Top 5 Fish Tacos

I didn’t realize how hard it was to find fish tacos in Melbourne until I started my search this year. To add to it, these restaurants all don’t take reservations so getting in there is in itself a challenge! Yes, it has been that long but I have finally completed my “research”. This list takes us on a journey to find the best fish tacos in Melbourne that is of top quality and of authentic Mexican influence (not Tex-Mex).

1. Mamasita

1/11 Collins Street  Melbourne VIC 3001
(03) 9650 3821

I was first introduced to Mamasita by my friend Brad who swore by this fancy Mexican restaurant in the city. At first, I was puzzled by all the hype and why people would queue up for hours to get into this joint. And then I found out why. An hour of queuing later, we got into this casual but contemporary Mexican Mecca, and were blown away by the delightful flavors and variety of traditional Mexican treats made modern. From the likes of their classic grilled corn with cheese, cayenne pepper and fresh lime, to their signature fish tacos with spicy tomatillo salsa and slaw and crispy chicken quesadilla topped with creamy guacamole. Definitely worth the wait, make sure you make time for the sangria or margarita  in a carafe to share amongst friend's. Truly an experience like no other.

Photo by AVLXYZ

2. Touché hombre

233 Lonsdale Street  Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9663 0811

I finally made it to this new Mexican kid on the block after several failed attempts due to private events and queues. My initial thoughts - great ambience, funky, vibrant, colorful atmosphere, and friendly staff. All the makings for a top Mexican joint! This place features casual shared dining with long rustic wooden high tables and chairs. You can also dine by the bar for easy access to a myriad of cocktails and of course tequila!

You will find interesting usage of disposable cutlery and recycled materials for the menu. My next thoughts – this is an accessible Mamasita. Affordable Mexican at $6-$7 a taco with a wide variety to choose from. We chose the crispy duck leg special that came with margarita for 2 and of course, the legendary battered fish tacos. Followed by grilled corn and seafood ceviche. Not forgetting the blood orange Madagascar cocktail. Wow.

The cerviche was generously filled with mussels, prawns, salsa and guacomole. It was sour but flavorsome and the tortilla chips crunchy and a great accompaniment to the cerviche. The fish tacos were juicy, crispy and packed with flavor with the mayo and salsa oozing out as you sunk your teeth into it. The grilled corn was flooded with flavor of mayo, peppers and cheese. Simply beautiful. The special crispy duck leg was as described. Crisp, delicious and luscious. The guacomole and sauces were devine. All up, a perfect Mexican dining experience and a close second to Mamasita.

Fish Taco

Cerviche

3. Paco’s Tacos

Level 1, 500 Bourke St (up the stairs from Little Bourke St)

(03) 9663 3038

Located off Little Bourke St, between William and Queen St, Paco’s Tacos sits right next to Movida Aqui and is owned and managed by Movida. It is, however, a more accessible and affordable joint than Movida, offering exciting and colourful Mexican food at its best. All tacos are a cheap and cheerful $6 and come in colourful red baskets. We tried the Pescado – marinated fish, chipotle and radish which was savoury, crispy and juicy – drenched with the hot chipotle sauce. We also savoured the camarones – filled with prawns, pepita sauce and salsa verde – it was spicy, peppery and flooded with green creamy salsa verde sauce. Between the 2, the pescado was the winner. Another winner was the BBQ corn nicely char-grilled with chipotle pepper sauce, and generous portions of grated cheese on the top. A great dish to share is the crispy nachos  with toasted tortilla chips, salsa verde, pico de gallo, guacamole, and queso fresco. Absolutely delish. Order the jug of sangria to share at $32 a pop enough for 3 and a bit. Note: this venue is sheltered but in an open outdoor area with heaters to keep you warm but make sure you rug up for winter!

Fish Taco

Nachos

4. Taco Truck

Expect the unexpected with the taco truck as it changes its location every week (mostly in the Brunswick area) to cater to the throngs of taco lovers eager to sink their teeth into each exquisite taco creation. The thrill is in finding the truck and then of course the experience of dining like no other.  My friends and I decided to go on an adventure last week by “chasing” the truck. We found out the location via the taco truck’s facebook page and then off we went to find the truck.

