Somewhere along the line they have tidied up the Mexican spelling – Oaxaca – into a more pronounceable Wahaca… and that’s pretty much what they’ve done to the food which is good but not great, keenly priced and swift to arrive. Don’t get me wrong, this restaurant is a great success and a busy place, but I suspect that the trade derives from the restaurant’s efficient systems rather than it’s gastronomy. What we have here is  "Tacamamma” – Wagamamma in a Mexican hat - dishes arrive when they are ready (which can make for dish envy should your table companions get served first while you end up waiting for your meal), nibbles are priced at under £3, and there are plenty of small dishes under £4 while nothing on the menu tops £8.50.

The guacamole is well made with a chunky texture and good flavour, you can have it with “pork scratchings” – puffed pork rind, a good combination. Then there are tacos, tostados, quesadillas and taquitos. The pork pibil tacos are very sound, you might take issue with the menu-speak “melt in the mouth” but it’s hard to criticise a plateful that offers three medium tacos for £3.50. The chef behind Wahaca is Thomasina Miers, who was made famous by that recent Wild Gourmets television series in which she roamed the countryside living off the land like a much more feminine and somewhat more sophisticated  Ray Mears. She has set up the restaurant with an emphasis on carefully sourced British ingredients, but the upshot of this is that you see a board proclaiming Market Fresh Ingredients – and then lines like “Habanero chillies from Devon”. Methinks this is a marriage of convenience sacrificing Mexican authenticity for local sourcing and the result is another Wahaca copy line “Mexican Market Eating”. The Wahaca salad is pleasant enough Little Gem Lettuce, avocado and splendid roast Poblano chillies – well balanced. A burrito filled with char-grilled steak, black beans and shredded cabbage is wholly successful.

This is a busy, happy place where the no booking policy seems to encourage rather than deter. The great virtues of brisk service, low prices and sound enough food are just what’s wanted and Wahaca deserves its success. Who would bet against a Nationwide chain of Wahacas opening soon?

Charles Campion

Wahaca, 66 Chandos Place, WC2 (020 7240 1883)