Miro's Cantina Mexicana

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

Trading for 17 years from a central spot on the effervescent Rose Street, this colourful, café-style restaurant has moulded itself into the kind of place where local business types happily rub shoulders with tourists, students and locals-in-the-know. The compact layout resounds with salsa rhythms while the walls pulsate with orange and yellow Mayan designs. The food, as you would expect, is laced with the obligatory refried beans and jalapeño peppers, but has been adapted to the European palate. The king prawn tampico kicks things off with the rich flavours of smoked bacon and melted jack cheese contrasting against the sweetness of the char-grilled prawns. For those who like to share, nacho central has all the flavours of Mexico in a stringy cheese mêlée of corn chips, salsa and guacamole. The hiss of sizzling platters is a familiar sound in Miro's, and fajitas are a firm favourite with sides of salads and salsa repeated throughout. Filled to the brim, punters leave warmed and satisfied with their expectations of conventional Mexican fare firmly intact.

• High point: Chilled, good-time atmosphere
• Low point: Appealing but unremarkable menu