Remember Speedy Gonzales the 100 mile per hour whirlwind Mexican mouse. Well if he was a restaurant he would be Chilango, one of my favourite places to eat when I want something quick, tasty and a bit different to the normal take away fare.
Chilango is Mexican slang for someone who is seeking adventure in the bright lights of a city. So that's me. It's a mini chain of Mexican restaurants with two in London (Fleet Street and Upper Street in Islington) and one in Sheffield. They have a small but good menu of Mexican food ready to take away or eat in. I have become a regular at their Flee Street branch, as I am a big fan of the humongous burritos which are amazing value for moiety.
The best way to explain the ordering process is that it is like Subway, as they make your food to order and you can see the filling displayed very easily., but with lovely tasty Mexican food.
STEP 1 Choose
your base. You can have a burrito (flour tortilla with the filling folded inside, Taco (corn tortilla) , Salad self explanatory) or Totopos ( tortilla chips with the filling piled on. I'm not sure what the difference is between these and nachos).
STEP 2
Next its time to choose your filling. You can have a choice of chicken, steak, pork or vegetarian. Then you choose your beans. You can have black eyed beans or pinto beans. Both are very tasty. There are three strengths of salsa depending if you are feeling mild or wild. I've tried the hot stuff and I did not find it mouth burning hot, It just gave it a nice kick. Afterwards choose thing like guacamole , sour cream and cheese. If you are still hungry you can order a side order of tortilla chips with salso or guacamole but I've never felt the need.
I find the food cheap, tasty and filling. I've had the veggie burrito twice and th e totopos once. The burritos are huge and stuffed to the gunnels. They really do make a satisfying meal with the rice, vegetables and cheese. My only complaint is that they can be quite hard to eat with the plastic cutlery provided in the restaurant. They are so big you could not pick it up with your hands or you'll get the filling everywhere. Don't have one on a date as they can be messy. My tray that the buritto came on was strewn with the remains of the sauce once I had finally polished it off.
The totopos seamed more of a snack but were still very tasty. One thing that would have made them better was the them being put under a grill to melt the cheese a little bit more. However this would slow down the serving process making them less of a quick meal.
The cost is fairly reasonable. A vegetable burrito is just under £5 , which is great as they are so filling and tasty. Id rather have these than a burger or a baguette.
Need something to wash your food down and cool your mouth down if they are too hot. They sell a range of soft drinks and Mexican beers. They do a very nice Mexican fruit cooler Aqua Freca that contains hibiscus and pomegranate molasses. This pretty bright red liquid (which can give you a lovely pink mustache if you are not careful) reminds me a bit of the tea drinks you get in Whittards and its very good. The good news is that it is also bottomless so you can have as much as you like for only about £1.50. I had one of the Mexican bees once but found it a bit expensive at about £3.50. a botlte.
The one thing that is misting for those with a sweet tooth is a dessert menu. I'm no sure what they could serve but some ice creams or maybe a traditional Mexican dessert would be good for those that wanted to round their meal off nicely.
For those that want to sit in with their meal high tables with benches are provided a bit like Wagamama. It's basic but comfortable enough for a quick bite. Its not a place you would linger in.
I do like the decor with the kitchen cheery flowers covering the ceilings. The restaurant is lovely and clean It might be fast food but its certainly not faceless. I'm also impressed with the service. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful and super speedy.
So Arriba arriba our way down to Chilango if you want the best burritos in London!
http://www.chilango.co.uk
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I've wondered what this place was like, what with the one in Sheffield opening recently. I might even give it a try next time I brave Meadowhell now! As you say, it's a great pity they don't do desserts. Mind you, if the portions are big I probably wouldn't be able to fit one in afterwards! Thanks for a great review! :o)
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