You can’t fail to notice that 149 East Street is now a Mexican restaurant. There are sombreros everywhere, imported beers such as XX Ambar and Negra Modelo; even the table cloths have a red, green and white colour scheme mirroring the national flag.

Viva La Mexicana is trying to be as authentic as it’s possible to be in Bedminster opposite an off license, charity shop and bookies.

Not here burriots or fajitas; these are Texan rather than Mexican imports.

Instead, the menu is divided into tapas such as tacos or nachos, and mains such as enmolada (£13.50, corn tortillas filled with chicken, and salsa made from chocolate, chillies and almonds) and eggs either casados (married,  both either spicy or non-spicy) or divorciados (divorced, one spicy, one non-spicy), both £7.50 and served with rice and beans.

The most interesting options, however, are among the antojitos – Mexican street food.

I went for two of these; first the quesadillas (£3.95), thin wheat tortillas filled‎ with grated cheese and with a bean sauce for dipping.

Less successful were the flautas (£9.95), flutes of fried maiz filled with chicken, that had the consistency of their wooden musical counterparts and cold temperature too.

I’ve never been to Mexico but would expect street food to be served piping hot, and easier to eat than this, which involved splintered pieces of flute flying onto my lap if deciding to attack each one with a fork.

Six different tequilas, however, and a selection of Mexican cocktails, could go somewhere to numbing the pain of tender teeth.

Casa Mexicana on Zetland Road in Redland was one of the first Mexican restaurants in the UK when it opened in 1986, but the cuisine is still a rarity in Bristol.

Viva La Mexicana may not be worth flying the Mexican flag for quite yet, but it’s a good lesson that Mexican food can be more than just burritos.

Viva La Mexicana, 149 East Street, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 4EJ
0117 963 2666

www.vivalamexicana.com