Of all the countries I've visited, Mexico is the one I'm keenest to return to. But in the meantime, I've been getting a taste of Mexican art, culture and food here in London thanks to the Tate Modern's current Frida Kahlo exhibition and a Frida-inspired food menu created by acclaimed chef Santiago Lastra.
I've always enjoyed the work of Frida Kahlo, and visiting her Casa Azul in Coyoacán was one of my favourite experiences in Mexico City. I love exploring the houses of artists and writers: seeing where they lived and worked always adds a new dimension you just can't get from a regular museum.
'Frida: The Making of an Icon' is on at the Tate Modern until January 2027 and tells the story of Kahlo's identities as an artist, wife, intellectual, activist — and cultural phenomenon.
When I found out I could book a visit to the exhibition alongside a Mexican dinner in the Tate restaurant — inspired by Kahlo and created by Santiago Lastra, founder of KOL — I was sold! The nine-course tasting menu at KOL is one of my all-time favourite meals, and I was keen to sample his cuisine again.
My sister-in-law and I booked in for an early-evening visit to the exhibition, followed by dinner. Despite booking a timed slot, the exhibition was extremely busy, especially in the first few rooms. Visiting on a weekday might make for a (slightly!) quieter experience.
But despite the crowds, the exhibition was well curated, starting with some of Kahlo's most famous self-portraits, and then moving through political pieces and thought-provoking works around womanhood and motherhood.
'Fridamania' was also a big theme: both Kahlo's influence on other artists and the commercialisation of her work and especially of her image. Of course, after exploring the said commercialisation, we exited through the gift shop.
I couldn't resist buying a bag of washed Ñuu Davii coffee from Mexico, roasted for the Tate and featuring Frida's Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird. I've been brewing the coffee in my V60 and it has really nice juicy blackcurrant flavours.
Then it was time for our dinner reservation. The restaurant, on the sixth floor, was only open to guests with a reservation for the Frida set menu. It was a lovely evening and there are amazing views of St Paul's and the River Thames, though unfortunately, we were seated on the other side.
I loved the creativity of the menu. The first course was inspired by Kahlo's iconic Casa Azul. We were given brushes to paint a blue cabbage salsa onto tostadas, before adding a squeeze lemon juice to turn the salsa a vibrant beetroot pink. The accompanying heritage tomatoes were also very tasty.
The next course was the favourite dish of Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera: slow-braised short rib beef, wrapped in a corn tamale and served with rich chocolatey mole poblano. I took a wonderful cooking class while in Oaxaca, but never quite got round to recreating the moles we made.
Dessert was an homage to Kahlo's last painting, Vida La Vida. Served with crispy buñuelos, it featured three ice creams — sorrel, strawberry and yoghurt — that taste just like watermelon when eaten together. They say don't play with your food but I loved how Lastra's menu encourages you to do just that!
At £41 for three courses, the menu is excellent value and if KOL is a little out of budget or you haven't been able to get a reservation, this is a more affordable way to sample Santiago Lastra's cooking. We also had a very well mixed margarita each (£14) and a couple we met in the lift were singing the praises of the mezcal!
'Frida: The Making of an Icon' is on at the Tate Modern until 3 January, 2027; tickets are £25. Santiago Lastra's Tate Modern menu is being served until 31 August, but availability is limited.
Planning a trip to Mexico? Check out my two-week Mexico itinerary, or my blog posts on Mexico City and Oaxaca.
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