Happiness is a soft tortilla from Zambreros

Fresh mex grill eateries are popping up all over Perth. They're a new fad that seems to be escalating along with burgers, macarons and breakfast venues. There's Mad Mex (which I have to say I absolutely hated - I actually left my food and didn't bother continuing to eat), Salsas and Zambrero.

The set up is simple - choose your food type from tacos, burritos, nachos and a couple variations on the aforementioned. From there, you choose your meat (steak, lamb, chicken or the vegetarian option of pinto beans). Each dish comes with lettuce and your choice of as many of the three salsas on offer - corn, tomato or onion & coriander. The final stage is adding your choice of sauce from chipotle, garlic, red chilli or verde (jalapeno).

It's not fancy or even anything complicated. But if it's done right, this kind of food can be quite satisfying.

I've been to Zambrero a couple times, but this is Jeremy's first trip here. I know he'll like it because we're both starving and in the mood for something fresh. I decide to have something I haven't tried here, the nachos ($12.50).

It is a huge serving of round tortilla chips with pinto beans (my choice of "meat") and a light scattering of melted cheese. The lettuce is crisp and cool; the tomato salsa fresh and tangy. The corn salsa is by far my favourite element of the dish. The kernels are sweet and pop with juicy conviction.

There's a great scoop of guacamole in two of the corners and sour cream in the others. It's generous and actually delicious considering it's "fast food". The jalapeno sauce on top is only mildly spicy but tastes so nice. I wish it was throughout instead of just on top! The serving is huge though so eventually when Jeremy finishes eating I'm quick to demand he helps me on my way. He obviously is happy to oblige.

Jeremy chooses a steak burrito, which has rice, sour cream and all the fillings rolled inside a tortilla into a thick cylinder. It's interesting how so many Mexican (yes I know this isn't quite traditional food items) have the same ingredients as there basis, but they all produce different results.

The steak is juicy and flavoursome; the salads cooling on the palate. It actually surprises him how great it tastes which pleases me since it was my idea to come down here.

Burrito

All in all, it was a good experience at Zambrero Leederville. The food tastes fresh; the setting is simple but perfect for people watching. It's the kind of fast food that doesn't leave you feeling greasy and ashamed for eating - one that I'm sure we'll be back for again soon.