Fiesta Mehicana

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here is nothing more mind-numbing for most students than hearing their gap year friends bemoan the poor quality of Britain’s international restaurants compared to the real fare found on their ventures. The vindaloo down the local Indian never seems to shape up to the home-cooked curry they ate while doing a handstand on a yoga course in the Himalayas.

Fortunately for me, I fall into the category of the travelled food snob, among those who find nothing more enjoyable than reveling in the naivety of the friend who dips the sushi into the soy sauce rice-side down, safe in the knowledge of our own infallibility.

While the myth that it is impossible to find authentic international food in Britain is as wrong as eating sheep’s testicles, I must warn against going to Fiesta Mehicana for a taste of Mexico. However you may find yourself adorned with a sombrero humming along to a Latino remix of the Arctic Monkeys, having a thoroughly enjoyable time regardless.

On first entrance, the oppressively bright colour scheme (matched by the owner’s fiery red beard), and the sombrero-covered roof seem stereotypical to the point of being ironic. However, a few tequila-based cocktails later (£2.95, Sunday to Friday before 8pm) you realise that it is all just good fun. Sure the food may be greasy, and York may be just as bitterly cold outside, but for a few hours it is great to think of nothing but Tequila Sunrise.

On a less alcohol-centric note, it must be said that the food on offer at Fiesta is far from excellent. A starter of nachos (£3.95) came in a miserly portion, with greasy cheese and uncomfortably hot chillies. While my main course was more substantial, after a few bites I came to wish it was sized similarly to the nachos.

My trio of enchiladas filled with beef, cheese, and seafood (£10.95) was a bit of a letdown. The layout of the dish did not help, as the three fillings tended to blend into each other in mouthfuls, instead of being sampled separately.

The seafood enchilada was not good at all, while the cheese one suffered from a return of the grease, a problem faced as well by my dining partner, who ate the chimichangas. Such oily fare fits rather uncomfortably with a place that offers a ‘Skinny Menu’ (rest assured, reader, this was cast aside without a thought).

The desserts proved the high point of the meal. The kahlua ice-cream pie (£3.95), with a lavish serving of cream on the side is potentially orgasm-inducing, while the Zapata’s Treat, an alcohol-soaked fruit and ice-cream dessert is also excellent. However the quality of these non-authentic dishes just goes to prove where the skills of this restaurant lie. For a good dose of Mexicana, book a flight, but for just a good dose of fun, book a table. And always keep in mind the mantra: tequila, tequila, tequila.