We were beside ourselves as we pulled up past the truck and spotted the bright coloured “TACO TRUCK” sign amidst a queue of hungry taco hunters. Jackpot! I ordered the fish taco plate which was a reasonable $12 for 2 fish tacos and tortilla chips. “A 20 min wait, but its worth the wait”, said the friendly lady in the truck. And, true to her word, it surely was worth the wait as it wasn’t long before we savoured the delightful crispy fish tacos and crunchy tortilla chips oozing with flavours. Tip: Add a dash of the habenaro hot sauce over the tacos and chips for an extra kick! Unexpected to say the least – who would’ve thought good food could come out of a truck? Taco truck has certainly found a new fan.

Fish Taco Plate

5. Fonda Mexican

248 Swan Street  Richmond VIC 3121
(03) 9429 0085

We ordered takeaway from Fonda thinking it might be a bit of a wait. To our surprise, 15 min was all it took for us to pick up our much-awaited orders! If you have a little more time, dine in at the casual Casa de Mexicana as you watch their friendly staff hustle about in the busy kitchen. The tortillas are made to order using dough presses so you are guaranteed freshness.  (Their dough is prepared daily at the Abbotsford Convent bakery.) Choose from a variety of meat, market fresh fish or even vegetarian 6” tacos or 12” burritos.

Again, this joint is set to give mamasita a run for its money. Reasonably priced tacos at $6 a pop with sides from $3.50 for the charred corn and $6 for the tortilla crisps with spicy salsa and guacamole as well as the Mexican pork scratchings (Chicharons with gaucamole) at $5 - our total bill for 2 came up to $30! Unreal by Melb standards. The crunchiness of the slaw against the flavorsome grilled fish and guac make for a real treat. Yet again another accessible Mamasita!

A Mexican Feast

 

My Top 5 Fave South Melbourne Haunts

1. Chez Dre

(Rear of) 285-287 Coventry St South Melbourne (03) 9690 2688

Tucked in an alley off Coventry St South Melbourne is a cosy french-themed patisserie – Chez Dre.  Open daily from 7.30am to 4.30pm, make sure you get in early to relish both savoury and sweet treats freshly baked by the busy but meticulous chefs.  Some of their generously-portioned popular dishes from their all day breakkie menu include their Moroccan baked eggs with spicy herb lamb sausages, minted yoghurt and baguette and Mexican-inspired corn and jalepeno brioche with black-eyed beans, tomato salsa, and guacamole topped with a fried egg. Or how about a more “french-inspired” croque madame with thick crust toast, smoked ham, melted gruyere cheese, rich béchamel sauce and a crispy fried egg on top! It’s easy to spend a few hours here as you will find the aroma of freshly roasted coffee and delicately baked cakes collaborating to tantalize your senses, undoubtedly teasing you for more. Indulge in the variety of flavoured macaroons from pistachio to strawberry or dig into their opulent chocolate tart sprinkled with gold leaves. 

2. Dead Man Espresso

35 Market St  South Melbourne VIC 3205 (03) 9686 2255

I fell in love with this unpretentious, welcoming joint the moment we were seated overlooking their intimate fresh outdoor setting with high chairs on a bar top bench peeking into the tranquil market st neighborhood. We ordered their infamous coffee and real spicy chai latte – where you could still see the cloves, cinnamon and spices atop the frothy goodness. Their wholesome and mouthwatering selection of weekend all day breakkie includes the creamy avocado on toast and star attractions like the juicy pork belly sanga and crispy potato rosti. The avocado on toast was a real winner with depths of flavour from a surprising crunch of pistachio amidst creamy avocado, citrusy fetta, followed by a burst of orange and then the freshness of herby basil. With its exceptional food, great service with constant water refills, it’s easy to see why this is one of my favourite South Melbourne haunts.

3. St Ali

12-18 Yarra Place  South Melbourne VIC 3205 (03)9686 2990

Voted by many a coffee afficianado as one of Melbourne’s best coffee joints, St Ali brings a quirky but likeable personality into the South Melbourne neighbourhood. Featuring interesting menu items such as “My Mexican Cousin” – a “secret recipe of corn fritters, fresh baby spinach, haloumi, kasundi with poached or fried eggs” and  “magic mushroom” – a flat omelette of field mushrooms, cherry tomato, oregano and pine nuts, occasionally you might get lucky and be served shots of new coffee flavours of the day to go along with your breakkie. 

