EMMA LIDIARD tucks into cowboy-sized portions as a new Tex-Mex restaurant opens its doors at Regent Circus

Texicans

1 Victoria Road,

Swindon SN1 3AJ

Tel: 01793 01793 979468

THE Wild West has arrived in Swindon in the form of a Tex Mex restaurant – and it’s setting the bar high for the amount of food you can fit on one plate.

Call me old-fashioned but I like to go out for a meal and feel full-up by the end of it. The modern craze of small portions for double the price has never appealed to me.

For this reason I loved Texicans, the new Tex Mex place that has opened at Regent Circus. Its mighty big portions were tasty and very, very filling.

For those that have never ventured into a Tex Mex the cuisine mixes Mexican and American influences into one interesting meal.

The venue itself oozes with southern American ambience, from the sombreros hanging from the ceiling to a huge green cactus peering above the eatery’s entrance.

Red and green colours make up the interior, with the walls and floors fitting in with the code.

Texan and New Mexico roots music was playing throughout my meal, which only added to the deep south atmosphere.

For my first course I selected the Jalapeno Peppers (£4.95) which were deep fried and served with cream cheese and sour cream. Although not the healthiest option, it was delicious. The peppers were not too crispy and the blend of the sour against the fiery heat of the jalapeno was fantastic.

There was a selection of vegetarian options on the menu, including a spicy bean burger and Cheese Mac but I decided to go for the Chimichanga (£8.95).

This is a deep-fried burrito filled with a range of vegetables, including peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms. It was served with refried beans, which came in a creamy sauce and made for a good rich option to mix with my burrito. Mexican rice was also piled onto the plate, as well as cheese and guacamole.

My colourful meal was a challenge to finish but as it was so tasty I did not have much problem getting to the end.

And it is not only the food portions which are large at this restaurant. I ordered a small red wine which came out in a very big glass even for a large size.

With its lively music and stomach-filling portions, I vowed to return to Texas (or is it Mexico?) very soon.