Three Chilli Heads and a Lady

Long time, no post.

I may even have set a record for the most neglected blog in the blogosphere in the last 6 months.

Christmas was a wash out for me, unfortunately, with swine flu laying me low and it taking a good 2 weeks to get back to full strength again. Kids got loads of presents, and I'll do a separate, belated post on this to catch up on our Christmas.

We had the neighbours over for a New Years Eve meal and drink, and Ellen/I have both been busy at work since the New Year.

Coming back to the present, we took the kids out for meal in Chiquitos in Milton Keynes yesterday, a Mexican restaurant that's hidden away behind a throng of trees(yes, MK does have trees. It has parks too.) on a main road on the outskirts of MK.

We'd driven past it many times as we departed MK for home and I'd sworn many times that we should go there. Well, yesterday, we did.

It's a chain restaurant and being a lover of hot Southern US/Mexican food, I was really looking forward to giving it a go. I also had two little chilli-heads for kids and, knowing how much they devour burritos and fajitas at home, I knew they should have a tasty time too.

As we approached its tidy little entrance, Ciaran was in full tantrum mode. He wasn't letting Daddy carry him, and I had to let him amble towards the door and let himself in, with a little help of Daddy of course pulling the door open for him.

Greeted by a friendly waiter with a strong Dutch accent, we were schoon scheated at our mesa and pouring over the menu. First impression - well themed, lots to choose from, not cheap.

I ordered the sizzling combo fajitas with chicken and steak, Ellen opted for chimichangas and Ben/Ciaran wanted barbeque chicken fajitas and fish fingers chips and beans respectively.

When the food came along, one thing was very obvious very soon. The portions were generous, very generous. And we were seriously running out of space on our table to put everything. My meat came served on a steaming hot skillet, with roasted onions and pepper, and five flour tortillas in tow in a warm lidded bowl, with a small army of guacamole, soured cream, salsa and salad bringing up the rear.

Ben had three tortillas and put them away in no time, with Ben choosing what he wanted in each fajita and how much. He lapped up the bbq chicken sauce. Ciaran finished most of his, and both had chocolate brownies for pudding, although Ben, bizzarely, asked for his dessert without ice cream.

When they'd finished, their faces were covered in dark brown mess, and Ciaran actually resembled one of the Mexican men in a photo by our table, such was the pattern of chocolate sauce on his face looking frighteningly like a moustache.

We all loved it and, I have to say, this was probably the best Mexican food I've ever had - and it was a chain restaurant!