Located on Islington High Street opposite the Angel Underground Station, Tortilla serves Californian and Mexican influenced food to eat in or take away. The simple set-up serving burritos and fajitas of various sizes, crammed full of fresh salad, lean marinated meat or veggie options is a welcome addition to a street lacking in food outlets serving freshly prepared food for busy diners.

The Venue
Tortilla has a clean stylish design with steel work surfaces and long pine benches in neat rows providing the option to eat in. Background music plays at a very low level allowing diners to converse over lunch or dinner. The benches are shared between groups of diners at busy times, which is often the case during weekday lunch hours and in the early evening when visitors grab a bite to eat before heading to busy Upper Street.

The Atmosphere
The staff are helpful and approachable which adds to the laid back, cosy feel of the restaurant. The venue is busy with visitors of all ages attracted by the excellent food and exceptional value for money offered by tortilla.

The Food
The restaurant focuses totally on food, from its wide counter displaying its array of fillings to the open kitchen where visitors catch a glimpse of their chef at work. The restaurant does not claim to be Mexican or Tex-Mex but a fusion of Californian and Mexican influences. This combination works well, with healthy Californian black beans, a tastier relative of the soya bean, a staple of the dishes here. The majority of food here is organic and sourced from the UK where possible. The fajitas come in medium and large sizes, with the smaller option the size of a large plate, you can see that they do not do things by halves.

The braised pork is cooked for hours until it is extremely tender which works well with the salad fillings of chopped red peppers, juicy tomato strips and sharp red onions. The grilled chicken filling is marinated for at least three hours in a sweet pepper and lime infused adobo, which covers the tender meat, providing a delicate sugary taste. The sauces here add a distinct flavour to dishes and the salsa is available in mild, medium and hot varieties. The mild salsa carries a strong taste of coriander whilst the salsa verde (medium strength) is a sharp jalapeno chilli-based sauce which has quite a kick but no strong, spicy aftertaste. The hot salsa is a blend of chillies and strong spices softened by a very strong taste of lime. The guacamole, made from specially selected hass avocados, is thick and creamy and very mild to taste.

The burritos served here are huge. Having said that they work well, with diners able to choose from fillings including Spanish red rice, a filling but unstodgy dry rice which is not hot at all but has a strong tomato and basil flavor. A soft and light coriander and lime soaked rice option is also available. The generous portions also work for vegetarian diners, who can choose from an array of colourful choices such as Monterey Jack cheese, juicy beef tomatoes and the standard rice options. The naked burrito – a salad bowl lined with a burrito or thinner fajita filled with salad, provides a lighter option for calorie conscious visitors or those after a light snack. It’s served with fresh, crisp salad that carries flavour but is not covered in oil. Tacos, which come with a hot and spicy Cholula sauce, are great to share.

The Drink
Traditional Mexican lager options such as Pacifico, a distinct lager served with lime, are served alongside standard beer options. Frozen margaritas have a strong lime essence and are refreshing after a long day. Tequila is not for sale here, however, emphasizing Tortilla’s move away from the more commonplace alcohol based Mexican themed establishments.

The Last Word
With food served in warm baskets wrapped to keep in heat and the bursting flavour of burritos and fajitas, Tortilla provides a worthy option for diners looking for fresh and filling food with a kick.

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