SINGAPORE - (THE NEW PAPER) I am a messy eater, so there's nothing better than a relaxed place where you eat with your hands, pick food from the table and laugh as loud as you want.

Barrio by Mex Out is a place that seems to demand just that. You must be in a good mood and ready to not be bothered about anything.

Opened by the guys behind Mexican takeout place Mex Out, Barrio is its hangout equivalent. The menu is bigger here, with new plated dishes, starters, bar snacks, tortas (Mexican sandwiches) and desserts.

I associate Mexican food with bright tangy flavours, grounded by hearty beans and chilli peppers. All those factors are present here.

I like that there doesn't seem to be any attempts to localise the taste. For those of us who have yet to experience the wonders of Mexican food, this will be a great introduction.

The fried chicken torta ($14.90) impresses with the sensations, all within a bite. The juicy buttermilk fried chicken provides crunch, the broiche is soft and the chipotle mayo gives it a bit of heat.

While I'm not a big fan of tacos, the pulled pork version ($12.90 for two pieces) wins me over with how juicy and messy the pork is. When I was done, I had sticky fingers and cabbage all over. It was such glorious fun.

Who doesn't love a serving of nachos? The Burnt Nachos ($13.60) is topped with chili con carne, cotija cheese (from Mexico) and guacamole. It's commonplace, but it works.

Hot sauces are the rage now. Barrio's chicken wings in hot sauce ($7.50 for six pieces has lots of it, and it's great.

I sniggered at the name Protein Salad ($15.90) but the taste is no laughing matter. It's solid and filling, though not very exciting.

WHAT Barrio by Mex Out

WHERE #01-14/15, 313@somerset

WHEN Sunday to Thursday: 11am to 10.30pm Friday to Saturday: 11am to 11pm

CALL 6634-2102

This article was first published on June 8, 2016.
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