In its hay days, Cuppage Road was a hangout for business executives who would take flight and adjourn there for a treat of live band performances after office hours. Pubs and restaurants flanked the row of shop houses at Cuppage Road which was bustling with evening crowd. Nowadays the buzz has settled with a new facelift consisting of a Kopi-tiam serving local delights and few other food joints.

• The Vibe
  Walls painted in red-earth tone gives the restaurant a muted deep characteristic conveying a rich heritage of Mexican history. A Mona Lisa portrait hanging atop the serving counter alongside with a couple of Italian paintings and an artsy-crafty lamp evoke the Renaissance era to come to live once more.
• The Food
  Diners will experience a mélange of Mexican and Italian flavours as this restaurant combines cuisines of both origins, ideal for an array of palates. American tourists and local Indians with preferences for Mexican food can partake their meals with their European counterparts who favour Italian cuisines, all under one roof.

  The home-made Macho Nachos ($15.30), a popular appetizer for Mexicans, was smothered with a slice of melted cheddar cheese on top. It was served on a bed of fried beans and shredded beef with fresh tomato salsa as accompaniment. Gourmet food lovers may wish to request for the melted cheese to be adequately warmed up, making it an ideal combination with the nachos and tasty beef.

  The Quesadilla ($18.50) which is basically folded wheat tortillas filled with melted cheese, shredded beef, spicy tomato salsa and guacamole fried beans, was spicy. Beef lovers may steer towards the beef served with the Macho Nachos which was more succulent. The Fatijas ($24) which is akin to hot plate beef sautéed with capsicum and onions, was one hearty dish which is substantial itself. However, take heed to nibble on each piece of beef to better manage the tough texture.

  For an Italian fare, there is the classic Linguine Marinara ($17.50) which has an assortment of seafood cooked in tomato base sauce. The linguine was soft and easily glides down the throat, in contrast to the otherwise, chewy squid and firm prawns.

• The Service
  Staff strength was minimal. It would be wise to gather all your requests together before hailing the service staff to come along. If not, it will take a while before they attend to you.

SD Food Advisor's Take On Cafe Mexicana and Da Vinci's Restaurant
Tourists who wish to revisit Cuppage Road for historical purposes may drop by for a meal at this restaurant serving cuisines close to their heart. Being the only restaurant serving Mexican and Italian cuisine in the vicinity, Café Mexicana and Da Vinci still has an edge over the other restaurants and executives working nearby can drop by for a simple quick bite over lunch. Otherwise, they may wish to opt for the variety of local delights available at the Kopi-tiam a few doors away.