Restaurant Review: Cisco's Mexican, Kingston

Way before this fair city discovered the joys of American barbecue, back in an era when young men still shaved, the only place you could get honest-to-God barbecue ribs or wings was to go to a Manuka shopping centre. There, in an atrium surrounded by tailors, shoe shops and jewellers, you would enter a kiosk-style eatery made up of circular booths and little tables surrounded by faux plants. And if you were lucky, Dave Nelson would bring you a rack of sticky, glossy spare ribs on a big plate.

Strictly speaking, Dave ran a Mexican restaurant called Francisco's. But his ribs and wings were a cult item on the menu and American diplomatic and military staffers would congregate in the shopping centre atrium for racks of ribs accompanied by chimichangas and enchiladas. Francisco's closed in February last year, after the lease ran out. But Dave, an American former pro basketballer, has now opened a new iteration of the restaurant in Kingston with business partner Brett Adam.

It's now Cisco's and it's taken over the spot on Kennedy Street that used to be occupied by L'Unico and more recently the short-lived South American restaurant Mazorca. It's a big, simple layout - a little bar down one side, a shifting landscape of family groups at large tables and couples dotted around the edges, earthy raw brick walls, a handful of ponchos for colour. Outdoors is a spacious covered dining area. The move out of the little atrium to a proper restaurant space on the Kingston retail strip has really paid off - Cisco's is bright, friendly and full of people on a rainy night.

And there is a tequila menu. Repeat, there is a tequila menu. It's a proper one, with all the main categories - the silvers, reposados which have been aged in oak for up to a year, and the aged anejos. There's also mezcal and a collection of flavoured and liqueur tequilas for your hen's night needs. Caramel and strawberry cream anyone?

Severe lactose intolerance is probably the only good reason not to order the four-cheese queso dip ($13) in a stone bowl with a big pile of warm corn chips. It's smooth, creamy, with a tiny bit of heat and tang from pickled jalapenos - a kind of lick-it-off your fingers good.

The famous ribs are now branded as "Dave Nelson's BBQ spare ribs and wings" ($12 for a half rack). They have that crisp, sweet char on the edges - not a heavy smoke, just a quick streak of black that lifts the whole dish and enhances all the flavour aromas. They are covered in glossy sauce that makes a huge mess and leaves you rinsing often in the accompanying finger bowl. The only small issue is the texture of the meat, which has to be torn from the bone rather than melting obligingly off. It could be cooked a little longer, but when the flavour is this good you don't really mind. A scoop of beans and tomatoey rice rounds off the dish.

The platters ($23) combine a trio of different dishes. This one has an enchilada which enfolds some very tender beef inside a soft warm tortilla wrap; a little chicken tostada with lots of fresh tomato and lettuce, and a crumbly meatball on red rice that's not as spicy as promised but otherwise competent.

On the floor, co owner Brett Adam is an energetic presence and in the kitchen Dave appears to have rediscovered his love for Mexican. He tells us afterwards that Mexican embassy staff have been in for a feed and are keen to help him source special ingredients and work with the embassy chef. This is simple, cheery and unadorned food and Cisco's is a great, casual neighbourhood joint.

Cisco's

Address: 35 Kennedy Street, Kingston

Phone: 6162 1122

Website: ciscosmexicano.com.au

Chef: Dave Nelson

Owner: Dave Nelson and Brett Adam

Hours: Lunch Wed-Sun; dinner Tues-Sun

Wheelchair access: Yes.

Noise: Medium

Summary: Cheerful and casual neighbourhood Mexican

Score: 13/20