Seminyak has so many highly recommended restaurants and cafes; our last trip there did not cover many of them. So, with a longer stay in Seminyak, we decided to visit as many of these restaurants and cafes as possible. Once we arrived and checked into our private villa in Seminyak Bali, off we went to Motel Mexicola for our lunch date~! ☆ﾐ(o*･ω･)ﾉ
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Motel Mexicola – Restaurant by Day, Party House by Night in Seminyak Bali
Motel Mexicola is a 9 – 10 minute walk away from the Seminyak main street in Bali. The restaurant would usually be crowded during nighttime as the place transformed into a party house. Partying is not our cup of tea, so we decided to visit the place for lunch instead.
As expected, there weren’t a lot of people in the restaurant when we arrived at around 1 PM. The first time we walked by Motel Mexicola, we were mesmerised by the exterior design. It looks so nice and colourful! We didn’t have a chance to visit back then and were happy to be here this time. (´ ω `♡)
Professional Cameras Are NOT Allowed 🙁
Your girl here was travelling around with her Sony A6400 and trying to capture some beautiful photos to be featured here. But sadly, the lady at the counter told my hubs that a professional camera is not allowed in Motel Mexicola. We could, however, use our phone camera. We didn’t ask for the reason, but it might have to do with the venue being a party house at night. ┐( ˘_˘ )┌
The overall venue space looks kind of nice and bright, but most of the seats are in a dim corner. So when I knew we couldn’t use my camera, I was really kind of bummed, mainly because my phone camera sux in low light conditions. (´-ω-`) A lot of the photos would usually turn out to look like paintings. Haha! You will see. (>_<)
No Aircon and Seated in a Stuffy Corner
We made a reservation before coming to Motel Mexicola and upon arrival, we were led to our seats located in a corner of the restaurant. For some very weird reason, I think the restaurant was trying to place everyone in the same zone. ‘Cos with so many seats around, we were all crowding in the same area. Not that I mind, but just that it doesn’t give the diners any room for privacy or breathing space. (´･ᴗ･ ` )
We had a whole table of two families with their kids behind and another group of diners just right beside us. Not forgetting that the restaurant does NOT have air-conditioning, so it adds to the heat on a hot day in Seminyak. As an afterthought, I think we should have asked for seats in the open. But then again, I am worried about smokers as it seems like as long as there is no air-conditioning, you can smoke anywhere. (×_×)⌒☆
Live Performance Available~!
While we were busy looking at our menu, a quartet was performing songs for each table of diners. Hubs and I were both hoping and praying that they wouldn’t come to us since we had not ordered anything yet.
And luckily, we escaped from them. Haha! I mean, the performance does give off a very fun and festive feel, but we just want to dine in peace. They also didn’t come back when our food was served, so PHEW. We could enjoy the food in peace and quiet. (´･ᴗ･ ` )
What We Ate at Motel Mexicola Bali
After all the ranting above, it’s finally time to share with you what we ate at Motel Mexicola. (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
Strong Alcohol that Could Make Me Drunk
For our drinks, I had the frozen margarita while hubs had Paloma. If you have visited my blog before, you would know that both my hubs and I are not drinkers. So this is our first time trying Paloma. And, oh man, the alcohol tasted so strong in both drinks. (⊙_⊙)
I can’t drink very well, so I always tried to order easy-to-drink alcoholic drinks, but this time, the alcohol was just too strong for me. For people who enjoy alcohol, I think you guys might love it. This place is, after all, a party house at night. (*・ω・)ﾉ
Oh, Heavenly Mexican Food~
For our main dishes, I had the Taco Camaron, which has tempura prawns in the taco, while hubs had the taco with slow-cooked beef in it called Taco Birria De Res. Since we were at a Mexican restaurant, we did not forget to order nachos. So we got the Nachos Mexicola for sharing and chose to add the slow-cooked beef as well.
Everything was SUPER DELICIOUS. It was my first time having tempura prawns with tacos, and it tasted heavenly. The guajillo mayo, salsa taqueria and grilled pineapple gave a slightly tangy taste, balancing the taste of the tempura prawns in the taco. Since slow-cooked beef is always found in Mexican dishes, you also wouldn’t go wrong ordering the beef. But if you want something different, I would highly recommend the Taco Camaron (not ‘cos I am a sucker for prawn dishes)! (*♡∀♡)
Time for Desserts!
For desserts, we ordered the highly recommended churros, and it was so sinfully delicious. I love dipping my churros in the chocolate sauce that comes with the churros.
The churros were so nice and crisp on the outside. Once I bite into them, they become so crumbly while the inside is so soft. I don’t have a sweet tooth, so it definitely has way too much sugar on the outside, but when paired with the chocolate sauce, it blended so well together. This dessert definitely lives up to its expectations, so yes, you have to order it as well! (✧ω✧)
Overall Experience at Motel Mexicola Bali
Though the restaurant was not what we expected, with it being so warm and stuffy as well as not allowing professional cameras, we did enjoy our meal at Motel Mexicola. I am usually very sceptical of Instagrammable places since they are usually more about the interior design than the food. Putting aside those rants, Motel Mexicola serves really delicious food. I highly recommend both the Taco Camaron as well as the Churros if you are visiting Motel Mexicola~!
Do note that nighttime would be really crowded so if you just want to enjoy a meal, do consider going during off-peak hours instead. I saw a lot of ladies going around taking photos as well, so off-peak hours might be better if you are looking for the best angle with fewer people for your Instagram. (´･ᴗ･ ` )
Information about Motel Mexicola Bali
⏰ Opening Hours: 11 AM – 1 PM
☎️ Phone Number: +62 361 736 688
📒 Reservation | Menu
You can find out more about Motel Mexicola here:
🔎 Website | Facebook | Instagram
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