Phantom Foodie: Bodega's New Menu

Last week Phantom had the pleasure of being invited to test out Bodega’s new menu. Having been to Bodega previously and being a regular customer when it comes to their takeaway offering on Deliveroo, I was thrilled to sample the new dishes.

Upon arrival I was created by staff who showed me to the upstairs room, usually offered out for functions. As this was an event with lots of bloggers we were using it tonight. The room is fairly small but perfect for an intimate get together. It decor really gave you the feeling you were in a sunny part of South America, perfect for the cold night.

Each guest was handed a complimentary cocktail from the new menu- a pornstar daiquiri – a rum version of the usual drink.  Complete with a shot of prosecco floating on the top. I’m not really a cocktail person but this drink certainly made me realise I should try them more often. It didn’t touch the sides.

Next we were introduced to the new menu formally with a chat about the new dishes we would be trying out. Starting with some nibbles. Each table was presented with three bowls of nachos, each with a different topping. Salsa, guacamole and refried beans were all on offer. The nachos were home made and different to what you would expect had you never had the genuine article before. These were the perfect starter for sharing with a large group and complimented eachother well. Although my personal favourites were the beans.

Next up we were invited to try two of their taco varieties. As we were going to be trying lots of new things we each received one of each variety. The mole chicken and the mushroom variety. That’s not the type of mole that lives under ground by the way, but rather a smooth tasty sauce. One great advantage of this dish is that it’s gluten free as the taco shells are made from corn. This does however make them blue! They still taste just as you’d expect though, however they were softer than I expected. This was only an issue when it came to the mushroom one, messy is an understatement, but the taste made it worthwhile. And I’ll definitely be having the mole chicken again soon.

Then it was on to the mains. At this point I was already feeling rather full so if I were coming again I think I’d have to opt for nibbles of starters, rather than having both like we enjoyed at this taster. Whilst we waited for the food we received yet another complimentary drink, this time it was a humongous gin and tonic. Gin and South American food may be my new favourite combo.

This time our dishes came in two large bowls which we were invited to share out amongst the rest of the table, along with a side dish. I was grateful that I wasn’t going to have to devour two whole meals when I’d already eaten so much if not slightly disappointed that I couldn’t keep it all for myself. The first dish I tried was the Xim Xim, a dish with Brazilian origins, it includes chicken and prawns in a creamy sauce. I’ll admit I was hesitant amount the combination of seafood and chicken as it wasn’t something I’d tried before, but the peanutty sauce made it all marry together beautifully.

With this I also tried out the side dish, as a way of separating the two mains. The alternative palette cleanser. These were the Sticky Agave sweet potatoes, which included sweet potato cubes, black olives, queso fresco cheese and an agave sauce. Whilst this is technically a a light bite on the menu it made a tasty side dish. Personally I wouldn’t order it as a light bite dish but as a side as we tried it tonight, but that’s only because I’m greedy.

The second main course was the Quinoa Chifa, again something I hadn’t heard of before but it looked incredible when it arrived. This was a Chinese-Peruvian stir fry dish, so it was quite different from the rest of the food we tried. It consisted of quinoa, tofu, broccoli, sliced veg and a teriyaki sauce. Surprisingly this was my favourite of the two dishes. Although the vegetarian option isn’t my first choice usually, this dish has certainly made me change my thinking.

This concluded our food for the evening which was both relieving and disappointing, because I was both stuffed and wanting desert. We were given a cocktail masterclass as our final treat in which we all got to make our own. Although unfortunately I don’t remember the name of this particular drink having had quite a few at this point. But I can assure you that whatever cocktail you order from this menu you’ll probably enjoy it, but be warned they’re quite strong.

If you’ve never been before then I definitely recommend you check it out they’ve got something for all tastes and plenty of things you won’t have tried before. Even offering a vegan menu!

Check them out on Sadler Gate

And find out more here :  http://www.bodegacantina.co.uk/food/menus/