4. Cafe Sweethearts

263 Coventry St South Melbourne (03) 9690 6752

If none of the above cafes will accommodate you, Café Sweethearts will. With its massive breakfast portions, it will surely hit a spot for you. My personal fave? The lumberjack – with a triple stack pancake, doused with maple syrup, topped with salty bacon and a soft-centred fried egg. The mix of salty and sweet seem odd at the get-go but the ingenious combo actually works. For a true protein kick, make sure you try the Spanish eggs with whole egg whites beaten and scrambled with tomatoes, onions, corn, and jalepeno on sourdough toast served with a side of tomato relish. Once you’ve looked after the tummy rumbles, sit back and watch the busy South Melbournites go about their Sunday shopping as you sip on your coffee or selection of teas.

 

5. G.A.S.

253 Coventry St South Melbourne (03) 9690 0217

G.a.s. (short for gastronomy) is a truly a celebration of top-notch gourmet cookery.  The casual dining atmosphere with the bustling crowds sitting side by side on high chairs by long tables brings you back to a market feel whilst the serves of food on heavy wooden chopping blocks add a touch of classic food styling. Make sure you try the scrumptious, saucy Middle Eastern Eggs “served in an iron pan with spiced stewed tomato sauce, grilled haloumi cheese and paprika accompanied with toasted Turkish bread”.  Or be tempted by the vast array of  grazing platters including the crispy savoury gozleme (Turkish filled pizzas), lamb kofta balls and their version of spicy jalepeno cheese fritters. Or be wowed by their simple yet effective filler of a breakkie – Croque Monsieur with ham, cheese and béchamel sauce.

Top 5 Takeaways in Melbourne

Check out my guest post at http://www.travellers-magazine.com/guest-post-top-5-takeaways-in-melbourne/ for my Top 5 Takeaways in Melbourne. :)

Louisa's Top 5 Favourite Recipes

Hi everyone, here's my first guest entry by Louisa Peterson. Louisa works for Delivery Hero, a Sydney-based internet start-up, that makes it easier for Aussies to order home delivery online. Louisa is passionate about food and sunshine, and is a regular contributor to Delivery Hero’s blog. 

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When Lorraine from ‘Passionate about Life’ asked me to write a guest post on my 5 favourite recipes, I thought, easy! But when I started thinking about it I realised it's actually kind of tricky to narrow it down! There are SOO many good recipes out there! Here are some of my favourite recipes, categorised, like a proper geek. Don’t get me wrong I love indulgent, rich meal ideas, but at the same time I love simple, tasty meals that have fresh ingredients and depths of flavour.

No.1 Recipe Favourite - Roast Lamb and Two Veg
Lamb cutlets, mint, rosemary, 2 garlic cloves, red wine, sweet potato, vine ripened tomatoes, fresh steamed green beans and asparagus.
Method: Marinate lamb cutlets in a mixture of mint, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, red wine and tomatoes overnight. Roast the sweet potato with tomatoes first at 200 degrees C for 30 mins. Sear the lamb in a frying pan, then squeeze them in amongst the roast veggies and cook in the oven for 10 minutes. Steam green beans and asparagas. Serve together with a drizzle of the cooked marinade.

No.2 Recipe Favourite – Veggie Salad
Broccoli, beetroot, sweet potato, red onion, rocket, pumpkin seeds, feta, balsamic vinegar
Method: steam broccoli and rinse in cold water to cool. Roast baby beets and small chunks of sweet potato with thick slices of red onion in olive oil for 40 mins (or until tender) at 180 degrees C. Once cooled, cut the baby beets in half.  Dry fry (without oil) a handful of pumpkin seeds in a pan until they pop. Toss broccoli, roasted veggies, pumpkin seeds, rocket and feta together. Serve with a generous splash of balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

No.3 Recipe Favourite – Nanna’s Apple Shortcake
100 g butter, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, 2 cups of flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
, 7 medium apples stewed, cinnamon or nutmeg to taste.

Method:
Slice apples and stew in a pan with 50g sugar and half a cup of water. Set aside. Soften butter and beat with sugar till well mixed. Add whole egg and beat again.
 Add sieved flour and baking powder in stages until it starts looking like pastry. Use your hands for the final stages. Add a dash of extra flour or milk if necessary, but don't over mix.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Divide the pastry in half and roll out to the size of the baking dish. You'll need to experiment with thickness depending on the size of the baking tin or dish. Bake for 10 mins, then spread with cooked apples, sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg to taste. Cover with the remaining pastry, pressing down around the edges. Bake for 40 mins or until brown.

No.4 Recipe Favourite – Moscow Mule
Vodka, cucumber, ginger ale, ice
Method: Put a few ice cubes in a glass with two thumbs of vodka, ginger ale, and slices of skinned cucumber. Sit back and relax.

