Pura Vida Cocina: Hawker stall serves Mexican fusion like unique curry tacos!

Nowadays, we see all sorts of restaurant-esque food in hawkers. From restaurant-grade sashimis and donburis to claypot bak kut teh, the list goes on. Adding to that list is Pura Vida Cocina which serves Mexican Fusion food at the newly opened Woodleigh Village Hawker Centre. 

It is run by husband-wife duo Kok Pin and Wong Min, who wanted to try something different from the traditional hawker stall. With a health-conscious focus, Pura Vida Cocina uses minimal frying in their cooking, and only the churros and corn chips are fried. 

Mexican eateries in hawkers are rare in Singapore and the pair are trying to encourage healthy eating. With their customised DIY burrito bowl option, and a menu filled with vegetables, they also have a healthier carb option of brown rice available! 

As a means to cater to the Singaporean flavour palette, you will see some Asian-inspired elements in their dishes, too!

What I tried at Pura Vida Cocina 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Mexican party without nachos. That was exactly what 2 of my colleagues ordered when we first arrived— the Carne Asada Nachos (S$12), which was very generously piled with beef chunks, tomatoes, onions and corn.

There were also bits of shredded cilantro on top. I wish there were just a hint more as, thankfully, I’m not like some of the odd ones who think it tastes like soap. Perhaps it should be added to the condiments section. 

Generously drizzled with its spicy and zingy tomatillo sauce, this is not the same as the one displayed at the front of the store. I loaded a nacho with all the components and, as expected, it had a nice crunch. From the tender chunks of beef to the freshness of the raw vegetables, I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect first bite. 

We then moved on to their Spiced Chicken Rice (S$7.50), which I must say was presented very well and topped with a fried egg. The spiced chicken was well marinated, which Kok Pin says is made with their homemade Mexican-inspired marinade. My colleague broke into the egg yolk, releasing the yellow goodness onto the chicken. 

As I picked up the chicken, I noticed a green mixture on top of it. Turns out, it was Pura Vida Cocina’s homemade salsa verde. The chicken was incredibly juicy and tender with all components coming together very nicely.

I hadn’t noticed but my colleague pointed out that he bit into some bits of uncooked rice. As I dug further into the rice, he was not wrong. Hmmm.

We then tried their Pulled Chicken XL Tacos (S$6) and their Curry Chicken Tinga XL Tacos (S$6). 

The name XL doesn’t quite do this dish justice, as the Taco took up the whole plate! It sure looked like a burrito! Starting with the Curry Chicken Tinga XL Taco. Like the nachos, it was packed with tomatoes, onions, and chicken chunks. There was also what looked like mustard for its dark yellow colour, but turned out to be their very flavourful curry sauce.

The chicken was very well marinated and filled with complex spices, which Kok Pin says is similar to the Spiced Chicken Rice. As it turns out, the curry sauce we tasted was a homemade curry mayo sauce! 

Lastly, the Pulled Chicken Tacos had a more prominent Mexican flavour compared to all the other dishes we tried. It possessed a savoury, bean taste that sat on my tastebuds. 

Final thoughts

I’ve had a lot of Mexican food and would have changed one thing. There were some missing elements to the Tacos and Nachos; perhaps having the option of guacamole, sour cream or cheese would have elevated their dishes even further. I believe the lack of these elements could be because they are trying to keep their costs low. 

I love how Pura Vida Cocina is making its mark on the hawker scene. It’s something different and modern, which I like. At the same time, they are encouraging healthy eating. As we know, traditional hawker foods are not the best in that department. 

Nevertheless, if I find myself back in the Woodleigh area looking for a quick healthy fix, Pura Vida Cocina will be the place for me. 

Expected Damage: S$6 – S$15 per pax

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