Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill Tasting Session

Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill Tasting Session
320 Tanglin Road

Opening Hours:
Tue - Fri: 11am - 10:30pm,
Sat - Sun: 9am - 10:30pm,
Closed Mon


http://www.coyote.com.sg/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Heat Branding, Coffee & Cravings, Dan & Esther's Food Haven, and Fundamentally Flawed.

Wings Platter (SGD $65)

Hearty Tex-Mex Cuisine & Fiery Wings

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 8
Value for Money: 6
Spent about SGD $47 per person.


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Inspired by the bold, flavourful Tex-Mex fusion cuisine they sampled on their travels, the owners behind Spruce decided to revamp their Phoenix Park outlet to offer said cuisine. Thus, Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill opened its doors in June 2016, offering an event space and dining destination for fans of Texan Mexican fusion cuisine.

Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill Signage

Ambience at Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill benefits from its out-of-the-way location at Phoenix Park. The ample grounds allow for spacious indoor and outdoor seating, with plenty of natural greenery. Low mood lighting illuminates the sturdy wooden furniture at night, while vibrant Mexican inspired artwork adorns the whitewashed walls. The well stocked bar is an eye catching display on its own, a burst of Mexican colours. An outdoor courtyard reserved as an event space hold up to 50 people, but the entire area can comfortably host about 200 people at the same time.

Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill Exterior

Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill Interior

Service at Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill is efficient, professional, and engaging. Staff are alert, quick to greet and seat guests. They demonstrate good product knowledge, introducing each dish and describing its ingredients briefly. They move around regularly to check on diners, and clear away empty / dirty plates and tables efficiently. I like that staff are humourous and engaging, and they uphold the energetic, young-at-heart, boisterous spirit of the place, as befits the theme. While space is allowed for diners to have intimate, refined meals, the spirit of Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill is noisy like a Mexican fiesta party.

Seating Outdoors

Seating Outdoors

Seating Indoors

Seating Indoors

Family Area

Bar

Lamps

Food at Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill is a liberal take on fusion Texan Mexican cuisine, with local modifications in dishes. The nature of the cuisine itself features big, bold, intense flavours, with dishes being large in portion and heavy on sauces. These characteristics are well represented here, with most dishes large enough for sharing, vibrant and colourful in presentation, with rich flavours. That said, the heavy sauce tends to mask the flavours of the ingredients themselves, a typical trait of Tex-Mex cuisine. The high price per dish is balanced by the large portions, and you get best value for money by sharing / communal dining. Budget about SGD $47 per person for a full meal here. Eating alone, or in couples, is not recommended.

Wine Shelf

Salsa

Menu Food

The classic Margarita Original (SGD $15) is a cocktail from Mexico, and usually features a blend of tequila, lime / lemon juice, triple sec orange liqueur, and served with salt / sugar on the rim of the glass. Here, they've replaced the sugar crystals with a sugar syrup, and you're able to pick your style of drink; straight or frozen. The frozen version is refreshing, and makes for a good pairing with spicy flavours.

Margarita Original (SGD $15)

The Viva Coyote (SGD $10) shot resembles the Mexico flag, with its vibrant green, red, white / transparent colours. This off-menu special shot is a secret blend!

Viva Coyote (SGD $10)

The Tequila Furnace (SGD $10) shot is a challenging shot. A blend of tequila, lime juice, salt, and tabasco sauce, this is a strong, spicy sour drink. You can feel the lingering burn all the way down your throat. Aptly named, and not for the faint of heart.

Tequila Furnace (SGD $10)

The Coyorita (SGD $25) is their take on the classic Mexican drink Coronarita, which features an upturned bottle of Corona beer in a Margarita cocktail. Besides being visually captivating, the blend of beverages pairs so well together. Refreshing, icy-cold, and perfect for a warm day!

Coyorita (SGD $25)

The Elote (SGD $15) is a common Mexican street snack, consisting of a boiled or grilled corn on the cob, served with the customer's choice of condiments such as salt, chili, butter, cheese, lemon / lime juice, mayonnaise, and sour cream, either on the side, or spread over the corn like a coat. Here, they've gone for a simpler version, with smoky sweet grilled corn on the cob, coated in a spice rub of salt, mayonnaise, lime juice, Mexican cojita cheese, and chili pepper. Decent enough, though I wish it was more buttery, salty, and juicy.

Elote (SGD $15)

Elote

The Volcano Coyote Nachos (SGD $19) is an over-the-top appetizer that is best shared. A glorious mess of crispy corn tortilla chips / nachos, piled high like a mountain, slathered in a heap of tomato salsa, guacamole, sour cream, black olives, jalapenos, cheese sauce, and a mix of gooey melted parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Hidden within are moist, tender shreds of gamey tasting pulled pork. Super filling, super decadent, and super messy.

Volcano Coyote Nachos (SGD $19)

Volcano Coyote Nachos

The Live Guacamole Station is a side of entertainment and an experience. Staff roll up a table, stocked with all the ingredients needed to make a fresh guacamole. You get to roll up your sleeves and mash your own guacamole with a motar and pestle!

Live Guacamole Station

Live Guacamole Station

The Totopos Y Pico De Gallo With Guacamole (SGD $18) features a bowl of crispy corn tortilla chips / nachos, usually served with a side of fresh tomato salsa. In our case, we had just freshly mashed our own guacamole, so we ate that instead... and it was so good.

Totopos Y Pico De Gallo With Guacamole (SGD $18)

Totopos Y Pico De Gallo With Guacamole

The Wings Platter (SGD $65) may be pricey, but the quantity of chicken wings are just right for 4 - 5 people. A total of 24 pieces of spicy chicken wings, from your choice of 6 different levels of heat.

