Prepare yourself for a good dose of vibrancy when you enter Johny Banana; not just by the super-size Luchador (a Spanish wrestler) staring you down as you pass the threshold – but by the day-glo orange and green colour scheme. What was previously Canteena (and Azul before that) has been transformed, right down to the last door hinge, into a bright and lively Latin-fusion bistro that hones in on the Latin Experience.

When John and Vivian Martin moved to Canada from their native Mexico City, their goal was to open up a restaurant, infusing downtown vitality with contemporary Mexican culture. And that they did; their Johny Banana is down-to-earth chic, tricked out even further by wacky kitsch elements.

One wall is devoted to Loteria cards (Mexican bingo cards), a game based around Mexican traditions. Parts of the ceiling and sidewall are orange, as are the banquet and bar stools. Dark mod chairs and wood-framed mirrors contrast well with the zebra print wood tables and bleached wood flooring. The small cacti on each table bring the whole package together.

The Martins break down stereotypical images of what to expect from Mexican restaurants. “Some Latin American places around town are really cliché,” explains John Martin. “You have a Sombrero on the wall and mariachi music in the background. Their food is authentic but we wanted to present ourselves in a bistro way.”

That bistro way is accelerated by a slew of current Latin beats in the guise of Mexican electronica, Argentinean Tango and Brazilian Bossa Nova. “This is the type of place that you would find in La Condesa, which is the Soho of Mexico City,” says Martin. “It’s an arty and bohemian neighbourhood.”