Wahaca, Manchester - Summer Specials

God we've got about a bit recently. It seems that everywhere is launching an exciting new summer menu, and there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day to try them all. Is that my belly rumbling, or just gout softly calling my name...? This hobby may well kill me before long. 

Last week my blogging partner in crime (Mexican division) and I were invited to Wahaca to sample their new goodies. Not exactly a tough gig hey? There's nothing better than an early dart on a sunny day, to find yourself surrounded by food and cocktails, giggling away without a care in the world. Once again, Lee was keen to write this one up as she was so enthused about the whole experience. She'll be putting me out of a job this one... So here's what we ate, and her accompanying thoughts.

Wahaca is a firm favourite of ours, so an invite to try the new summer specials was gratefully received!

Frijoles and tortilla chips - creamy twice cooked black beans served with crumbly Lancashire cheese and crema: We started with Frijoles and tortilla chips; I always love this kind of to start a Wahaca feast, and the Lancashire cheese crumbled on top is delicious.

We did our usual trick of ordering food for ten, for two! The summer specials of chorizo and cheese tacos served with fresh avocado salsa, and Devon crab tostada were amazing.

Chorizo and Cheese Taco: Sautéed British free range chorizo from Trealy farm with sweet roasted red onions, melted cheese and fresh avocado salsa.

Devon Crab Tostada: Handpicked Devon white crab meat, with creamy mayo, fresh lime and diced tomatoes, served on lettuce with crispy tortillas on the side: The tostada in particular has been playing on my mind ever since; fresh crab meat with mayo, lime, and tomatoes served with crispy tortilla. Fortunately for me, Rach isn't a massive fan of crab meat so I tanked the lot (and will be back for more soon). It's also worth noting that 20p from the sale of each of these dishes is donated to charities here in the UK and in Mexico, so you can feel good about eating your body weight in street food.

Sweet potato and feta taquito - roasted sweet potato, feta and caramelised red onion wrapped in crispy blue corn and dotted with salsas and chipotle mayo: We also ordered my old favourite, sweet potato and feta taquitos, these blow me away every time.

Mexico City style chicken enchiladas - two classic enchiladas, with grilled chicken, tomato salsa roja and topped with melted cheese: New to the menu were the larger Enchilada dishes, so we chose to try the Mexico City style chicken enchiladas. These were delicious, and although a much bigger plate, still allowed for gorging on other dishes when it was shared.

To accompany these gorgeous dishes we had a bowl of spicy slaw, creamy frijoles, and sweet potato chunks; all were wonderful additions to the meal. 

Sweet potato - crispy fried chunks of sweet potato, dressed with smoky caramelised mojo de ajo.

Frijoles - rich, creamy black beans cooked twice for flavour. Served with crumbled cheese and crema.

Spicy slaw - fresh crunchy slaw mix with our chipotle dressing.

Churros y chocolate - our favourite! Mexican doughnuts with rich chocolate and caramel sauces: We managed to fit a portion of Wahaca's churros in to finish, served with both sauces. Needless to say I didn't need to eat again till much later in the day.

Another delightful meal at Wahaca, accompanied by fantastic service and heavenly cocktails (you must try the Earl of Mexico - actual game changer right there!)

Strawberry & Basil daiquiri - golden rum, winter spices, fresh lime (left)
Earl Of Mexico - gin & Earl Grey lemonade with a hint of aniseed (right)

Classic - freshly squeezed lime with a hint of agave
Passion fruit margarita - A tropical twisted margarita

Many thanks to Wahaca for such a beautiful afternoon; the food never fails to wow us, and the service was top notch too. See you soon for more Mexican loveliness.