Category Archives: Mexican

You are here: Home » Category: "Mexican"

Fighting the Elements to get to La Cholita, Northbridge

Posted by  | Categories: Bars, Featured, Mexican, Perth, Restaurants

There are two components that I need in order to happily publish a blog post about a restaurant; I need pretty photos and I need an interesting story. If either of those are lacking then it doesn’t matter how good the experience was I just cannot bring myself to publish it. Call it pride, vanity, perfectionism, whatever it is I cannot control it. My first visit to La Cholita, a Mexican bar in Northbridge presented me with this exact problem.

It was a great night out with fellow blogger Foodie Cravings which had originally started off with plans for us to attend an Eat Drink Perth movie event. However on arrival we found out there was no gluten free fare available so our evening evolved into an impromptu night of tacos, tostadas and wine at La Cholita. We laughed, shared stories and ate until we nearly popped; something that isn’t exactly unusual for the two of us. The next day I looked back on my photos and my heart sunk. They were all total crap!!!

"guacamole" "crispy corn tortillas" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos" "mexican perth" "eat drink perth"

Guacamole, crispy corn tortillas ($6.50, GF on request)

Determined not to be beaten by bad lighting, over the following weeks I tried to encourage the Boy to join me on a return visit to La Cholita to acquire the focused, colourful captures of this venue’s food that I needed. Our first two attempts were stalled due to illness and family obligations until finally on a weekend where we had no plans I locked in a lunch date days in advance. Unbeknownst to me, the lovely weather man also locked some plans, his were for a severe weather warning. Awesome. Refusing to be beaten again, we headed into Northbridge hitting William Street at exactly the same time as the downpour.

"tacos" "slow cooked pork" "pineapple" "pork taco" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos" "mexican perth" "eat drink perth"

Selection of tacos. In front: Slow cooked pork, pineapple ($5, GF)

I reached across to the back seat of my car to grab my umbrella only to realise I had moved it into the car boot. I quickly jumped out of the car splashing through the riverine that was once the street gutter to peer into my empty boot. Argh! No umbrella in there either! By this point I was soaked through. Admitting defeat I ran to the parking meter grabbed a ticket and sprinted with the Boy down the street to arrive at La Cholita resembling a drowned rat.

"wood grilled octopus" "smoky potato" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

I already knew what to order having had a feast there only weeks before. Most of their menu is gluten free excluding the quesadillas, the fish and jalapeño tacos and the flour tortillas. The guacamole can be served gluten free if you request the crispy corn tortillas instead.

"pumpkin" "pickled cabbage" "queso fresco" "vegetarian taco" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

A word of warning to the fructose malabsorbers out there, there was onion in many of the dishes on the menu. I decided to live with the consequences as my reaction to onion isn’t serious like that with gluten. I figure eating a little bit here and there on occasions is hardly going to kill me as I am so strict in avoiding it at home.

"wood grilled octopus" "smoky potato" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

Wood grilled octopus, smoky potato ($12, GF)

"pumpkin" "pickled cabbage" "queso fresco" "vegetarian taco" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

Pumpkin, pickled cabbage, queso fresco taco ($5, Vego, GF)

I ordered a selection of four tacos which included vegetarian, prawn, beef cheek and slow cooked pork. The Boy’s vego option contained some spiced pumpkin, pickled cabbage and queso fresco. The tacos were soft and fresh making them easy to eat without falling apart.

"pumpkin" "pickled cabbage" "queso fresco" "vegetarian taco" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

Pumpkin, pickled cabbage, queso fresco taco ($5, Vego, GF)

"prawn taco" "prawn" "papaya salsa" "cos lettuce" "avocado" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

Prawn, papaya salsa, cos lettuce, avocado ($6.50, GF)

The Boy will sometimes eat seafood so given there was only one vegetarian taco on offer, he ate the prawn taco for his second option. Two crunchy grilled prawns topped with some papaya salad, avocado and finely chopped cos lettuce made this a light option for those not wanting to eat the more heavy meatier choices.

"beef cheek taco" "beef taco" "beef cheek" "pico de gallo" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

Beef cheek, pico de gallo ($5, GF)

I ate the remaining two tacos; the beef cheek and the slow cooked pork. Surprisingly the pork was my favourite as I am not the hugest fan of eating pig. Soft shreds of pork filled the taco to the brim topped with a single grilled piece of pineapple which had been cooked just long enough for the sugars to caramelise on the surface.

