Steel Yard Kelham has welcomed its latest addition in Fat Mex, a vibrant Mexican street food venue. “We’re trying to create a little Mexico town in Kelham Island,” Fat Mex co-owner Matt Jenkinson tells Exposed.
At the heart of the venture is an emphasis on introducing an authentic Mexican street food experience to Sheffield while providing a few Steel City home comforts.
“We use Mexican styles of cooking and only Mexican suppliers, but we’ve done things differently in trying to create that Yorkshire connection,” Matt explains. So, instead of Pepsi and Carlsberg, you’ll find Jarritos and Pacifico, and if you think you’ve ordered a run-of-the-mill doughnut, you may be in for a surprise!
This is visible in even finer detail throughout their menu as epazote replaces basil, and dandelion and burdock replace the traditional cola for the braising of pork carnitas. The latter is among the-slow roasted meats (over 12 hours, in true Latin style) which Matt describes as a fan favourite. However, as any vegan or vegetarian will tell you, Mexican cuisine is a guaranteed winner for herbivores, as evident in Fat Mex’s accommodating menu.
One key ingredient that Fat Mex is hoping to import is the fiesta atmosphere that comes with traditional Mexican street food culture. Subsequently, Matt envisages the venue taking on an identity beyond what we might usually expect of street food restaurants: “It’s more of a hangout; come down with your friends, get a taco, get a frozen margarita, dance to some terrible mariachi covers.”
Celebrating Cinco De Mayo correctly – with banging tacos!
In addition to the bustling, informal atmosphere of Fat Mex, they plan to hold monthly events ranging from live music to film showings of Mexico’s favourite pastime in the courtyard (think Nacho Libre!). If wrestling’s not your thing, you can always pay your own homage to Mexico by sampling one of their homemade frozen margaritas (£5) which rotate flavours every week.
In addition to their ingredients and atmosphere, Fat Mex have stressed another characteristic of traditional street food culture they would like to emulate: affordability. Matt explains, “It’s Street food and, for us, paying over £10 is not the Mexican way.”
And it does seem they’re putting their money where their mouth is. In celebration of Cinco De Mayo, you can find tacos, churros, and nachos each priced at £2; this in addition to the rumoured appearance of a mariachi band and piñata.
Fat Mex is available for delivery via City Grab, Just Eat, Uber Eats, and will be coming to a Deliveroo near you soon. Alternatively, to see first-hand how long it takes a frozen margarita to melt in the Sheffield sun, they are open Wednesday through to Saturday, 11am-10pm.
