Nottingham’s Las Iguanas Flaunts Its New Makeover

Las Iguanas franchise in Nottingham opens the doors to its newly refurbished Chapel Bar restaurant and matching new menu.

Ever since Las Iguanas opened its first eatery in Bristol back in the 1990’s, it has spread like wild fire and is now known as one of the UK’s high street hospitality success stories. Las Iguanas colourful and sizzling hot Latin-style dishes and impeccable service thrusts its patrons into a deliciously exotic adventure. Nottingham’s Las Iguanas Chapel Bar restaurant is number 7 of the 54 restaurants for the ever-expanding franchise group. Its makeover consists of brightly-coloured corrugated walls bearing ‘Taquero Mucho’ which is a clin d’oeil of the Spanish phrase ‘te quiero mucho’ that means ‘I love or want you very much’ (depends on the context). According to staff member Jamie, the newly refurbished Las Iguanas is a trip worth taking, an experience worth having. He said: “The Las Iguanas menu offers something different. If you come here, be prepared to try something adventurous.”

Jamie suggests his customers try the succulent albondigas as a starter. These are no ordinary meatballs but Patagonia-style lamb meatballs blended with apple, mind, parmesan and nutmeg and braised in a spicy tomato sauce. He suggests coconut chicken as a main – an explosive combination of flavours - breast strips fried in cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper, delicately cooked in creamy coconut sauce. The blueberry-topped creamy caramel cake promises to satisfy the most discerning of sweet tooth’s.

Las Iguanas learning and development manager, Alex Folwell, additions to the new menu include: the all-time classic Brazilian recipe, XinXim that combines chicken and crayfish in a creamy lime and peanut sauce; Ipanema mussels that are cooked in a lime, coriander and coconut sauce and seco de Cordero, a succulent Peruvian-style spicy lamb shank nestled on top of a cauliflower and corn quinotto mound.

A new cocktail Hit List has been added to the new menu, featuring for a limited time only, Gin Ginger, Sunshine Sangria, Seca de Aciete and Hemingway’s Spices One. Expect flavourings such as lime, ginger, bitters and falernum syrup.

Las Iguanas menu is whipped together by a team of six under the supervision of senior sous-chef Pramod Kumar. A native from India, Kumar understands spices whether they come from South America or South Asia.

“I love to make dishes where you start from the very beginning and here everything is cooked from scratch. And that includes the 48 sauces that make their way into Las Iguanas dishes – every single one is prepared on the premises.” He said.