"duck tostada" "spiced duck" "refried beans" "tostadas" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

Spiced duck, refried beans tostadas ($7, GF)

"crab tostada" "crab meat" "avocado" "tostadas" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

Crab meat, avocado tostadas ($10, GF)

We also ordered some tostadas which are basically crispy corn chips with toppings. The spiced duck with refried beans had a decent amount of heat in it which was just what I needed to defrost my soaked, cold bones however the Boy found it too spicy for his tastebuds. He preferred the creamy crab with avocado although he did comment that the crab did not have a lot of flavour.

There was a break in the rain so knowing La Cholita’s gluten free dessert options were limited we quickly paid and marched down to James Street where I knew there was a Taiwanese dessert place called Meet Fresh. This place is very popular over in Sydney and this was our first store that had opened in WA. It was the late afternoon and we were the only customers.

"meet fresh" "taiwanese desert" "supreme mango crushed ice" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

Supreme mango crushed ice

On my recommendation the Boy ordered the high tower of supreme mango crushed ice with vanilla ice cream. It contained a decent portion of fresh mango cascading over the syrupy sweet mountain of ice.

"herbal jelly" "taro" "tapioca pearls" "red beans" "meet fresh" "taiwanese desert" "supreme mango crushed ice" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "northbridge" "northbridge food" "northbridge mexican" "northbridge bar" "northbridge gluten free" "gluten free mexican" "la cholita" "la cholita northbridge" "gluten free tacos"

Herbal jelly with taro, tapioca pearls and red beans

Unlike the Boy, I am a big lover of Taiwanese style desserts however I am a little bit inexperienced in that I never really know what I can order. I always have to double check then triple check what is gluten free. I ended up choosing the herbal jelly with taro, red beans and tapioca pearls. The pearls were chewy and sweet but I found the herbal jelly a bit flavourless compared to that I had at Taro Taro.

Knowing the next downpour wasn’t far away the Boy put his spoon down defeated by his mango mountain and suggested we head back to the car before we get drenched through again. My dessert was significantly smaller than his and so I had pretty much finished it. I happily agreed and gathered my things. As soon as we piled into the car the heavens opened. It was our first bit of good timing that day and I can say it was greatly appreciated!

 
 Chompchomp’s meal at La Cholita was a self funded taco feast paid for with soaking wet notes pulled from her drenched jeans pocket.  
 
La Cholita
279 William Street, Northbridge, WA 6003 | Facebook
$$ (Small plates $5-15, Mains $26-28)

La Cholita on Urbanspoon

Meet Fresh
Unit 7a, 109 James Street, Northbridge, WA 6003 | 0425 838 226 | www.meetfresh.net
Taiwanese desserts $5-10 each

 Meet Fresh on Urbanspoon

Braying with a Hee-Haw of pleasure at el PÚBLICO

Posted by  | Categories: Bars, Featured, Mexican, Perth, Restaurants, Wine Bar

I am known for my obsession with planning. Before going on a holiday I will spend weeks researching the best accommodation, the absolute “must eat” restaurants and other things to see and do which usually are predominately food orientated. This strong need for mapping out the future doesn’t necessarily come from a desire to control but more a fear of missing out. Yes, I suffer from FOMO. Although I am what some may consider an organisation freak, I can still have moments of spontaneity and when those care free moments involve food I am happy to throw all planning out the window. The Boy can be hard to convince to dine out during the week but when I mentioned the key words “Mexican” and “beer” he became very agreeable. Unbelievably we still hadn’t visited el PÚBLICO despite being regulars at their other popular joints Greenhouse and Cantina 663.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

El Publico is one of the first “real” Mexican places to open up in Perth after a plague of El Paso-styled greasy spoons tarnished our streets for years. Their vision is to serve Mexican street food and both the owners and the chefs have travelled through Mexico to submerge themselves in its authenticity. They accept walk-ins and only take bookings for groups over six thus they fitted the bill perfectly to be the venue for our spur of the moment outing. They offer a number of vegetarian and gluten free options which are both cleared marked on the ever-changing seasonal menu.  We started with the fried chickpeas with burnt tortilla salt and the crispy street prawns.

