Nanjing has had more than its fair share of bad luck when it comes to Mexican restaurants, an opening statement perhaps best illustrated by a 2014 TripAdvisor review of the now-defunct, long timer Behind the Wall, calling it “Maybe the worst restaurant in China”.
Valentina’s opened amid a trickle of publicity a few years back, to only just as quietly disappear after every foreign student near its Nanjing University location had been, once.
Then there is Tacos. At worst, it’s still open. At best, its name is as near to Mexico as it gets.
On the happy end of things, Axis Mexican Cantina has been doing a solid and consistent job, despite its flop of a second location in Hexi, and is poster child for a government backed scheme to provide start up capital to young entrepreneurs.
More recently, however, the gloves have really come off, with the opening of Luga’s. Fresh from the infamous Sanlitun in Beijing, our fair southern capital has been decreed worthy, by Luga himself, to be second in his empire of (mostly) Mexican eateries.
As for a locale, Luga’s has opted, very sensibly, for the re-envisioned 1912 in Jiangning that has been enjoying something of a renaissance over the last year. Certainly it is a huge improvement on the its downtown forefather that is the city’s premier destination for hedonism.
There is, however, a bit of a hodgepodge going on at Luga’s, a kind of all-bases-covered approach to the menu that ensures profitability, if not authenticity. While we could have pushed the boat out and gone for the Italian offerings, and there are plenty, perhaps even adding in a steak or two and maybe a salmon pasta, for the purposes of this review The Nanjinger felt it best to concentrate on those ubiquitous Mexican favourites.
To begin, Jalapeno Poppers (¥65) consisting of six flash-fried, breadcrumb coated Jalapeno peppers stuffed with mozzarella cheese complimented by Chili Cheese Fries (¥55). At Luga’s both are perfection itself.
Then there came the highlights; beef steak fajitas and chicken tacos (¥65). Once again, impossible to fault; the former’s meat cuts deliciously succulent and the latter cooked to just the right degree of crispness.
The only disappointment was the chicken quesadillas (¥68), and it’s quite possible “disappointment” is too strong a word; this correspondent being far from the biggest fan of the flour tortilla.
As for the liquid end of things, The Nanjinger sampled mango juice, a delicious IPA and a Mojito refreshingly made with very little of that sugar which sinks to the bottom to be sucked up in a straw full. Good job.
With an open plan layout and glass across three walls, Luga’s could be construed as the goldfish bowl of 1912. Yet, this is one tank one is happy to sit in, for most of the afternoon.
Membership program offering fairly generous discounts also available, along with various daily specials.
Luga’s is located in 1912 beside Baijia Lake in Jiangning District (next to the musical fountain) 江苏省南京市江宁区百家湖1912街区卢卡斯餐厅酒吧（音乐喷泉附近） Tel: 86166385.
