Review: CHINGON, Dubai: Modern Mexican Dining

Yet my visit to CHINGON lingers in my mind. You see, CHINGON is surprisingly good. We venture out to its location within the Grand Millennium Business Bay: an area that is still wildly unknown to me after so many years in Dubai. The hotel decor is a sharp juxtaposition to CHINGON’s contemporary stylings but we are not here for the hotel so we breeze passed it towards the elevators.



The elevators open to reveal CHINGON’s reception: dark and small like a private members club. Our hostess escorts us to one of the two main dining areas. CHINGON is a cavernous, design-led and moody space. Draped oversized ropes dangle over a dark, angled corridor. A mushroom grey wall is scarred with geometric lighting. The room feels intimate notwithstanding its large size. CHINGON’s main dramatic feature is a warm, radiating amber bar radiating illuminating the restaurant. Fashionable patrons buzz around this honeycomb bar clinking martinis. We are seated between the bar and a wide-open floor-to-ceiling window with an impressive, uninterrupted view of the Dubai skyline, Dubai Canal and the Burj Khalifa peaking over Business Bay’s piercing skyscrapers.

Chingon’s Menu and Service

This Mexican fine dining menu is segmented into sharing starters (AED25-110), tostadas (AED65-95), raw bar (AED20-380, the price distorted by oysters), salads (AED60-95), tacos (AED70-115), mains (AED110-550) and a separate dessert menu (all AED45).

The service is refreshingly engaged. They are knowledgeable and clearly passionate about the menu. There is a sincerity ensuring that you select well. I appreciated two things in particular. Firstly, the service nudges you towards non-obvious choices because they think you will enjoy it. Secondly, we were told we ordered enough when we considered ordering more. I admire their caution for restraint instead of the ruthless pursuit of sell, sell, sell.

The cocktail menu also warrants a mention. It is a carefully curated shortlist of classics reimagined by CHINGON celebrating regional spirits like pisco (not a Mexican spirit if I had one quibble). My favourite drink of the night was CHINGON’s house espresso martini spiced with aromatics and laced with chocolatey undertones. It’s a befitting dessert cocktail worthy of these ‘wintery’ Dubai months. I do rate the imagination and creativity of the cocktail menu piped only by Trésind.

CHINGON’s Menu Highlights

CHINGON’s food is thoroughly enjoyable as we navigate seven small plates arriving from the kitchen in a considered sequence. The Chimichurri Burrata with truffle polenta, coriander chimichurri and pickled tomatillo (AED95) pierces my cynical preconceptions of a ‘Mexican burrata’. The delicate milky burrata is challenged by the tongue-poppingly sharp, green apple-like tomatillo all bathed in the herbaceous, warming coriander chimichurri. You will trip over a dozen restaurants serving burrata in Dubai en route to CHINGON but this one stands out as one of my 2019 favourites. My small observation is that I am unconvinced the truffle polenta adds anything but I will all too gladly come back to order this dish again just to make sure.



Vying to challenge the burrata for best dish of the night is the Mictlan (AED 45). The Mictlan is an arresting and beautiful dessert inspired by the iconic Dia De Los Muertos skull facade. The dish successfully realises both the colour and festive sentiment. A prince of puddings made by someone who loves dessert and understands the devil-may-care fun it represents as, after all, dessert is the last act of kindness a kitchen sends to your table. The Mictlan is a dark chocolate and lime mousse encased in a golden skull accompanied by croquant feulletine (fancy word for crispy bits made from sweetened crêpes) and shards of mint moss (aka sponge) and vanilla genois (aka cake). The golden skull is swiftly and violently cracked to reveal a suave, light mousse that dissolves on the tongue like spoonfuls of sweet clouds. This is the sort of unapologetic pleasure that should normally be experienced indoors and away from the public view. My remorseless greed ensures we finish the plate.



You could come to CHINGON for the burrata and Mictlan and walk away wholly impressed and satisfied. You would, however, miss out on other dishes and, let’s be frank, that is hardly a well-balanced meal!

CHINGON: Our Other Dishes

The “Baja Fish” tacos (AED85) are a trio of generously-filled battered fish tacos brought to life with a vibrant Mexican slaw, pickles and habanero aioli. The tacos are spicy, tangy and crunchy. The heat gently builds courtesy the habanero aioli.

The scallop crudo (AED120) is another feast for the eyes with brilliant white scallops coupled with pinky watermelon cuts, sweet blood orange and avocado. These ingredients appear like neighbouring islands on a pool of jalapeno aguachile, coriander oil and pasilla pepper flakes. This iris-like blue plate frames everything beautifully. It is an enjoyable dish but one I would have enjoyed more with a larger dose of aguachile and coriander oil to bring the dish together. The subtle scallop and sweet elements need more support to bring everything together, which the aguachile could do more. Second confession: I am also a glutton for aguachile so reasonable people may disagree with this observation. Mrs EatGoSee thoroughly enjoyed the scallops so much so that I fought with her for my share of the dish.



The Dibba Bay Oysters is an inspired use of local ingredients. We should see more use of local ingredients so hats off to CHINGON for proudly celebrating local produce. The oysters come as one, six, 12 or 24 with pricing at AED20/110/200/380. These bivalves are bravely paired with habanero pico de gallo, lime and the CHINGON hot sauce. The CHINGON hot sauce is a dark rust, aggressive mole that demands your full attention stomping on your tongue like the Incredible Hulk. I enjoy both the oysters and the mole but it is not a marriage of equals. I do, however, see a better future for the CHINGON hot sauce coupled with a Fred Flintstone sized fatty steak instead of the delicate brine of the oysters who quiver in shadow. The lime should stay, maybe use aguachile (I told you…) or tigre de leche (admittedly, not Mexican).



I finish here where we began: the starters. The Sikil P’ak (AED45) derives its name from its Mayan origins meaning Ha’ = Water, Sikil = Pumpkin Seeds and P’ak = Tomato from the Mexican Yucatan peninsula. A moss green, coarse, rich and thick spread-like dip adorned in coriander leaves and studded with pumpkin seeds. The dish tastes minerally and just plain good for you. I should probably eat and use it as a detoxifying face scrub two to three times a week. The satisfying-snappy corn chips come along for the ride. We order guacamole (AED40) with corn chips as is protocol in Mexican restaurants. The guac is delicious and demands a beastly cold beer or crisp white wine for the other hand.