"Fried chickpea" "burnt tortilla salt" "crispy street prawns" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

Fried chickpea burnt tortilla salt ($5) & crispy street prawns ($9)

The street prawns were reminiscent of the fried insect stalls at the night markets in Thailand and are surprisingly moreish. They are a little prickly in the mouth so I do not recommend downing too many at one time or their teeny legs poke into the inside of your cheeks. I washed the salty critters down with a glass of 2011 Ventisquero Pinot Noir from the Casablanca Valley, Chile whilst the Boy drank a bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

"cuttlefish tostada" "jalapeno" "corn salsa" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

Cuttlefish tostada ($12)

We ordered a bunch of share plates to be brought out staggered in a very sociable Mexican style of tapas dining. This proved to be conducive to meandering chatter between the Boy and me taking us both far away from our working week and into a relaxed and happy place. I wish the Boy would be keen on mid-week outings more often! Our cuttlefish was served on crisp tostada with a jalapeño and corn salsa. Fresh summer flavours tossed with soft pieces of cuttlefish left a refreshing spritz on the palate.

"salmon ceviche" "tomato" "avocado lime" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

Salmon ceviche ($18)

The salmon ceviche was similarly uplifting with cubes of raw salmon cured by the lime juice dressing buried in among chunks of tomato, avocado and coriander. A touch similar in its profile to the cuttlefish, it made me dream of the long summer months soon to come.

"potato taco" "peppers" "chile de arboi" "queso" "potato" "taco" "queso" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

Potato tacos ($6.50)

After two rounds of seemingly healthy and light dishes, it was time to get down and dirty with some tacos. Now I’m not talking about refried beans, avocado and tomato salsa. I’m talking about REAL tacos! There were a few to choose from that were suitable for me so we agreed to share the vegetarian option; the potato tacos.

"potato taco" "peppers" "chile de arboi" "queso" "potato" "taco" "queso" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

Potato tacos ($6.50)

Deep fried cubes of potato and cheese topped with the skinniest slivers of potato made a picture perfect handful. We were very tempted to order another round of these tacos and I recommend that if you see them on the menu again … DO IT!

By this point in the meal, my planning brain had already scanned the dessert menu and selected my choice so I would have been more than happy to move onto sweets. The Boy thought differently and with room in his belly for more he knew ordering another round would be easy. When it comes to having seconds, I suffer from a serious case of rubber arm.

"black bean" "cheese" "quesadillas" "black bean cheese quesadillas" "green sauce" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

black bean cheese quesadillas ($12)

One of the last vegetarian options left on the menu were the black bean quesadillas. Our waitress warned us that they were very filling which prompted the Boy to order them immediately. Four soft pillows of corn quesadillas filled with cheesy black bean goodness were topped with punchy green sauce. Yes, she was right, they were quite filling but despite my smaller size I can fit a large amount of food into me and we finished them without discomfort leaving room for dessert.

"dessert" "desserts" "parfait" "peanut butter parfait" "dulce de leche" "praline" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

peanut butter parfait dulce de leche praline ($10)

And what a dessert it was. Let’s hope THIS one never comes off the menu. Peanut butter parfait topped with rocks of dulce de leche that literally collapse in your mouth on contact with your tongue. It really was a killer.

"dessert" "desserts" "parfait" "peanut butter parfait" "dulce de leche" "praline" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

Like as if we hadn’t eaten enough, to finish off our last drinks we nibbled on a couple of chocolate chilli truffles. The Boy wasn’t mad on these as they were quite bitter but he wouldn’t’ let me eat his for him so I guess they weren’t so bad. After our socks being knocked off by our dessert, it was really pointless eating anything else.

"chocolate" "truffle" "Chocolate chilli truffle" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Eat Drink Blog" "EDB13" "EDB4" "Blogging conference" "Eat Drink Blog Conference" "Food blogger" "perth small bars" "cocktails" "Mexican" "Mexican Perth" "mexican street food" "tequila bar" "el Publico" "Beaufort Street" "Mount lawley" "mt Lawley" "highgate" "Perth tacos" "Street food"

Chocolate chilli truffle ($4 for two)

It may have taken us a while to get ourselves to el PÚBLICO but our visit has left me repeatedly wondering how soon we can head back. It has a heart and soul that is packed with spunk and effortless cool. And it has a neon donkey on the bar. Now everyone who knows me KNOWS how much I love donkeys!

el PÚBLICO
511 Beaufort Street, Highgate WA 6003 | 0418 187 708 | www.elpublico.com.au
 
