Axis Hexi, a newly opened Mexican cantina, is the trendier younger sister of the successful flagship in Xianlin. The décor has pizzazz with a floor nothing short of groovy – not something one tends to notice (nor chooses to) in the majority of Nanjing’s eateries.
On the drinks menu is a rainbow of reasonably priced cocktails including margaritas (¥40) to kick start the meal, and even more reasonable Corona or draft Tiger for ¥25.
The appetisers were a rather disappointing springboard, somewhat lacking imagination considering the wealth of exciting flavours Mexican cuisine has to offer. Chorizo nachos (¥55) came with the odd chunk of something not chorizo and did little to subside our hunger, nor did the chicken taco soup (¥25). So save up your cheese quota for what comes next…
Fajitas, tacos and burritos are all on offer at Axis, but the chimichangas (¥46-55) win hands down. Generously stuffed with spicy chicken, rice, beans and cheese, these tortilla wraps are then fried to give an unbeatable crunch – a feast for the eyes, mouth and ears, and torture for the person opposite.
Equally saliva-inducing are the enchiladas (¥46-55), also offered with a choice of chicken, vegetables or beef, this time covered in a warming blanket of bubbling hot cheese. Fajitas (¥60), on the other hand, had a rather meagre ratio of meat to onions and bell peppers, but still provide ample sustenance.
For those with a hankering for meat there is a range of steaks and burgers, all of which sounded rather appetizing, and salads for those who fancy something to ‘lighten’ the meal. Unfortunately the restaurant hasn’t quite got to grips with supply so meat dishes that night were off the menu by 8 o’clock and guacamole and sour cream became evermore sparse.
All the staff were incredibly friendly despite looking rather bewildered and disorientated as they get to grips with the new venue which includes outside tables and a maisonette floor inside. These minor teething problems were remedied with the enormous smiles which accompanied each dish to the table.
If Hexi seems equally far from you as Xianlin, you will be pleased to hear another member has recently been added to the family. Wedged into a backstreet of Shanghai Lu, Los Burrito specialises in, you’ve guessed it, burritos. For a bit more whack, ask for hot sauce and jalapenos.
Like any good Mexican meal, we practically rolled our way out of the restaurant and I’m sure once the food has digested we will be back.
FOOTNOTE: Axis Xianlin could be termed a poster child for the Nanjing Young University Students Entrepreneurship Program (NYUSEP) that offers invaluable help to student start-ups in order to boost the economy. Owner of Axis, Vincent Shao, was one of the few lucky ones chosen back in 2012. At the time, he said, “To apply for the scheme all that is necessary is a business proposal and some simple paperwork. It just took a couple of minutes to register, they glanced at the plan for a few minutes and I had my grant within a day”.
The NYUSEP was introduced by the government in order to offer financial aid and administrative advice to young Chinese university graduates looking to start their own company. It targets budding Jiangsu entrepreneurs who graduated from university within the last five years or are still students at one of the local higher education institutions and want to become a business owner in the city of Nanjing.
Axis Hexi is located at 269 Jiqingmen Da Jie 集庆门大街289号 Tel: 15895872728.
