Cantina La Fiesta
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It would be hard to find another restaurant owner in Japan who has worked his way up from the very bottom to the top of the business food chain. He is a graduate from the proverbial school of hard knocks. A native Sri Lankan, when civil war tore his country apart and soldiers wantonly began killing school boys, Chandana headed for Japan. "I used to be a writer and editor for the school magazine," he recalls. "But when the civil war erupted people told me 'You better leave the country or something might happen to you.' So I came to Japan with one of my father's associates. I wanted to get into the import-export business, trying to import Sri Lankan alcohol." Fortunately for diners, the import-export business never panned out. When he first arrived, Chandana found part-time work at Nogizaka's famed La Mex, one of the city's first Mexican places. During off-hours he was learning Japanese while attending international business management classes at Sendagaya's Tokyo School of Business (courses taught entirely in Japanese). "At La Mex I started working as a dish washer, then I became a kitchen helper, then a chef, then a bar helper, then a bartender, and when they opened up another La Mex in Shibuya I became the manager," he relates. But when the Shibuya restaurant closed down he became the manager of the Nogizaka restaurant which eventually went bankrupt. I talked to a lot of the chefs and staff and said 'Listen, I have this new place here, would you like to work with me?' and they said 'OK, let's do it.'" That "new place" was the former site of Henry Africa's across from the Roi building. Soon Cantina La Fiesta was alive with Mexican flags, posters of Jose Cuervo, a big bronze sculpture of the sun, and colorful lamp shades hanging above an intricately carved wooden bar. "La Mex had a very nice interior like a real high-tech restaurant, dark lights. We have lots of decorations, but for us it is still not enough." This driving desire to constantly improve things permeates every project which this 15-hours-a-day, hard-working man attacks. "I need more than 24 hours to get everything done," he says through a yawn. But the delectable items on the menu are a real eye-opener, guaranteed to perk you up. Most restaurants have only one kind of enchilada, the cheese-covered variety, but here they have two kinds. Not content to serve just one fajita, there are three different varieties. The tacos come in a choice of either hard or soft shells, and all of the food is cooked perfectly and is full of fresh flavor. Simply eating the appetizers is enough to fill you up. There are weekly specials available like the mole verde (Yen 1,580) grilled chicken covered in a sauce made with spinach, eight kinds of nuts, and blended pumpkin seeds. And combination plates like the fiesta combo (Yen 2,870)&emdash;choice of enchilada, choice of burrito, chile con carne, Mexican rice, salad and frijoles&emdash;are more than enough food for your yen. "I don't think anyone can finish it because it's such a big plate," Chandana notes. But if you are a true glutton then the all-you-can-eat special on Mondays and Tuesdays of chips and salsa, nachos, garden salad, tacos, chili con carne, Mexican rice, and after-dinner coffee is the best bet. It lasts for one and a half hours and costs Yen 2,000. "After one hour they usually give up because they're full," he laughs. The variety doesn't stop with the food menu, as the drink menu is equally extensive. In addition to the usual Mai Tai, Acapulco Iced Tea, Pina Colada, and home-made sangria, they have Mexican beers, both types of Dos Equis, and 20 kinds of tequila. If you like Margaritas then taste their original Margarita, golden Margarita, wine Margarita, frozen Margarita, or frozen fruits Margarita of strawberry, cherry, blueberry, raspberry, apricot, or banana (see page ). A meal just isn't complete without liqueur Mexican coffee, Spanish coffee, or Irish coffee. Sweet tooths will love the shakes and the fried ice cream. The menu is so big that customers often have a hard time deciding (six kinds of salsa!), but whatever they select is sure to please. A good sign is the presence of regular customers who, for at least an hour or two, can feel like they're in Mexico as they listen to smooth Latin rhythms over the stereo. Chandana may not be a Mexican like his chef, but he certainly eats like one. "I eat here everyday," he says. "I suppose I eat Mexican food 365 days a year, and even on my holiday I go to other Mexican restaurants to taste their food." Now how can you ask for a better vote of confidence? Cantina La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant & Bar Open: Everyday from 5pm. Tuesday to Saturday open until 4am. Sundays, Mondays, and holidays open until 10:30pm | |
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