Chiquita: A Mexican Hidden Gem In The Heart Of Abu Dhabi

Chef Salvador Gómez Tagle is at the helm. Born and bred in Mexico, he’s since become a stalwart in the UAE. Landing in the Middle East 25-ish years ago, after a stint in Qatar he relocated to Dubai to open María Bonita in 2004. Next stop? The Sheraton Abu Dhabi. If you’re a lifer (or long-time resident), you might remember Sombrero at the Sheraton - our content queen Candida used to visit as a teenager and remembers it as her favourite Mexican in Abu Dhabi. 

Most recently? Salvador has been heading up Loca at The Galleria, Al Maryah Island, plating up Mexican specialties to hungry diners and rowdy brunch-goers for close to ten years. Now, he’s stepped out with his latest venture - and that brings us back to Chiquita, with an ethos of providing authentic Mexican food on his own terms.

The food is excellent. We let Salvador steer the ship, and his recommendations were spot on. Fresh guacamole and warm tortilla chips landed first, swiftly followed by crispy flautas: the crispy shell a perfect complement to the moist chicken filling, we’d order them again in a heartbeat. 

There’s a bunch of taco options: Tex-Mex gringo-style tacos (your crunchy corn shell taco) and los tacos Mexicanos - your authentic, soft tortilla variety. We went for the quesabirria tacos (a serve of 3 tacos will set you back just AED35, which is excellent value for Mexican food in Abu Dhabi) - slow-cooked pulled beef, melted cheese and a birria sauce on the side for dipping or pouring. Delicious. Our slightly rogue choice? Chilaquiles. Having never tried this before, we weren't sure what to expect. The menu description was pretty much spot on: tortilla chips bathed in tangy tomatillo salsa, topped with pico de gallo, crumbled cheese and sour cream - and topped with an egg! Apparently it’s the ultimate Mexican comfort food - typically eaten for breakfast, but good any time of the day. We agree!

Next time? We’re keen to try the aquas frescas (I spotted horchata on the menu, yum), more tacos, quesadillas, and always up for a daily dessert - it changes up each day. We had a taste of the rice pudding and it was lovely, light on the palate with a touch of cinnamon.

How was the bill? Prices are really reasonable: tacos range from AED30 - 35, guac and chips AED20, a serve of two flautas will set you back AED22 and the chilaquiles AED25. If you can’t pop by in person, or you are craving your next Chiquita fix at home, they’re on Noon for delivery. There are no days off for Salvador - Chiquita is open daily from 12PM - and it’s a one man show: he’s chef, waiter, cleaner, marketing manager and logistics extraordinaire. As well as wearing all those hats, he’s a really lovely guy - so pop in, treat yourself to a little Mexican feast and show him your support.

Did we spend the rest of the day with ABBA’s Chiquitita stuck in our heads? Yes. And we know - it’s not quite this little Mexican joint’s name, but forgive us the extra syllable and the unrelated Swedish reach. The food induced a happy dance worthy of a 70s bop, and every time I hear Chiquitita now, I’ll be reminded to head back to Chiquita - and my stomach will thank me. Yours will, too! 

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Chiquita 

Authentic Mexican Bistro | 17 Al Ghalah St, Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi

Open: daily from 12PM - 11PM | from 1PM on Mondays

Contact: 02 245 8029