Restaurant Review: Flying Burrito Brothers

Professional sports couple, Megan and Warren Lippi Smith, (she an ex volleyballer, he a former pro rugby player) took over the Tauranga franchise of Flying Burrito Brothers last year. Their revamp is impressive. The courtyard is styled into a Mexican palapa bar with a thatched roof and six-seater seats for lots of senoritas.

The inside bar is a light airy space where locals drink cocktails while munching on bocaditos - small bites served from the bar or the main restaurant.

Warren is one of the chefs (head chef is Victor Pene) and Megan runs the restaurant - she comes from an Italian restaurant family and it shows; with her bubbly service she is a professional at front of house while keeping the vibe informal and lively.

On the menu: There is so much more to Mexican food than guacamole and tortilla chips. Flying Burritos has an impressive authentic Mexican menu with a few gringo dishes thrown in, too.

Bocaditos: We went for Alitas Muy Picantes - spicy chicken things in a hot adobo (paprika-like) sauce, guacamole and corn chips, and Taquitos de Pollo - deep fried tortillas filled with chicken and coated in a mole. This is not the digging rodent but a classic Mexican sauce made from chillis, spices and chocolate. The chocolate makes for a surprising partner to the spicy chilli chicken. We finished our starters with Jalapenos Rellenos, a house speciality of corn crusted Jalapeno chillies filled with a jalapeno-spiced three-cheese dip.

The chef can make dishes a little or very spicy. My partner and I boldly bragged that we were chilli connoisseurs, and asked for these Jalapenos hot. Let us just say, though delicious, my temperature rose several degrees. I felt like taking my tongue for a swim in a jug of iced water, but Megan was on hand with a bath-sized Margarita - the Margarita Grande - Herradura Reposado Tequila and Grand Marnier served on the rocks with muddled limes and the house sours mix - assuring us that the combination of tequila, ice, salt and lime is a perfect partner to chilli.

For mains: I went with Megan's recommendation of lime-and-tequila-marinated prawn fajitas served on a sizzling skillet with tortillas and a range of accompaniments so you can make your own delicious envelope. Divinely messy to eat but just delicious.

Another of our party went for Borrego al Pastor, braised lamb in pibil sauce - containing the peppery annatto seeds, popular in Latin American cooking.

We were too spiced out for dessert but I will be back for chocolate and churros-Mexican-style doughnut strips with dipping sauces and cream that Spanish and Mexicans have as a late night snack, dipped into hot chocolate. Here they make it with Mexican Ibarra chocolate frothed and scented with cinnamon.

To drink: There is a large variety of cocktails, not just margaritas, but rum mojitos, pisco sours and Brazilian caipirinha, and Spanish sangria. Mexican beer like Sol or Pacifico, or "gringo" beer, is plentiful. Also on the drinks menu is Michelada, which I can recommend as the perfect hangover cure. It is a salt-rimmed glass with ice, fresh limes and lemon juice, topped with Sol beer. Mexicans add chilli, and it will make any tequila sunrise a little less painful.

The verdict:

Flying Burritos is a great place for group dining, or for after-work cocktails and snacks. It is also family friendly, particularly on Sunday nights, when children dine for $5. The type of food makes for a party atmosphere and whether it was the chilli or tequila, we had a night of hilarity and fun. If you haven't tried Mexican, give it a go. Andale!

The details:

The Flying Burrito Brothers

Where: Four Palms, 107 Grey St

Phone: 578 8363

Open: Tues to Sunday 4.30pm to 11.30pm. Will also be open for lunches on Good Friday and Saturday during the Jazz fest

Prices: Entrees $6-$45 (the latter serving three to four); mains $14-$29; Desserts: $12