in a cohesive way yet. This is probably best underscored by the service which has always been super friendly but a little patchy at best when it comes to coordination and the finer details.
Still, Luchador is a fun venue best enjoyed by looking past some of the foibles and just lounging on the terrace. Refreshment in hand, you’ll find it’s a pretty great weekend spot.