Situated in Covent Garden, as well as several other areas in London and around the UK, including Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Chichester, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, and Southampton, Wahaca serves authentic Mexican food, served tapas style, in a lively and informal atmosphere. The restaurant is so popular you can’t book a table after 6pm, so an early arrival is highly recommended!
The menus are in the format of a paper table mat, and they lay out the various options available. Dishes can be served under several categories, including Nibbles, Street Food, Set Menus, Salads and Bowls and Bigger Plates.
My friend and I chose the Nachos with Chorizo from the Nibbles section, which cost £5.75 and are made up of nachos with Trealy Farm chorizo, house salsas, melted cheese, tomatillo and avocado dressing. Since the review I have already been back to the restaurant with my family, and this dish was one of the reasons I returned to the restaurant so quickly as they were delicious, and I will be trying to recreate the dish at home with chorizo as it gave the dish a spicy, oily taste which I love!
For our main courses, we chose the Favourite Set Menu which cost £35 for two and included Devon Crab & Avocado Tostadas, Chorizo Empanadas, Sweet Potato & Feta Taquito, Pork Pibil Quesadillas, Buttermilk Chicken Tacos, Mexican Grilled Corn, and Grilled Tenderstem Broccoli. Dishes arrive as they are cooked, rather than coming in an order, and at times can come fast and furiously, but the different flavours all work well with each other, with some being much more spicy than others, but there is a good selection of beers, cocktails and soft drinks to help cool you down!
If ordering from the Street Food section, it is recommended that you choose 2-3 dishes, and these can include Tacos (soft corn tortillas), Quesadillas (flour tortilla, filled, folded & toasted), Tostadas (crispy corn tortillas with fresh toppings) and Platitos (small plates inspired by the market) with fillings such as Grilled Chicken and Avocado, Black Bean and Cheese and Sweet Potato & Feta Taquito.
The Bigger Plate section offers exactly that, a plate of food that is more for one person as an entire course rather than a sharing plate. Dishes under this section include Burritos, Enchiladas and Grill dishes such as Grilled Achiote Chicken, Grilled Sea Bream Ajillo, and Bavette Steak, and these range in price from £12.85 - £13.75.
Vegetarians are well catered for at Wahaca, with a Veggie Set Menu and many of the dishes being filled with various vegetables and cheese.
The prices are Wahaca are also very reasonable, with many dishes being around £5.
The staff are very efficient, especially as they are so busy, but are more than happy to explain and recommend dishes, and are friendly in their approach to their customers.
All in all Wahaca has a great recipe for success, with good food, a great atmosphere and is a great choice for friends and families alike.
66 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London WC2H 4HG - Telephone: 020 7240 1883 or for further information please visit www.wahaca.co.uk