Price:                     $$ (Entrees $9-18, Mains $24-28)
Food:                    4.5/5 (captures our seasonal produce and injects a little Mexico into it!)
Service:                4/5 (funny, efficient and helpful with suggestions)
Ambience:          4/5 (vibrant, happening and noisy)
Drinks:                  4/5 (small well thought out wine list….over 100 Tequilas behind the bar!)
Total:                     15.5/20

el PÚBLICO on Urbanspoon

Frisk Small Bar and some Mexican, Northbridge

Posted by  | Categories: Bars, Featured, Mexican, Perth, Restaurants

As much as I love my hometown of Perth, its distance behind larger cities like Sydney and Melbourne can be reflected in a number of ways in the culinary world.  We lack any widespread prevalence of gourmet food trucks, Latin American cuisine barely makes a mention, we often pay high prices for poor customer service and sometimes poor quality food and finally, up until very recently we have had very few small bars worth a visit that are open beyond bedtime.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Frisk Small bar, Northbridge

But with the new licensing laws brought in things are a’changing for little Perth and more and more funky small bars are popping up around the city and its surrounds.  I have followed Frisk Small Bar on social media for some months but with all the wedding preparations absorbing my every waking minute we have had very little time to go out and explore new bars such as these.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

What was once DC’s dance floor….***sigh***

It’s funny how sometimes the more you think of someone or something, fate seems to bring you together. Like how you will think of a friend you haven’t spoken to for months and then you bump into them at the shops.  Well, strangely enough along those lines I received an email from Frisk inviting me to come and join them for a drink or two on the house. After initially having to cancel due to injuring my neck at my hen’s day, we rescheduled for a Friday night that just happened to occur at the end of a very hectic week for both of us.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Frisk also serve their own blend of Five Sense’s coffee

Many years ago, long before the building that houses Frisk was built existed a night club called DCs.  It was something of an institution amongst my friends and I and we spent many of our weekends in our twenties partying under their roof until the sun came up. This is the place where many friendships were formed, relationships made and broken and brings a nostalgic smile to my face.  When the building was originally bulldozed to make way for apartments it felt like an end of an era. As I took my seat at Frisk’s bar it dawned on me that I was sitting on what once was the dance floor and it made me so glad that at least it was put to good use.

"WA Gimlet" "Westwinds Cutlass gin" "gin" "lime" "basil" "rose marmalade" "mixologist" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

My cocktail in the making…

"WA Gimlet" "Westwinds Cutlass gin" "gin" "lime" "basil" "rose marmalade" "mixologist" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

WA Gimlet

Frisk’s bar houses more gins than you could shake a stick at so it seemed logical that this should be the theme of our night. I started off with the WA Gimlet; a refreshing cocktail made with locally distilled Westwinds Cutlass gin, fresh lime and basil and rose marmalade.  The hints of herbs left a clean after-taste and put me in a brighter and energising mood for the evening.

"gin" "gin mare" south side" "cinnamon" "mixologist" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Let’s head to the Mediterranean!

"gin" "gin mare" south side" "cinnamon" "mixologist" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Not on the menu; a twist on the South Side

The Boy’s cocktail was not on the menu and was one of our bartenders Will’s own creations. He called it his twist on a South side. Traditionally made with gin, sugar, mint and lemon, this thirst quenching beverage had Will’s own special mix of syrup containing chilli, cinnamon and other sweet spices. This lifted the whole perspective of this popular drink to another superior level. He used a “Mediterranean gin” called Gin Mare which is additionally quite fragrant and added further botanical layers of rosemary, olives, thyme and basil.

"beer" "sierra nevada pale ale" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Although the Boy’s cocktail was in no way a girlie drink, one was definitely enough for him and he began to peruse over the beer menu. Allowing a re-run of Chompchomp roulette, Will and I selected the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for him to try. Neither of us had even heard of this beer before and we were surprised to it is considered one of the top craft breweries in the USA with their Pale Ale being the second best-selling craft beer in the US.

"Isfjord gin" "Antica vermouth" "Aphrodite Ginger bitters" "grapefruit" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Aphrodite’s Martini

After my energising first round I was ready for something a bit more intense. I chose the Aphrodite’s Martini which contained Isfjord gin, Antica vermouth, Aphrodite Ginger bitters and grapefruit. Moving from a West Australian gin to one distilled in the Arctic  I could taste the flavour becoming pronouncedly smoother. Further interesting flavours from the bitters brought hints of chocolate, coffee and chill which rounded off perfectly with the citrus notes of the grapefruit.  A masterpiece but not one for the light hearted.  A few more of these and I wouldn’t be heading into to work that following morning. Well at least not in any good form! Aphrodite’s Martini will remain on Frisk’s cocktail menu for the duration of March as part of the Eat Drink Perth 2013 celebrations.

