Effortlessly-cool Mexican cafe takes street food to the max

Why do Italian eateries feel the need to hang paintings of the Colosseum, or Thai restaurants need endless Buddha statues?

Understatement is sometimes better - just take look at Casa Loca.

The Providence Street cafe restaurant has only been open eight months and serves up some superb Mexican street food, sprinkled with a touch of San Francisco-style influence (Mission-style burritos are big business stateside.)

But the food only tells half the story. The little venue is effortlessly cool without a sombrero in sight or an obligatory Mariachi backing track.

But that doesn’t mean it takes itself too seriously either.

It’s an informal type of place, and the name itself actually means ‘Crazy House’. It’s cosy to boot and the minimal surroundings all play into the street-style atmosphere.

“We wanted that rustic feeling to reflect the food - we want it to be laid back” said Aron Dickinson (pictured), who runs the place with Liam Duffy, who also has Iris on The Bull Ring.

“We’ve done a lot of research into Mexican street food and people are really liking it. We’re getting a lot of repeat customers.”

The menu is beautifully-basic in size with a choice of quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas and burritos. It’s as fresh as its gets, and bursting with flavour, it’s a mecca for lovers of Mexico’s staple food. They even sell churros - Mexican-style doughnuts made from an imported American machine. Serving up cocktails and beers, and with a rear garden under construction with Mexican street art, it’s only a matter of time before people will be going ‘loca’ for this place.

Casa Loca

Opening Times: 12 to 2pm and 5pm to10pm Monday to Saturday. Closed Sundays.

Dishes To Try: Pork belly enchiladas with rib tickler sauce, the huge half-kilo San Francisco Slammer burrito or the Steak Steak Baby quesadillas.

Takeaway available , along with deliveries.

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