Restaurants / Reviews
Wahaca – restaurant review
There hasn’t been a buzz about an opening like Wahaca for some time.
I admit that I too was swept along. I unsuccessfully applied for the ‘locals’ preview, living just down the road. And there I was patiently queuing 20 minutes for tacos last week when their street food truck parked on Queen’s Road in the spot usually taken by Jason Donervan.
A former home furnishings shop just off the Clifton Triangle has been absolutely transformed, with the bold colours matching the bold flavours.
Walk in and you’re confronted by the bar area replete with a table football table, with the dining room accessed through brightly painted orange wooden beams.
There are stones displayed in wire meshes, wicker chairs, some seating areas so dark that it looks like you need a torch to see your companion and an open-plan kitchen at the back of a sizeable restaurant that must easily be able to seat 150 people.
On one wall opposite the kitchen are planks of wood (formerly floorboards in the shop) making up the outlines of some of Bristol’s most recognisable buildings including the nearby Wills Memorial Building and the cathedral.
Other walls and a concrete pillar or two have been scrawled on by Bristol artist Will Barras.
The buzz prior to the opening had translated into a buzz inside on the first day’s official lunch service after a soft opening, with the level of chatter being so loud that I only realised Mexican music was playing when I visited the toilets.
Wahaca was co-founded in 2007 by Cheltenham-born Thomasina Miers, a former winner of Masterchef, specialising in Mexican street food. This Bristol opening is their 18th but only second outside London.
A hefty menu sees the ‘street food’ section, priced from £3.75 to £5.25) divided into tacos, taquitos, tostadas and quesadillas.
‘Bigger food’ includes enchiladas, salads and burritos, with Somerset cider next to tequila cocktails on the drinks list.
Faced with rather a daunting choice, we went for the ‘Wahaca selection’ – £19.95 for three pork pibil tacos, three cactus and corn tacos, one large pinto bean quesadilla, two chicken Caesar tostadas, and two sweet potato taquitos. All a great introduction to the food here.
The tacos were small enough to be eaten in a couple of greedy bites, their juices spilling onto the table; the quesadilla made from two crisp but fluffy tortillas containing beans and delicious melted cheese, chopped into two making it perfect for sharing; and the crunchy tostados topped with a refreshing Caesar salad.
My hibiscus margarita felt defiantly decadent for a lunchtime, but its cranberry flavour was a perfect accompaniment to our churros and chocolate dessert, cylindrical doughnuts with a dash of cinnamon dipped into thick, rich and luxurious dark chocolate sauce.
Was the buzz justified? Most definitely.
Wahaca, 70-78 Queen’s Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1QU
0117 332 4486