"red rice" "carrot" "peas" "black beans" "chorizo" "sweet corn" "mayo" "piquin chile" "Guacamole" "arroz a la Mexicana" "Frijoles Charros" "Esquites" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Botana

A little peckish by this point in time, we were recommended to head over to Casa Mexicana El Compa. Having experience both highlights and lowlights of Mexican food when dining locally in Vic Park we were keen to see how others fared compared to our experiences.

We started off with some appetisers or “botana”. We chose four types of dips; guacamole, arroz a la Mexicana; red rice, carrot and peas, Frijoles Charros; slow cooked black beans with chorizo and Esquites; stripped sweet corn, mayo and piquin chile.  None of the dips had very strong flavours and had to be supplemented with the free sauces provided on the side to avoid being too bland.

"refried beans" "lettuce" "sour cream" "cheese" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Sopes Madre

Our next dishes came highly recommended by our vivacious waitress; some “sopes”. These are a form of Mexican street food consisting of a fried corn tortilla topped a variety of different options. We chose the vegetarian sope topped with refried beans, lettuce, sour cream and cheese. The crunchy base gave way to an interesting mix of textures but once again I felt that the flavours were a little lacking and found myself heaping more of the complimentary sauces on top to give more depth and heat.

"tacos nopales" "cactus tacos" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Tacos Nopales

Following on from our sope, we ordered a couple of tacos to share. Having loved our experience of taco nopales at That Little Mexican Place we were keen to order them again.  These were served with refried beans, cheese and coriander.  I was able to taste more of the cactus’s flavour this time; they resembled a pleasant form of bitter green beans.

"slow cooked pork" "pork tacos" "orange marinated pork" "apple" "Tacos Caritas" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Perth bars" "small bars" "Perth small bars" "Frisk small bar" "Frisk, Northbridge" "cocktails" "Mexican" "casa mexicana" "el compa" "lake street" "northbridge" "gin" "Show me perth" "eat drink perth"

Tacos Caritas

Our dose of meat for the night was the pork tacos. The soft handmade taco was topped with orange marinated slow cooked pork served with cubes of apple.  I had to negotiate between the apple pieces as I try to avoid it due to a high fructose content leaving just the pork and the taco. I found the pork to be quite dry and tough considering it was slow cooked something that usually results in melt in your mouth tenderness.

Although I know we will be back to Frisk soon to try a few more of their wondrous ginny cocktails, with a number of good Mexican options around town we will probably give Casa Mexican a miss.

Frisk! Small Bar Northbridge
103 Francis Street, Northbridge WA 6003 | www.frisksmallbar.com.au
 
Price:                     $$ ($17-20 cocktails, $8-11 beer, $2-9 small bites)
Food:                    Unable to assess
Service:                4/5 (these guys know their liquor!)
Ambience:           4/5 (busy for the whole time we were there, happy non-pretentious customers)
Drinks:                  9/10 (using the finest ingredients and a personal flair gives amazing results)
Total:                     17/20

 Frisk. Small Bar Northbridge on Urbanspoon

Casa Mexicana – El Compa
78 Lake Street, Northbridge WA 6003 | (08) 6162 8908
 
Price:                     $ ($8-12 per dish, need 2-3 per person)
Food:                    2.5/5 (would have preferred to see more use of fresh ingredients and flavour)
Service:                3/5 (quick but not so efficient, wrong meals brought to table)
Ambience:           3/5 (had a bit of a fast food vibe)
Drinks:                  3/5 (reasonable selection)
Total:                     11.5/20

 Casa Mexicana - El Compa on Urbanspoon

 Disclaimer: Chompchomp was a guest at Frisk Small Bar and received all drinks complimentary however she paid in full for her meal at Casa Mexicana El Compa.

Mexican Madness II A tale of two restaurants: That Little Mexican Place

Posted by  | Categories: Desserts, Mexican, Perth, Restaurants

Part One | Part Two

My sister’s impromptu and random visit to Perth for New Year’s seemed to keep getting extended longer and longer.  Surely she has a job back in Melbourne to return to?  My sister and I had partied fairly hard and fast for five days straight leaving us both a bit scattered and sleep deprived.  At the end point of all this, both the boy and I had to return to work whilst my sis remained on her indefinite holiday.

The problem is when you are of one of the only poor souls who have to return to work whilst being surrounded by those still in holiday mood; you completely lose your chance to chip away at your own personal sleep debt.  Eventually you may find you get a second wind of energy (or be it a third wind, or in this case – I actually think I lost track of the number).  The boy had matters made even worse for him by missing out on most of it after contracting a gastro bug that floored him for over five days.

