Wahaca - Covent Garden

A first venture by Thomasina Miers, former MasterChef winner, this exciting new restaurant takes its style from a Mexican food market, which as I know only too well can be a challenging experience. A lady with a social conscience, Thomasina has seen to it that the interiors are largely constructed from recycled materials, and that ingredients are locally sourced wherever possible.

What she is most importantly doing is debunking the notion that Mexican food is all about fiery food that rips your throat out, washed down with equally ferocious brews that make tequila seem like lemonade.

Mexican street food is heavily invoked in this process. Quesadillas are presented as toasted flour tortillas oozing with melted cheese and one of four fillings that includes smoky black beans. A tostada of two light, crisp tortillas, can be piled high with chicken tinga, shredded, marinated chicken with chipotle chillies.

The Wahaca selection for two people offers two each of smoky aubergine and goat's cheese quesadillas, chorizo quesadillas, fish pastor tacos, steak and chicken tacos, spicy slaw, with salsa, guacamole and totopos.

Wahaca is a positive Aladdin's cave of culinary delight - I really think you could eat there every day of the year and never walk away bored. Warmly recommended. Please note that Wahaca does not take reservations.