The prestigious Casa Mexicana is an exotic example of south Mexican spice and charm. It has a well deserved reputation as one of the finest Mexican restaurants in the country.

The Venue
Opening its doors 23 years ago, after its owners returned from their travels in Mexico, Casa Mexicana still feels like it’s been plucked from the spicy heart of Central America. Its rustic interior is delightful, with pockets of tables hidden away behind various rafters and simply decorated walls.

As you go in you face a long bar with colourful spirit bottles and gracious cocktail-master staff. On the street lies a few tables for those who wish to enjoy an icy margarita and watch the lazy traffic off Gloucester Road but unfortunately there is no garden at the back of the premises.

The People
The light-orange, pale, warm interior and genuine Spanish feel leave you half believing that outside is a hazy, mosquito-ridden Mexican city. Then you remember that you’re one-and-a-half miles from Bristol centre and almost opposite a CarPhone Warehouse. Nevertheless you get the idea - Casa Mexicana has been crafted and carefully adjusted over the years to make you feel as Aztec as possible once inside, and it does a truly terrific job of it.

The Food
All the classic tapas are here – chilli con queso (£3.75), prawn wraps (£4.50) and antojitos (tortilla chips with salsa dips, £2.20). The mains are absolutely delicious, with burritos (£10.50), enchiladas (£10.95) and chimichangas (£10.95) all done to cheesy, wrap perfection. Furthermore, side orders of guacamole, pickled chillies and others are both cheap and essential to complement your main, ranging from £1.25 to £2.50.

The Drink
Although there is a reasonably impressive selection of wines – starting from £11.50 a bottle – it is the cocktails that get all the attention here. All the house cocktails are £3.50 a glass or £12.95 a jug, which is a snatch, and these include the rum-fuelled Cactus Cooler, the simple but strong Rumba Felix and the creamy Bandy Legs. The speciality cocktails are admirable also, but perhaps do not warrant such a difference in price given the quality of the house specials.

The Last Word
There remains nowhere else in Bristol quite like Casa Mexicana. A true asset to the Gloucester Road area and a scrumptious experience all round.

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