First look: Santiago Lastra’s more informal Mexican restaurant Fonda

Chef Santiago Lastra and MJMK Restaurants, the team behind Michelin-starred Kol, will open Mexican restaurant Fonda in London’s Mayfair this September.

News of Lastra’s second, more informal, restaurant with MJMK was first announced in February this year.

The restaurant takes its name from the fondas of Mexico, which are family-owned eateries serving traditional dishes in an informal setting.

Lastra, who is originally from Mexico, will offer a contemporary twist to the typical dishes found in street food stalls and local markets.

The à la carte menu will showcase a range of regional cuisines from across Mexico and most of the dishes will be served with corn masa cooked in a central clay comal.

Guests will also receive Lastra’s selection of salsas, oils and sauces for their table, including salsa verde with courgette and gooseberries; salsa rioja with Arbol chilli and tomato; and salsa macha with sweet and spicy Caseabel chillis, sunflower seeds and honey.

Small plates will include sikil pak, toasted pumpkin seed ‘guacamole’ with pine oil and fried totopos, while Chalk stream trout will be served as a ceviche with squash aguachile and tostadas.

These will complement a selection of dishes cooked on the comal, including costras - a tacqueria staple of ribeye topped with a layer of melted Swaledale cheese served on a flour tortilla.

Regularly changing specials and main courses such as adobado of charred monkfish with potatoes and spiced kelp butter; and stick short riby in a mole poblano with chocolate and chillies, will also be available.

All mains will be served in bespoke stoneware crafted by Mexican designers Duplo.

The desserts will focus on traditional dishes combined with British ingredients, such as tamal with dates, walnuts and butterscotch, as well as chocolate sorbet with chilli oil made from the Pasilla Mixe variety.