Chimichangos

About

THE journey from Wheelock Street to Chimichangos may just be a few steps. But as soon as you walk through the door it feels like a voyage of discovery. Shades of orange and subtle lighting lend an ambience to the restaurant. Above the bar is a painted landscape filled with cacti and sombreros playfully hang from walls and chairs. It is the kind of scene you might expect from an inner-city restaurant but this is Middlewich. Chimichangos officially opened at the weekend and the Guardian was invited to give it a try. Owner Jason Tanfield has transformed Kandi’s Steakhouse into a Mexican restaurant. The 36-year-old said he identified a gap in the market as there is only a handful of independent venues in Cheshire where you can enjoy Mexican food. Jason is also drawing on his experience as he used to be the head chef at a restaurant called The Three Amigos in Exeter about 15 years ago. My partner and I were promptly seated and were struck by how attentive and polite the staff were. We were soon sipping Coronas and tucking into some tortilla chips with delicious home-made salsa. To start we had creamy garlic mushrooms in a tortilla shell and jalapenos stuffed with soft cheese which were both perfect. We followed this up with vegetable fajitas and chicken fajitas respectively - and this is where Chimichangos showed its edge over some of its competitors. Firstly you can choose how hot you want your food to be which is sure to be welcomed by both spice addicts and those who like things mild. The portions were also incredibly generous which tends to be unusual for Mexican restaurants. There genuinely was not much to criticise but it would have been nice to have some cheese with the fajitas but im told they do normally and had forgot!! The service was prompt and my partner, a vegetarian, was impressed with the range of suitable dishes. Credit also goes to Jason for making good use of the limited space available. At the time of our visit a large group for a 21st birthday celebration was being accomodated. We were defeated by the time it came to dessert but suffice to say a taste of Mexico is on offer for those with a sweet tooth. The menu even includes a banana wrapped in a tortilla and dusted with cinnamon called a chimichanga. The whole experience was fantastic and comes highly recommended.NOTE:This was a secret food critic from the guardian newspaper just search GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER MIDDLEWICH

At a glance

• Verified listing
• Typical visit: about 1 hour