Tom Arnel, co-founder and managing director, Bull & Roo, introduces the company’s fifth concept, Muchachas
Please describe the concept of the venue in your words?
Muchachas is a Mexican Cantina, bringing the flavour of contemporary Mexico to Dubai in a vibrant interior of neon lights and flirty feminine pastels. She’s Muchachas, and she’s an energetic dining experience that you won’t forget in a hurry.
What are the signature items on the menu?
It’s a tough one, but I’d have to go for the yellow fin tuna ceviche – lightly smoked tuna, dried black lime salt, barbequed jalapeno and avocado, the world’s smallest tomatoes and cucumber; and the Camarons a la diabla, which is sweet corn queso fundido, spiced devil prawns and pineapple. We also make our own tortillas for our tacos and these are insanely delicious.
What is interesting about the beverage offer?
The beverage menu has been curated by bar manager, Izzy Gonzalez. It’s heavily focused around cocktails, with the aim of sending guests to a tropical paradise. Extensive research and thought has been put into it. Key standouts include the fruity and refreshing ‘Fresh Catrina’ and the smoky and smooth ‘La Mezcla’.
How will the venue compete on the Dubai market?
Inspired by the success of Melbourne’s Mexican cantina scene, we believe we’re bringing something entirely different to the Dubai marketplace with Muchachas. From the theatre of our ‘Fiesta’ menu, which takes customers on a flavour and texture experience like no other, to the drama of our neon lights and sassy pastels, Muchachas is a Mexican food experience that Dubai has never seen before.
The Residency Studios co-founder Joshua Speechley explains how the Muchachas interiors reflect the concept
“We reflected on the fresh new array of Mexican restaurants appearing in Melbourne. We mood boarded some of the different aspects we’d seen, including the use of solid, bright colours and open layouts with levels, divisions and hand-painted artwork. We further fleshed out and refined these core reference points and brought them to life in the interior elements of Muchachas, including everything from the layout, walls, bar, floor and tables, to the furniture and merchandising. We then handed these mood boards over to our architect to move into the drawings and documentation stage, reviewing and refining the drawings throughout the process.”
Fact box:
Opening date: 14 August 2016
Head chef: Jonatan Nuñez
Restaurant manager: Ana Martinez
