Mexican Restaurants in Cebu: MexiMama Mactan Newtown

Yesterday, I attended the opening of MexiMama Cocina Latina at the Hawkers Center of Mactan Newtown. MexiMama is slowly becoming one of the most popular Mexican restaurants in Cebu.  I was fortunate to be able to taste a few of their best dishes yesterday and I ended up going home with a #happytummy.

MexiMama Cocina Latina is owned by Chef +Dennis Jay Uy . Chef Dennis studied accounting in college, but he made a timely career shift while working in Shangri-La Mactan.  Moving from the comforts of an air-conditioned office to the kitchen became one of the biggest turning points in his life. The choice to follow his passion took him to the kitchens of some of the best resort hotels and restaurants in Cebu, as well as, traveling to different parts of the world while working on a cruise ship. He finally decided to go back to Cebu and opened his first MexiMama restaurant at the Marina Mall last year. MexiMama is Chef Dennis' homage to his mom, whom he credits for his love of cooking. 

Chef Dennis wants to offer Cebuanos delicious Mexican food at very affordable prices. He quipped, "You do not need to pay extra to taste Mexican food." MexiMama Cocina Latina serves Mexican favorites like Tacos, Burritos, Tortillas, and Quesadillas. For people who prefer eating rice, MexiMama has several mouth-watering rice meals to choose from, like baby back ribs, honey and chili wings, Mexikali (Meximama's Kawali), and Baja Fried Fish Fillet. 

Here are some of the dishes that I tried during the blessing of the new branch:

 Mexican Fried Rice. Although I can survive one week without eating rice, I still consider myself a rice person.  I also love tomatoes.  MexiMama's Mexican rice can really complement any of their main courses. I am sure that I will eat a lot of this rice should I order the "Mexikali".

 Chef Dennis Uy prepared an Oven-Baked Pork Loin that served as the main protein for lunch.

 Elotes or Grilled Corn on the Cob.  It is just like your typical sinugbang mais, but with a Mexican flair.  The corn was sprinkled with MexiMama's secret seasoning, then topped with salsa, crema, and chilis.

 Chicken and Corn Enchiladas e Blanco was another dish with meat.

 I ate several pieces of the homemade corn tortilla chips.  I had fun dipping it in the differents sauces: corn dip, salsa, guacamole, and homemade hot sauce. Chef Dennis said that he adjusted the seasoning of some dishes to suit the Filipino taste. The hot sauce was a bit milder than the sauces that I was used to. 

I managed to finish a slice of quesadilla and it was spot on.

 One of the most enjoyable parts of the meal for me was eating the yummy desserts.  I was able to taste the Tres Leches Flan and the Churros. The Churros came with 2 distinctly different sauces: chocolate and dulce de leche.

I loved the dulce de leche more than the chocolate sauce, but my friends have their own preferences.

Based on the dishes that I tried, I can definitely say that MexiMama Cocina Latina will give you the best bang for your buck among the local Mexican restaurants. The flavor profile is excellent and the pricing is just right. I will definitely bring some friends and try their other specialties. I am looking forward to hosting a Taco Day in May for my friends.

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