Its been many moons since I visited Mexican-inspired Las Iguanas, so when my friend Vick and I were hunting for a lunchtime location in Chelmsford, and we spotted a Las Iguanas newly opened, it seemed like a good opportunity to re-visit and see what changes may have occurred in terms of the menu and flavours.
Still full of vibrant shabby chic decor wise, paired with vibrantly coloured signs and hints of metal scaffolding, we were escorted to a raised booth as part of a central column of seating in the middle of the restaurant, each claiming a bright red leather covered sofa to sit opposite one another.
We decided to share a small starter, just to whet our appetites. We went with the dadinhoes, pipped as crispy cheese cubes, served with sticky chilli jam. Anything with cheese in is always good with me, and these were rather moreish, I must confess. The cubes were quite small, probably only a couple of centimetres wide really, but they were very 
uniformly cut, and super crispy on the outside so they crunched with each bite; the exterior was quite a dark gold in colour. The cheese was a hard cheese that had softened during the frying process, so it created a good juxtaposition of textures, the melty cheese with the crumby, crunchy edges. The chilli jam was tasty too; it was thick and gooey, coating each cube nicely when dunked. A small but nice start.
For main course, I tried to be a little bit healthy and opt for meatballs, served with white rice that was generously scattered with cut up spring onions. I was given three meatballs, which didn’t seem a vast amount to be honest, despite this only being lunch. However, the good news was that it came with plenty of sauce, which I like, especially when I could mix it with the rice. The lamb meatballs swam in its spicy tomato sauce, with a smidge of grated cheese thrown on top. The meatballs were tender and nicely cooked, the sauce packed full of flavour; mainly a rich tomato undertone and a mild chilli hue that warmed the mouth. I now understood the plain rice side dish! On the whole, it was a tasty meal and I mopped it all up readily.
Dessert was a tough choice, however churros won out, as it always will. Although it is increasingly on more menus, I still view it as a rarity, so whenever I see it as a dessert, I feel I have to order it. For my dessert at Las Iguanas, I was 
given three looped churros, dusted with icing sugar and served with a simple blob of chocolate sauce. The churros was yummy, with its trademark crunchy outside and gooey batter inside, which I then smothered in the thick chocolate goo. The churros was a little thin, and the batter inside wasn’t as sticky as I would have liked, but it still hit the spot. I must confess however to having severe food envy from Vick’s dessert of the dulce de leche macadamia cheesecake. This creamy cheesecake slice was drenched in dulce de leche sauce and generously topped with cut up macadamia nuts. Luckily, she couldn’t finish it and I was able to swoop in and save the day/dessert. #winning
I also ordered a cheeky cocktail from the restaurant’s two for one deal, going with the pineapple flavoured porn star martini. This was an interesting spin on one of my favourite cocktails; it was very refreshing and quick to drink!
All in all, I liked the food at Las Iguanas. The menu sticks with its Mexican and Brazilian themed fodder and luckily the strong flavours translate well in the execution of the dishes. I wouldn’t mind visiting again to sample more of their menu, although I wouldn’t say it was vastly creative or different to other restaurant chains of this ilk. An enjoyable lunch with tasty food and a wonderful friend, which also didn’t break the bank. 
The Discount Deal Menu 