Chipotle-The @14thefrog review.

The first time I ever encountered Chipotle was in Minnesota about six years ago. I know I risk sounding like a spotty teenager on about a band who "used to be underground" when I say that, but it's true. I was impressed too, I'd never had a burrito, or "barbacoa beef" or "cilantro rice", nor had I ever eaten anything shaped like a "kagool" (one of those 70's collapsible jackets we all wore on belts around our waist) and wrapped in tin foil. It all seemed very windswept and interesting, as well as tasty and great value. Given all of that, I was very excited when Chipotle came to Wimbledon and couldn't wait to try it.


We went with the kids early tea-timish and it was fairly quiet on arrival. The staff were fully clued up into the American service etiquette, and the smiles and welcomes we're absolutely beaming. My guess is that if you went in when Brazil were playing in the World Cup you might find them a bit short-staffed, but to all intents and purposes you could have been in Wisconsin rather than dear old Wimbers such was the enthusiasm of the greeting. I went for the "barbacoa" on the insistence of my little lad who'd been before, along with some black beans, some white rice, guacamole, hot chilli sauce, lettuce and probably a couple of other things which escape me right now. Everyone else also had burritos (actually tell a lie my little girl had soft taco's) and we had some tortilla chips and some "guac" to nibble on. Drinks are in can or bottle form rather than post-mix, so all in all it couldn't be quicker or more efficient if it tried. Also, there's more people behind the jump than you can shake a shiny shovel at, so I reckon even if/when it gets busy you should get sorted out fairly sharpish.

So how was it? Well, the food was decent rather than being unbelievably good. I enjoyed it don't get me wrong, but I wasn't blown away in a "jeez I can't wait till we come back here again" sense. To tell the truth, I'm fairly sure this wasn't down to the food or the service though. It was down in the main to the fact that the seats in the restaurant area are made of stainless steel and are flippin freezing on your bum. There was no heating to speak of when we were there, the walls are matt white without a picture in sight, the whole thing is stark and the overall effect was that we kept our coats on and I couldn't wait to finish up and get moving. This isn't in a part of town where I'd imagine there'll be a huge take-away market (obviously I might be wrong but I don't think I am) and I think given that the design of the seating areas is ill conceived. It'll work alright in the Summer, but I can't see too many rushing back to sit in for the rest of the year. There's a really nice garden area out the back too, and if it was me I'd push the boat out and get a heater or two out there.                      

All in all I definately would go back again. Bizarrely though, Wimbledon will soon have three Mexican restaurants and the competition is obviously fierce. While Chipotles food stands comparison to @tortillaUK down the road, it is in a quieter spot on the high street by far and as a "dining in" experience is a mile behind. The one down the road is warmer, has more brick in the design, more oranges and reds and just feels more welcoming. London as Ralph McTell sang, can be a cold and a lonely place for much of the year. It takes more than a "have a nice day" to make us feel warm inside. A cushion or two on the chairs, a colour splash picture or two on the walls, a notch or two up on the heating is very much called for. I hope Chipotle prospers in Wimbledon, but I'd be surprised if it can without a modification on the current offering. 

AYA The @14Thefrog no holds barred review.

AYA is not in the best part of town to tell the truth. It's down by South Wimbledon tube, with one or three derelict shops as close neighbours and a closed down and boarded up boozer accross the road. Neither is it decked out to look particularly posh, the front windows go floor to ceiling and the unit could have been anything from a printers to a hairdressers before they took it over. That said, when we went on a rainy and flippin freezing Thursday it was banged out so they must be doing something right.

It's BYO. They don't sell ANY alcohol whatsoever so if you fancy a tipple and aren't prepared, you're staring down the gunbarrel at the Tesco's which is tacked onto the side of the garage accross the road. I bought some wine and beer there, and my answer to the "how did we do?" which was emblazoned accross the bottom of the receipt is "pretty shit really". The shops horrible and depressing. Anyway enough about Tesco's, but buy your booze from somewhere else before you come.

Inside the restaurant, all the staff and chefs look like extras from a James Bond movie. You know the opening sequence of pretty much every film where he's being chased by a random bad guy through the bazaars of Marakesh. Those guys who look at him as if to say "Hey!!! WTF!!!" when he knocks their fruit and veg display over with his Harley? they all work at AYA. They're pleasant enough here though, although my guess is if you went in there giving it Charlie big spud some gadgie from behind the char-griller would produce a machete like an elephants trunk and chop your fingers off (if he was in a good mood). Our waiter was a suavey looking bloke in a suit who looks like he probably shaves about once every hour and half, he was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable too. 

The menu has all the old middle eastern favourites (as if I know any), and we basically steamed in and started ordering willy nilly. We got some houmous ( I bet everyone who goes here does), some babaganoush (which coincidently is my favourite word in the world), some cottage cheesy stuff which I couldn't quite get my head around, some falafal and some Lebonese sausages. All of it was pretty good, but the babaganoush was absolutely sensational. It was so good, that if they'd told me at that point that they'd sold out of everything except it, I would have just ordered a bucket full. You also get this flat bread stuff for dipping, but I wolfed ours in about a minute which was a big mistake as it turned out. Despite me asking said waiter twice for some more bread it never arrived, although he was very agreeable and nice about it each time I asked him. The way he said "no problem sir!" and then didn't bring any, reminds me a bit of my barbers if you ever try and change haircuts. When he says "what are we having today sir?" you might as well tell him you fancy a Sigue Sigue Sputnik pink mohican for all the effect it'll have. You're still going to get a "two and four" anyway, and it appeared that we weren't getting anymore bread at AYA too. Never mind though, all the starters were fab. BTW, apparently not ordering these little mince meat pastry things (God knows what they're called) was a bit of a schoolboy error, next time.

For main I had a mixed grill. It had on it some lamb and chicken shish, and some minced lamb shish, and some other stuff which escapes me now. You get chips or rice, and I had chips (which were them big beefeetery type things). All the meat was superb, really really great. Quick aside here, if you're a vegetarian order plenty of houmous and babaganoush, savour it cos there's bugger all else to speak of. The chips would be better in my opinion if they were 3/8" fries or something similar, and also when I asked them for some hot chilli sauce they didn't have any which was a bit odd. I can't surely be the first person to ask for it. They did however have this other mild chilli which was mildly good. I cannot for the life of remember what my dining companions had for main, but they did say it was good if that helps.

The bill (including a tip for Omar Sharriff) came to £58 obviously without booze. Considering I went in there hungry and could barely walk on the way out, I have to say it was brilliant value. To be totally honest, it was worth it just for the babaganoush, and any quibbles I had about bread and chilli sauce are only minor. Next time I'm back (which will be very soon, I really enjoyed it) I'll not just BYO my beer, I'll bring me own bread and chilli sauce as well.

AYA is a smashing local restaurant, go. On the evidence of our visit don't take a chance either, book.