WAHACA | FOOD REVIEW

The Hayes, St David’s Dewi Sant, Cardiff. Info: 029 2167 0414 / www.wahaca.co.uk

I have been looking forward to the opening of Wahaca for months. Londonite friends have spoke fondly of this Mexican chain; this new branch is its first outside the big smoke, and I’ve felt for a while that Cardiff has been missing a really good Mexican restaurant.

Walking into its new premises, you’re met with bright colours, high ceiling and lots of people. Looking at the menus, there is plenty to choose from, as you can go for a dish of your own or opt for a number of small ‘street food’ options (think Mexican tapas). After chowing down on a starter of brilliantly balanced frijoles (a creamy black bean dip) and tortilla chips (£3.35) we decided to go for a bit of both. Starting with the street food we had the juicy, well-spiced, slow-cooked pork pibil taco (£4.10) and the seemingly out-of-place MSC herring tostadas (£4.20) which were somewhat mild. It was actually the more unassuming of these smaller dishes that came up top trumps – with the sweet and spicy sweet potato and feta wrap (£3.95) and the cheese toastie-esque huitlacoche (£3.95) being two of my favourite dishes.

For mains we decided to try a Mexican restaurant staple, a burrito. The British steak burrito (£6.95) is well priced but I felt that, perhaps in trying to pander to all tastes, they had veered into the realm of bland. There was nothing inherently wrong with it, but if Mexican food is anything it shouldn’t be unremarkable, and it should have at least had the option to add more spice.

We finished it off with sweet, crunchy plantain fritters (£4.50) and an unremarkable chocolate tres leches cake (£4.95). Both were served with brightly coloured plastic spoons that were annoyingly, impractically shallow. I have no idea what that was about. All in all, Wahaca is a nice meal out, but lacking the kick that Mexican food is famous for.

words HEATHER ARNOLD