Pinto Mexican Kitchen

The 2012 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2012) edition.

Off George Square, this fast-food bar kitchen serves Tex-Mex-style food in a clean, bright and lively space. From the bright lights, stools and tables to the Mexican print feature wall, colours are eye-catching chilli red, sunshine yellow and lime. Hearty pots of soup are meals in themselves – more like chowder – a bit bland but can be spiced to order with an array of sauces and salsas. Conveniently, Pinto has mapped these on the Scoville scale – a gauge of spicy heat level of different varieties of chilli peppers. Its burritos are more American style – larger than Mexican ones and stuffed with more ingredients than the principal meat or vegetable filling. Pinto or black beans, rice, guacamole, salsas, cheese and sour cream are all added to the soft tortilla parcel. Familiar tacos and nachos are also customisable from a smorgasbord of fillings and salad. The opportunity to sip a refreshing home-made lemonade, ice cold Mexican beer or margarita is a bonus. Whether you choose to sit in or take away, Pinto is an alternative city centre pit stop if feeling famished.

• High point: Alcohol licence and lively Latin music
• Low point: Mushy onions and peppers