After my literally scorching experience at Pancho’s, I really wanted to redeem Mexican cuisine for myself. Remaining local, we strolled down to the Broken Hill Hotel for a few pre-dinner drinks before heading to That Little Mexican Place.  Immediately, the differences to the mainstream Pancho’s became glaringly apparent to me.  Although TLMP was similarly filled to capacity, there was no fluoro paint on blackboards, there were no glowing happy hour cocktails, and there was most definitely no cheesy 80’s music playing.  Instead we were greeted by a cosy and sublime vibe that left you feeling like you had stumbled upon one of Perth’s best kept little secrets.  TLMP’s humble beginnings started with their tiny restaurant opening over on Fitzgerald Street in North Perth and in more recent years they have expanded over to the south into Vic Park.  The owners have spent some time travelling around Mexico where they ate their way around the country to eventually return back to Perth bringing all the flavours and ideas back with them.

Being BYO, we stopped by the Broken Hill bottle shop and bought a bottle of West Cape Howe 2010 “Styx Gully” Chardonnay.  I thought this subtly oaked wine produced by one my favourite wineries from the Great Southern region was sure to satisfy my sister’s palate but I was informed it was too fruity for her liking.  I thought the citrus was as subtle as the oak but I’m no wine expert and everyone palate is different.

Service was bubbly and helpful with the waitress returning from the kitchen with a whole list of dishes suitable for our no gluten and no onion requirements.  I was actually quite impressed with the amount of choice we had with ordering as the waitress explained that they make most of their dishes fresh.

Their guacamole is made fresh “a la mesa” (at your tableside) and is served with house made tortilla chips.  Serving tableside always reminds me of Hell’s Kitchen – Chef Ramsey is a keen fan of this however our waitress looked much more relaxed in front of us compared to Ramsey’s contestants in his show!  This guacamole was exceedingly better than that at Pancho’s, the serving was about three times the size and it was seasoned perfectly.  Even better still, I received no oil burns or other injuries whilst eating it! (TLMP $16 compared to Pancho’s $15)

Pork Taquitos "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "That Little Mexican Place" "Victoria Park" Mexican

Taquitos de Puerco

For entrée we ordered three dishes to share amongst the four of us in addition to the guacamole.  The taquitos de Puerco was described as two crispy rolled tacos filled with shredded pork and topped with melted cheese and guacamole.  Rather than drenching the crunchy little rolls in cheese and making them soggy, there was just an elegant drizzle and the taco was as crispy as a corn chip but wafer thin.

Tamal Duck "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "That Little Mexican Place" "Victoria Park" Mexican

Tamal de pato

Tamales are a traditional Latin American dish made of “masa” which is a starchy type of dough that is steamed or boiled wrapped up in a leaf wrapper which is then discarded before eating.  Tamales are often filled with a variety of things such as meat, cheese, fruit or vegetables.  TLMP’s tamale was made with a duck confit dressed with an orange and chipotle salsa.  This dish had a lot of warm in it due to the chipotle salsa which was strengthened by the acidity of the citrus.  Very tasty.

Taco "nopal" "cactus tacos""Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "That Little Mexican Place" "Victoria Park" Mexican

Taco de nopal

We all got quite excited about the cactus tacos which escalated when we saw it was on the list of foods we could order!  Despite all of us having a fair amount of travel under our belts – none of us had tried cactus before.  These tacos were made using “nopales” which are from the fleshy pad like part of the prickly pear.  They are a common feature in Mexican cuisine where they are farmed commercially.  It was prepared with portabella mushrooms, a popular way to serve them, however I did find that the mushroom taste overpowered the flavour of the cactus.  Not that I’m complaining – I absolutely love mushrooms – but I would have liked to be able to identify the flavours of the cactus.  They are supposed to taste like a tarty version of green beans however our dish ended up with quite a mild and nutty flavour (possibly from the mushrooms).  I will have to go back and try them again!

Prawns "sizzling prawns" "Camarones al la diabla" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "That Little Mexican Place" "Victoria Park" Mexican

Camarones al la diabla (prawns cooked with achiote and cayenne, served sizzling)

Continuing in my desire to establish a fair comparison of TLMP to Pancho’s, we ordered the sizzling prawns.  Remember my experience back at Pancho’s?  Think soggy vegetables, stale oil and defrosted seafood dripping in slop?  Thankfully, as with rest of our dining experience at TLMP, this dish was a winner.  The vibrant colouring of the achiote paste also gave this dish a very distinct flavour.  The combination of spices produced a fair bit of heat which the boy doesn’t tolerate well and I looked over to see the familiar sight of him poking his tongue out in attempts to cool his mouth down!  (Sizzling prawns: TLMP $22, Pancho’s $27)

"That Little Mexican Place" Mexican "Lamb shank" "Victoria Park" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "gluten free" "fructose malabsorption"

Barbacoa de cordero vástago (Lamb shank smoked then braised with chipotle and tomato)

Lamb shank dishes are nearly invariably off the menu for a fructose malabsorber due to the presence of onion contained in most stocks.  So when we saw that the shanks also featured on our list of acceptable dishes – there was minimal discussion, it was a done deal. It was a very good choice.  The meat fell off the bone easily and was exceedingly tender.