The totally non-spicy flavour is the Wings Orange & Lime (SGD $16), tender juicy chicken wings with a crisp golden brown skin, tossed in a zesty tangy lime juice and orange marmalade sauce. Scale up to the mildly spicy Wings Tequila (SGD $17), where the sauce features a blend of tequila, lime juice, garlic, salt, cilantro, and pepper, giving it a sharp but short kick of spice.

The Wings Jalapeno (SGD $18) have a medium heat, made with blend of jalapenos, garlic, salt, pepper, and cilantro, creating a nice sour spicy burn that lingers for a short while. Then challenge yourself with the Wings Chipotle (SGD $19), unlike the mild versions elsewhere, this smoke dried jalapeno sauce uses the fiery varieties, giving this sticky, savoury sweet, smoky barbecue glaze a large spicy burn.

The peak of the non-special order spicy chicken wings here is the Wings Habanero (SGD $19). Coated in a vibrant, burn inducing sauce of habanero, just touching it will create a slight tingling burning sensation. Bite into these, and your mouth goes numb for a short while. Hotter than bird's eye chili / chili padi, this is still manageable for those who can tolerate chili spice, but others should be wary.

Wings Platter (SGD $65)

Wings Orange & Lime (SGD $16)

Wings Tequila (SGD $17)

Wings Jalapeno (SGD $18)

Wings Chipotle (SGD $19)

Wings Habanero (SGD $19)

The Taco Platter (SGD $48) - Beef, Fish, Chicken, Veggie, Shrimp, Pork is suitable for sharing between 3 people. Each warm, soft flour tortilla is stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers / capsicum, onions, cilantro, jalapenos, and Mexican cojita cheese, along with the main ingredient. However, my favourite is the Taco Beef Lung (SGD $21). Sounds unusual, but the crispy, crunchy texture, and the robust savoury meaty flavour of the beef lung is absolutely delicious. The best thing I ate here. Highly recommended!

See 6 warm tacos from this Tex-Mex store,
Beef, chicken, pork, fish, shrimp, and veggie galore,
Good value at $2 times 24,
Don't ignore. Hear senor roar!

Taco Platter (SGD $48) - Beef, Fish, Chicken, Veggie, Shrimp, Pork

Taco Platter - Beef, Fish, Chicken, Veggie, Shrimp, Pork

Taco Beef Lung (SGD $21)

The Chimichanga Chicken (SGD $17) is a deep-fried, rolled flour tortilla, stuffed with the usual suspects of tomato, onions, bell peppers / capsicum, cilantro, jalapeno, melted cheese, black beans, refried rice, and shreds of chicken. Skillfully halved, served with crispy corn tortilla chips / nachos, and lime wedges. Big, bold, savoury sweet salty flavours here. Complex, though as with most other Mexican dishes, you don't actually taste the individual components. Very filling, good value for money.

Chimichanga Chicken (SGD $17)

Chimichanga Chicken

The Carnitas De Costilla (SGD $33) are a slab of baby back pork ribs, rubbed in fragrant spices, grilled till tender. The meat comes off easily from the bone, but I detect a strong gamey flavour in the pork. Served with a bright, refreshing pineapple salsa, refried rice, and tangy ranchero sauce. Could be better.

Carnitas De Costilla (SGD $33)

Carnitas De Costilla

They brought out the Range Of Chili Peppers - Jalapeno, Habanero, Scorpion, all whole. I've eaten Bhut Jolokia / Ghost Chili / Ghost Pepper twice before, but this is the 1st time I'm seeing the Scorpion chili, also known as the Trinidad Scorpion 'Butch T' Pepper. Ranking between 500,000 - 1,463,700 Scoville heat units, it's among the top 3 hottest chilis in the world! Staff actually advised us not to even touch it, as the burning sensation sticks to your skin.

The Wings Scorpion (SGD $28) are a special order chicken wings, because the restaurant will make you sign a waiver form before it can be served. The chicken wings are coated in a liberal heap of scorpion chili... it looks fiery, smells fiery, and just touching it causes your fingers to burn. About 10 seconds and a few bites in, your mouth starts going numb, and the white hot burning sensation begins. In my experience, the burn lasts till mid afternoon of the next day. Eat these at your own risk!

Range Of Chili Peppers - Jalapeno, Habanero, Scorpion

Wings Scorpion (SGD $28)

Wings Scorpion

Hola Amigo Churros (SGD $14)! These fried pastry dough sticks / Spanish doughnuts are crisp outside and fluffy inside. Dusted with sweet cinnamon sugar, served with warm Mexican chocolate on the side. Good!

Amigo Churros (SGD $14)

Amigo Churros

In Mexico, a Bunuelos is a small, round, wheat dough ball, flavoured with anise, fried, then drenched in a syrup of brown sugar, cinnamon, and guava. It's served with piloncillo, a hot sugar cane syrup. Here, the Coyote Bunuelos (SGD $14) are nothing like their namesake. As a dessert, it's still pretty good, though perhaps they should have called it something else. Consisting of crispy, lightly fried flour tortilla chips / nachos, dusted with sweet cinnamon sugar, this is served with warm Mexican chocolate and vanilla ice cream. I like this dessert.

Coyote Bunuelos (SGD $14)

Coyote Bunuelos

Overall, Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill is a decent place if you're hankering for something a little different. The hearty portions of Texan Mexican cuisine are sufficiently tasty, though you get best value for money by visiting in groups of at least 3 or more people. With its spacious ambience and engaging service, Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill is also suitable for small corporate events or large family parties. That said, this fusion cuisine is not exactly the most popular thing in Singapore, as local people don't usually crave for Tex-Mex, and it remains to be seen how successful they will be.


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Reserve a table now @ Coyote Tex-Mex Bar & Grill

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