EMMA DUNN is feeling hot, hot, hot on a dinner date at a Mexican chain Chiquito Unit 20, Greenbridge Retail Park, Swindon Tel: 01793 482830

WHEN my sister and I arrived at Chiquito, it seemed that everyone else had had the same idea.

The Mexican restaurant in Greenbridge was packed with people of all ages on this Thursday evening, but luckily we had booked ahead just in case.

Our table for two was ready and waiting when we got there, even though we arrived about 10 minutes earlier than expected. We were promptly shown to our table and handed our menus as soon as we walked through the door.

The array of dishes got our mouths watering immediately – in review terms, the restaurant was already off to a good start.

Surprisingly though, it was the drinks that impressed us most. My sister, a seasoned Chiquito fan, spotted the mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails) on the drinks menu straight away.

She went for the Virgin Colada, pineapple juice mixed with sweet coconut cream (£3.65), while I chose the Appleberry, which included freshly pressed apple juice, raspberry puree and fresh lime juice; shaken together and served long over crushed ice (£3.65).

Both came in glamorous tall glasses, and they tasted just as good, if not better, than real cocktails.

But with our stomachs rumbling, it was time to turn our attention to dinner.

We opted to share the chicken wings tossed in peri-peri served with a pot of sour cream (£5.95) for a starter.

We’d been given three choices of sauce for the chicken, and could have gone for the mild barbecue or hot habaneros. Perhaps we were a bit too optimistic, thinking we could handle the fire of the peri-peri, but once we realised our taste buds were not as strong as we thought, we covered them in sour cream and they were delicious.

There would have been too much chicken if we’d ordered a plate each, but between us it was just enough to warm our stomachs without filling us up.

For mains, my sister chose the nachos (£5.95), which included tortilla chips, stacked high and covered in Texan cheese sauce, jalapeño peppers and melted cheese with guacamole and sour cream.

I went for the Mexican chicken skewer (£14.95), which promised succulent chicken breast grilled on a skewer with mixed peppers and served with lime and tequila sauce. I had a choice of sides and went for the salad in a bid to be healthy.

When it arrived it was still sizzling on a hot skillet, and when I took my first bite it certainly delivered on flavour. It had a lovely smoky taste, like it was fresh off the barbecue, and tasted like it was fresh out of Mexico.

The portion was just the right size, and there were only some peppers and onions left on my plate when I was finally defeated.

Technically, my sister’s nachos should have been a starter, which is why they were just a third of the price of my choice, but it was such a big serving that she didn’t manage to finish it.

She said it was a great dish though, and she thought the sauces had the perfect texture.

Our waitress, Jennifer, provided great service throughout the meal. She was friendly and attentive, and always happy to help despite being run off her feet with the dozens of other tables she was serving at the same time.

Our bill came to a total of £37.30.