"That Little Mexican Place" Mexican "Victoria Park" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "gluten free" "fructose malabsorption" "Enchilada de Queso" "Chevre cheese" "jack cheese" "feta cheese" "corn tortillas"

Enchilada de Queso (Chevre, jack and mild feta cheese, rolled into corn tortillas and baked with salsa asada)

The triple cheese enchiladas were a bit of a naughty treat ordered due to our interest in jack cheese as this was another thing we hadn’t tried.  Despite all the cheese, this dish was surprisingly not too oily or fatty.  Because all the cheese melted into one, once again I found it difficult to place the taste of the jack cheese alone.  Another excuse for a return visit I guess!

Fish "ceviche" mango "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "That Little Mexican Place" "Victoria Park" Mexican

Ceviche de pescado (fish cured in citrus with mango, tomato, red onion and coriander)

The ceviche was my least favourite dish of the evening.  After experiencing such amazing spices and flavours contained in the other dishes we had ordered, delicate fish with sweet mango was simply overpowered by all the other excitement on my palate.

"Berry pannacotta" dessert "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "That Little Mexican Place" "Victoria Park" Mexican

Berry pannacotta

All the authentic Mexican desserts on the menu were not gluten free so reluctantly I had to order the only option which was the berry pannacotta.  It was delicious but it wasn’t the right shape or texture for a pannacotta.  I wish churros were gluten free!

By contrasting my two dining experiences at Pancho’s and That Little Mexican Place, I appreciate that I may appear to some to be comparing apples with oranges, or chalk and cheese; but here is a little piece of advice for those who believe they are happily sacrificing quality in the manner of a cheap night out at Pancho’s, you may be very mistaken.   When comparing simple dishes like the guacamole and the sizzling prawns, TLMP won the fight hands down on both taste AND price.  I guarantee I won’t return to Pancho’s again, but I certain my curiosity will drag me back to That Little Mexican Place.  And probably more than once!

Price:           $$$     ($12-18 Entrée, $17-26 Mains)
Food:           4/5     (a distinct lack of slops and sour cream)
Service:       4/5      (very accommodating )
Ambience:  3.5/5  (a packed restaurant gives good vibe)
Drinks:        4/5    (you can BYO your tequila and they make margaritas for you!)
Total:          15.5/20
 
 
That Little Mexican Place | http://www.tlmp.com.au
279 Albany Highway, Victoria Park | (08) 9472 0767
382 Fitzgerald Street, North Perth | (08) 9227 5755

That Little Mexican Place (Victoria Park) on Urbanspoon

Mexican Madness I A tale of two restaurants: Pancho's Mexican Villa

Posted by  | Categories: Mexican, Perth, Restaurants

Part One | Part Two

I have been keen to try the popular V Burger Bar for absolutely ages, so after creating much hype with the boy all day (including performing a little dance that he calls my Homer dance), we journeyed down to the Albany Highway café strip to give their burgers a shot.  To my extreme disappointment I was to find they had run out of gluten-free buns!  I was so devastated! I had been conjuring up images of sinking my teeth deep into a juicy burger for much of the day and nearly stamped my feet like a child in the middle of the restaurant due to my exasperation.

Walking out of the restaurant I could see the dismay on the boy’s face too.  I know how much he loves nachos, so I made what ended up being a very bad decision and suggested we stroll over to Pancho’s Mexican Villa instead.  We walked by all the tried and tested Thai and other Asian joints and walked down the dirty mall corridor into a packed and noisy restaurant.

Service started off a little slow leaving us sitting thirsty and peckish for long enough to notice.  As I perused the menu I was pleased to see there were plenty of gluten-free options and figured that all I needed to do was stay well away from any salsas to avoid the onion.  We started off with some strawberry daiquiris – this is the boy’s favourite drink when we were in Thailand.  Unfortunately none of our memories came flooding back to us when presented with this toxic looking beverage.  It came out a strange bright fluorescent red colour and was sickeningly sweet presumably with the A to Z of all things artificial.  Not exactly my kind of drink but with a half of a bottle of Cloudy Bay Chardonnay already in me I was willing to compromise and just go with the flow.

