Cartel del Taco
Hawthorne
Cartel Del Taco brings an authentic taste of Mexico City to Brisbane's eastside with traditional tacos, tequila cocktails, Mexican cerveza and more.
The brainchild of Mexican ex-pats and friends, Erick Martinez and Marco Ramirez, the bright and cheerful, retro-inspired taqueria is as authentic as it gets, from the delicious food on offer to the furnishings imported from Mexico, including the shiny red tables and chairs, plates and glasses, and Indigneous art such as the vibrant bull's skull hand-decorated by an Oaxacan artist.
Guests are greeted with a neon sunburst along one wall, and a sleek illuminated bar on the other, with dining provided both inside and outside on the footpath.
Entradas or starters, perfect for sharing, include fresh oysters served with a Mexican mignonette, coriander, green jalapeno chilli and a touch of Tabasco; authentic guacamole served with home made corn tortilla chips; chargrilled corn with lime, mayo and Tajin chilli powder; pescadillas (deep-fried quesadillas filled with red snapper) served with pico de gallo, salsa and lime; and octopus tostadas - crunchy corn tortillas topped with slow-cooked octopus, salsa, coriander, lime, mayo and homemade secret spicy sauce.
The Taco menu boasts 7 tasty street food treats including the most famous taco in Mexico - El Pastor - spit-grilled pork marinated with guajillo chilli and axiote adobo, served with a sliver of pineapple.
Otherwise, there's Suadero (slow-cooked beef brisket), Campechano (grilled beef brisket and chorizo), Carne Asada (grilled rib fillet with Oxaca cheese), and even a vegan taco with marinated jackfruit.
Plus, there's a selection of Mexican desserts including a chocolate taco with caramelised hazelnut and coconut ice-cream topped with ancho chilli syrup; spicy mango sorbet with a sprinkle of Tajin chilli; and Pastel Imposible - vanilla flan on top of chocolate mud cake topped with Mexcal rompope.
Cartel Del Taco is fully licensed with Dos Equis and Montieth's on tap, served along with Tecate, Corona, Modelo and more, a carefully curated concise wine list, and a refreshing array of tequila and Mexcal-based cocktails including classic Margaritas and signature cocktails such as The Gardner (Patron Silver, Cointreau, passionfruit and citrus), Plate Picante (Patron Silver, Cointreau, coconut, pineapple and citrus with a dash of Tabasco) and Rosalitta - Patron Silver, Chambord, cranberry and citrus with a hint of vanilla.
By Deb Lidster
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