If you are down at Gunwharf Quays for a bit of shopping and fancy something with a bit of life in it for lunch or dinner, Las Iguanas is the Latin American restaurant and bar that keeps the place lively. It sits at 108-111 East Side Plaza, and the whole bill is built around the flavours of Brazil, Mexico and Peru, with gluten-free, veggie and vegan options alongside burgers that have picked up some awards of their own.
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The first thing you notice is the room. The bar has moved from its old spot against the wall to create its own area that holds around fifty people, and the decor has brightened up with vivid colours, graphics, greenery and flashes of neon. The first wall you hit when you walk in tells you to drink cachaça here, which is a fair summary of the place. That cachaça, distilled from sugar cane, is Brazil's national drink and it turns up in the caipirinhas, while the wider cocktail list runs through piña coladas, Dark 'n' Stormy, Smoking Plum and sharing skulls. There is also Chilean Rothhammer beer if you would rather something cold and bottled.
Food-wise, it is a mix of fiery fajitas, classic Brazilian dishes served in traditional pots and a spread of tapas. Among the starters and tapas you will find nachos, Ipanema mussels, gambas, albondigas, pato taquito, chicken wings, dadinhos, chicharrones and shredded duck. The dadinhos are worth a mention: handmade in Dorset, they are fried cheese cubes served with a sticky chilli jam. For a main, the Buenos Aires Burger is a grilled blend of short rib and chuck topped with aioli, baby gem lettuce, smoked pork chorizo, caramelised onion, Emmental and a fresh herb chimichurri on toasted brioche. There is also a Cuban sandwich with roast pork belly, pulled pork, Emmental and ham, sweet mustard and green relish, plus wacky tacos, crazy quesadillas and the Xim Xim, which is billed as Pelé's favourite.
Families are well looked after here. Kids eat free seven days a week all year round through the Las Iguanas app, and the Iggy & friends menu, created with Aardman Animations, turns things like chicken crispies into something children actually want to eat. There is a lunch deal too: a main course with a soft drink or mocktail for £10, with the Brazilian katsu curry and burritos among the choices.
If you are more of a drinker, the bar is the real draw. Happy hour cocktails run all day, and the Late Night Latin deal on Monday to Friday from 8pm to 10pm brings pints of Corona down to £3, house wine to £4 and selected spirits and mixers to £5. There is a bottomless brunch with unlimited drinks and a main course over two hours, in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions, and Tapas Tuesdays give you ninety minutes of unlimited tapas for £17 a head, though that one needs pre-booking. The 2 for £13 cocktails run all day, every day, from £9.95.
It is a big, bustling place with outdoor seating, disabled access, a separate bar area, takeaway and free WiFi, so it works as well for a large group as it does for a quick bite. The general manager is Kyle, and the venue reopened with samba dance performances to set the tone. Gunwharf Quays itself has been going since February 2001, and Las Iguanas has become one of the busier spots within it.
