A hot new Mexican wave

Londoners who have had the chance to sample real Mexican food have long bemoaned the lack of an authentic reproduction on our shores. Tex-Mex food lost its appeal years ago, killed off by Taco Bell-style soggy tortillas drowned in beans. But have we ever had genuine Mexican food in the capital?

Spicy, colourful Mexican cuisine has its roots in the country's Aztec and Mayan past. Chillies, chocolate, maize, tomato, avocado and beans are all foods indigenous to the country, supplemented later by produce introduced by the conquistadores, who brought ingredients such as rice, beef, chicken and onions. Decent mole - the chilli and cocoa beanbased sauce poured over chicken and rice; real tacos - mini corn tortillas topped with shredded meat and salsa; or a dollop of bona fide chipotle sauce made from smoked jalapeno peppers: this is the food Mexicans eat, not wilted tortilla chips or chimichangas with cheddar. For far too long, Tex-Mex food - derived from the southern states of the US - has been accepted as Mexico's cuisine.

Now though, with new restaurants springing up and old favourites bringing an authentic spark to their menus, there's no longer any need to put up with flabby nachos. From happy-go-lucky tequila bars to serious restaurants, authentic Mexican food is seriously spicing up the capital.

And as the Mexican Day Of The Dead festival starts tomorrow, there's no better time to get out there and find out how the Mexicans celebrate the lives of their departed. Expect sugar skulls, elaborate altars and parties - and if a bean-filled burrito slips in there somewhere, as long as it's cooked to perfection, well, who are we not to raise a tequila in salute?

Crazy Homies
This fun little bar is an offshoot of Tom Conran's famous American diner, Lucky Seven, and is situated right next door.

The emphasis is on enjoying one of the dozens of tequilas on offer, but there's a colourful menu, too. Don't miss the best chilli salsas outside Mexico: scoop them up in freshly cooked totopos (fresh tortilla chips made from real corn tortillas).

Starters of gringas, grilled flour tortillas stuffed with cheese and your choice of filling, get you in the mood (£4.75 to £6.75), while those who need more ballast to soak up the margaritas could opt for an enchilada plate (£8.50 to £9.25).
125-127 Westbourne Park Road, Notting Hill, (020 7727 6771 crazyhomieslondon.co.uk)

Green & Red
With a ground-floor restaurant serving authentic Mexican food and a basement bar with the emphasis on fun, this has all bases covered. Order tapas-style dishes such as chorizos con papas - spicy sausage pan-fried with shallots, potatoes and coriander (£3.50) - or ceviche de pulpo, a tangy marriage of lime-cured octopus, avocado, tomato, onions, and chilli (£3.75). Its bestseller is the hearty carnitas: a dish of slow-roasted pork belly and ribs seasoned with posilla chilli (£13).
51 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, (020 7749 9670, greenred.co.uk)

Mestizo
Priding itself on being the only Mexican family-run restaurant in the capital, the emphasis is on authenticity. Grazers can select from 12 types of taco, from fresh pork and pineapple pastor (£4.80 for two) to roast lamb barbacoa with coriander and onion (£6.50 for two).

Here's the place to try mole: poured over a poussin and served with rice and beans (£12.50). It looks bizarre but tastes amazing. Its £19 all-you-can-eat-and-drink Sunday brunch from midday to 4pm is a good way to sample it all.
103 Hampstead Road, Camden (020 7387 4064, mestizomx.com)