‘Hola, buenos días!’

Hugo Camacho Romero, the charming proprietor, seems like he is floating through the restaurant. Even while speaking to me, he is passing food over to the people beside us, finding chairs for newcomers, and unpacking Jarritos, the fluorescent Mexican soft drink, onto the counter. The chatter of English and Spanish drifts over the ranchera music.

I am at Café Azteca, where the wide-ranging, multi-regional menu is challenging the Tex-Mex trend. It is headed by a chef whose goal is the protection of its authentic foods, even the post-colonial traditions of the Aztecs. The foundation of traditional dishes is the corn, he tells me, demonstrating the process of nixtamalisation (alkaline treatment of corn) by squeezing corn until it’s clear. And everything depends on the chillies.

Navigating the menu is educational. Mole poblano sauce, is an international favourite and ravishing on enchiladas. But the toned-down, more subtle flavours of home cooking feel somewhat foreign. A less obscure option on the menu is the deep-fried burrito, influenced by proximity to the U.S. border to the North. The pibil version, a crusty tortilla shell with a slow roasted Yucatán pork filling, is very flavoursome.

For people who eat it so often, it is amazing how little we know about Mexican food. It is a shame that this multicultural city offers so little in the way of authenticity. The burritos we enjoy on lunch deals barely touch on Mexico’s gastronomic diversity.

Another place that is fighting the good fight is El Grito in Temple Bar. This place is a port of call for many expats in Dublin. The six-seated place is tiny and feels even smaller when you are sitting down, struggling to physically tackle their portions amongst the hum and throb of passing trade.

My personal favourite is the gringa, a toasted tortilla, heavily loaded with cheese and pork, zested with lemon and spiced up with the fresh salsa on the counter. Behind the cashier a rotisserie spins slowly, with everything from chicken chipotle to Mexican chorizo. You won’t be surprised that this is where many local chefs like to come. First-timers should try the tacos al pastor. The Central Mexican speciality is five soft tacos topped with fruity, slow-roasted pork, complemented by cheese and guacamole. With their very reasonable prices, you should be running there right now, if only to try and get a seat at this very colourful, sensory overloading, establishment.

This review previously featured in our print edition, available now across campus and in select locations across Dublin.