No.5 Recipe Favourite – Homemade Pita Bread Pizzas
Pita bread, tomato pasta sauce, onions, salami, ham, feta, cheese, rocket and avocado, oregano, basil or other herbs to taste
Method: Fry chopped onions till clear. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C. Spread tomato pasta sauce of choice as a base, sprinkle onions, ham, salami, feta and cheese on pita. Add herbs to taste. Bake for 12 minutes or until crispy. Generously sprinkle with rocket and slices of avocado. Super easy, super fast. But if the cupboard looks a little empty or you’re just too busy, takeaway in Melbourne is always a good option.

Image by jeffreyw.

Top 5 'Dine n Dash' in Melbourne

Contrary to what you might think refers to 'Dine n Dash', the below Top 5 list refers to the restaurants dishing out the quickest and tastiest meals in record time - all within an hour. Extremely handy for when you need to 'dine and dash'! Enjoy!

1. Red spice road
27 McKillop Street  Melbourne VIC 3000
(03)9603 1601
If you only have half an hour, and want a quick and satisfying meal, come to Red Spice Road. In 5 min we were seated, with orders taken, served drinks and in 15 min, we got our food. In a halfa, we were full and truly satiated. Order their signature caramelised pork belly, fried barramundi with watermelon salad, crispy soft shell crab with a side of jasmine rice. Servings are generous and moreish so be prepared for a feast. The jug tails are good value at $30 a pop - enough for 4 people or 4 serves. 'Speedy' and 'scrumptious' are 2 words I would use to describe this venue as we rolled out pot-bellied through the heavy wooden doors.

2. Gaijin
135 Commercial Road South Yarra 
 (03) 9804 8873
My new fave sushi restaurant. What a find on commercial rd south Yarra. We loved it so much we had it 2 days in a row! Gaijin means foreigner in Japanese and what an apt name as it combines a modern fusion take on sushi. Must trys include the fried twist roll with salmon seaweed and ginger deep fried with tempura crunch and rolled and dressed with spicy mayo as well as the spider vs dragon roll combining soft shell crab, cream cheese sushi with slivers of  teriyaki unagi (eel) on top! Reasonably priced at circa $14 a dish. Go empty-stomached on mon-thurs for all you can eat sushi at $35 a pop! You'll be in and out in less than an hr - guaranteed grinning from ear to ear.

3. The Dining Haul
86-88 Ormond Rd Elwood
03 9531 9771
Brand spanking new and right across the road from me - comes my new fave local! Themed a seafood bar, with yellow fishermans' rain coats hung out the front and bouys etc lining the restaurant, this modern bistro serves up a quick and satisfying feed for the ravenous seafood lover. Try the fish burger and thin handcut chips or crispy beer battered fish and thin cut fries with garlic aioli and mushy peas. Make sure you order 'your bouy' a zingy potent concoction of rum, honey vodka, ginger beer and fresh lime - enough for 2!

4. Nshry
129A Beaconsfield Parade, Albert Park 
(03) 9682 1077

Another quick feed off Albert park, this joint scores extra points for their scenic views of the ocean front shoreline. Come here for lunch instead of dinner so you get to try their Devine Nshry Umami burger. A handy tip for you - come here for dinner only if you are willing to pay for slightly over priced and tiny delicate bite sized tapas. The Umami burger's beef patty is marinated with ''umami rub'', a salty mix of kombu and porcini powder that adds to the premium Angus and Wagyu mince. This is layered with melted gruyere, roast tomato and mushroom sauce within a soft brioche bun. Crisp onion rings, creamy coleslaw and cornichons are on the side. It's a sure-fire winner and served quickly too. Not hard to see why this one's won the heart of locals and other suburban patrons alike.

 5. Pantry
1 Church Street  Brighton VIC 3186
(03) 9591 0393
Rolling in the master chefs, pantry runs a tight ship here with their quick all day breakkie till 4pm. Featuring all time favorite breakkie specials such as the off the bone ham, gruyere cheese & tomato toastie with poached eggs as well as Spanish breakfast with tomato, capsicum, bean stew, chorizo, ham, fried egg, cheese, on sourdough toast and a huge selection of bircher muesli, stewed apple and cinnamon porridge and French toast, you will be spoilt for choice here. Rest assured though that your food will fly out of the kitchen and into your tums before you can say 'pantry'!