Mexican Delight - Daiquiri's Cardiff Review

Ever since moving to Cathays at the start of my second year I've been dying to visit Daiquiri's after hearing constant recollections of delicious cocktails and exciting dishes. So when I was given the chance to visit the small, Mexican restaurant with my course friends this week I was literally on the edge of my seat, the visit couldn't come sooner (I tend to get a tad over excited about food, if you hadn't already realised). 

Entering the eatery on a cold and rainy, winter evening the warm and welcoming atmosphere was just what I needed. We hadn't booked but the bar man kindly showed us to a spacious table for four, placed under a huge sombrero, part of the bright and colourful Mexican decor.  The family run restaurant offers a massive range of home cooked meals from the traditional South American classics (such as fajitas and enchiladas) to intriguing specialties (including seafood paella and a spicy beef chili burger). They even do steak and chips for the less adventurous taste buds out there! Our first and only problem was to decide what the hell we were going to eat and drink as there was such a great choice! 

The first obstacle to tackle was cocktails...obviously. Priced at £4 a glass I was tempted to try them all, however the more mature side of my personality kicked in and I decided on the Jamaican Breeze sounded good! The mix of dark rum, orange and cranberry juice definitely didn't disappoint!

To start we decided to share the chili beef nachos which were delicious! A large portion of nacho crisps arrived smothered in a amazingly tasty (but not too spicy) beef chili sauce, with a large dollop of soured cream and lots of jalapenos for those who like a fiery kick like me! A shared starter for four girls, this £6.95 plate was the perfect amount to leave us satisfied but excitable for our main course. As a lover of the traditional Spanish paella I couldn't say no to trying out the Mexican chicken and seafood paella Daiquiri's had to offer (and at £9.95 too it was an absolute bargain too). When the mountain of paella arrived I was amazed at the volume of food...the fat girl inside was more than happy! The rice dish was deliciously spicy, with prawns, chicken and plenty of mussels I was in paradise. Unlike the traditional paella the fragrance of lemon was replaced by a generous dollop of sour cream and a scattering of jalapenos!

The service was excellent, the food came really quickly even though the restaurant was quite busy and the staff were kind and friendly. I couldn't recommend Daiquiri's more for anybody who loves Mexican food, I'm already planning my next visit and will definitely be saving room to try out dessert next time (the chocolate delight looked AMAZING!)