Casa Latina delivers authentic Mexican cuisine that truly puts Amigo and the Saddle Cantina to shame, bringing something new to Beijing that we’ve been craving. With great drinks, a fun atmosphere and a rocking Cuban band, this place shouldn’t have much of a problem overcoming its location at the end of Solana’s bar street.

The menu, created by a personable young Mexican chef, brings new flavors to the city that we haven’t tasted since coming to China. The Aztec soup (¥68) is a rich blend of tomato and pepper with a savory, smoky flavor, tortilla strips and chunks of cheese and avocado. The Fideo soup (¥38) is lighter and milder, with thin noodles in a tomato broth with sour cream and large cubes of cheese and avocado. The sopesitos (¥48) come highly recommended—the three beautifully presented corn tarts are topped with shredded chicken, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, onion, sour cream and cheese and served with a stand-out salsa verde. The main courses are large enough for two to share. While the pollo con mole (¥88) is not for everyone, we loved the large, tender chicken leg covered in a chocolate-based sauce and served with rice. The enchiladas verdes (¥85) are fairly spicy and nicely presented with a side of beans.

The cocktails (¥40-60) rival Q Bar’s in taste and beat anything in Beijing when it comes to presentation. Expect umbrellas, fruit slices and novelty stirrers in all shapes and colors. Starting at 9:30 every night (except Monday), great live music à la Buena Vista Social Club transforms the place into a vibrant Latin dance party. The overeager service leaves some room to improve, but the rest of our experience was so stellar that any fiddling over our silverware was soon forgotten.

Sienna Parulis-Cook

Find it: Solana Bar Street, Bldg 8, Unit 3, 6 Chaoyang Park Road, 朝阳公园路6号, Solana蓝色港湾商业区8号楼3单元, Tel: 5905-6201