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On arrival I couldn't avoid an initial let-down. Tula was smaller than
expected, loud rock music was pumping through the room, and much of the menu
was straight Japanese western-style pub food. The large wall sign for three
kinds of spaghetti provoked sighs, although the scallop and mushroom in a
sauce of white wine and butter (Y1,000) looked tempting, as did the small
display of wines from Chile and Argentina.
Nonetheless, our group pressed on and ordered from the Mexican section of
the menu. The Taco Platter (Y800) was generous, with three flour tortillas,
three small bowls of fillings and three more small bowls of cheese, sour
cream and salsa. Additional tortillas are Y100 each, and I recommend you
order at least three more. The Chicken Burrito at Y800 represented a good
value, as did the impressively large Quesadilla (Y900).
Even though these three dishes weren't objectionable, the problem we had
with them was most apparent in the Chile Con Carne (Y550). This seemed to be
made largely from canned goods; a mixture of chili beans from the U.S.,
Japanese meat sauce for spaghetti, and possibly industrial-grade canned
salsa from Mexico. The flavors were hardly original, and lacking in fresh
ingredients and spices. These exact same flavors permeated all four dishes,
giving us the impression that a similar meal could be quickly cobbled
together at home after a hard day at work.
To its credit, Tula is a good place for 20- and 30-somethings to knock back
tequila shots and cold Mexican beer straight from the can or bottle, with a
few Mexican dishes as snacks on the side. But for a better casual dining
experience you'd be better off at Cantina La Fiesta (3-15-23 Roppongi,
Minato-ku, Tokyo; 3475-4412) for its low prices and the fact you can
actually get a decent Oaxacan mole there. If price is no object, then head
to the largely authentic and fairly romantic Fonda De La Magrugada (Villa
Blanca B1, 2-33-12 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku; 5410-6288).
Tula Mexican Restaurant, Shibuya-ku, Sakuragaokacho 15-4; phone 5458-2345.
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