"Chilli con queso" "guacamole" "chilli con carne" "Pancho's Mexican Villa restaurant" Panchos Mexican "Victoria Park" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Corn chips" Dips

Trio dips: Chilli con queso, guacamole, chilli con carne

For entrées we ordered some dips with corn chips and some potato skins to share.  Our dips came out after a short delay without the accompanying potato skins entrée.  As we chatted and tapped our feet to the horrific mix of 80’s tunes playing, we ate our first half of our entrée and I began to wish we had stopped at Little Ying Thai instead.  The corn chips tasted commercially made and the dips were very oily and bland.  The guacamole was basically just mashed avocado with minimal lemon juice, tomato, spices or salt added.  The Queso dip tasted like the plastic cheese that you get in little cheese sticks for children’s lunch boxes but melted down into goop a bowl.  I avoided most of the chilli con carne dip as I figured it would most likely have some onion in it.  I had a very small taste of it which proved to be watery and as tasteless as the rest of the dips.

As we nibbled away and wondered where our skins were, a waiter zoomed past our table with a sizzling plate of hot food.  As he walked past us big spats of hot oil came showering over the top of me and left a couple of blisters on my neck.  I wasn’t sure if I was being a bit of a sook but it was stinging a fair bit!  The boy gave a quick glance at my neck in the dim light and could see little blisters starting to form on my skin!  I gestured to the waiter and explained to him what had happened.  He said he would talk to his manager however unfortunately that was all we heard from him all night.  No apology was forthcoming, nor was any discount or compensation offered.

Prawns "Cajun camerons" "Pancho's Mexican Villa restaurant" Panchos Mexican "Victoria Park" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption"

Cajun camarons

Slowly but surely we managed to work our way through our fairly dismal entrées.  We are normally fairly speedy eaters but these dips were by no means delicious.  Finally our mains were brought to our table however we were still without our second entrée.  We let the waiter know that we were expecting another entrée and we were informed that it was on the way.

I ordered the Cajun camarons – this was described on the menu as northwest sizzling prawns, dusted in spices, served with rice and vegetables.  I figured a meat dish with spices and no sauces would be an easy way to avoid onion as it was already marked on the menu as gluten-free.  The prawns came out sizzling in about half a cup of stale oil which drenched through the whole remainder of the dish.  The vegetables that accompanied the meal consisted of a soggy slop of cooked grated carrot, zucchini and capsicum with micro-heads of mushy broccoli.  It was so overcooked the vegetables had progressed in texture to become more of a stringy mash.  The oil from the prawns soaked right through the vegetables to give everything on the plate an unpleasant and nearly rancid aftertaste.  The rice was about the only thing edible on the plate and although that was a little overcooked; in my hunger I still ate it.

The boy ordered his beef nachos.  They were unmemorable and a bit soggy and he had very little to comment about them at all.

"Pancho's Mexican Villa restaurant" Panchos Mexican "Victoria Park" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Beef nachos"

Beef nachos

Once we had both finished our main meals our second entrée finally appeared.  At this point in time we had to laugh.  I was expecting some crisp skins, ones that you could eat with your fingers – a little like wedges but less meaty, with maybe some kind of sauce (we chose beef).  Nothing prepared me for the mountain of mush that was put in front of us.  We started to eat it but found all the oil, cheese and sour cream piled high on top of a barely existent poor potato skin proved as inedible as the rest of our meals.  I gestured to the waiter to take it away before I started to feel ill.

It has been nearly ten years since I have eaten Mexican – we ate it often when we lived in London as there were a couple of favourite places we used to visit.  I am reluctant to even eat it again after this experience but we are going to give it another shot and hit up another Mexican place in my next blog …. Stay tuned……

Price:           $$  ($10-16 Entrée, $17-27 Mains)
Food:           0.5/5  (near on revolting)
Service:       2/5  (service with a smile and a scar to make sure you never forget)
Ambience:  3/5  (a packed restaurant gives good vibe)
Drinks:        2/5  (too toxic and artificial for me but cheap)
 
Pancho’s Mexican Villa Restaurant
885 Albany Hwy, East Victoria Park 6101 | (08) 9361 2135 | www.panchos.com.au
 

Pancho's Mexican Villa Restaurant on Urbanspoon