Norfolk Hotel, Redfern

Smashing out $3 Tacos in the company of young hipsters.

That's Tuesday night at the Norfolk.

Beef brisket and pulled pork flavours let down by excessive cooking time reducing the meat to string, the fish & anchiote paste and chargrilled chicken, guac and chipotle make me much happier.

Zambrero

It’s all about the lime at Zambrero. Fast Mexican is the name of the game here, though I could have sworn reading from right to left was an Arabic thing. Anyways, it’s simple once you read the sequence correctly, choose your shell be it taco or burrito, a meat or not, add a salsa, guac costs extra, then a sauce, a squeeze of lime (though it would be nice if a fresh one could be cut each time) and hey presto. Chicken zacatecas burrito with tomato salsa and gauc is a decent combo, though I’d say that Guzman has the edge.


2 / 5 yums!
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Where? Alinga St, City Civic, Canberra, ACT
What? Under $10

Guzman y Gomez

Guzz Man WHY Gomez? Sounds Mexican but my Spanish ain’t so well. Instead of figuring out how to pronounce the name of this place, just tell your mates to meet you at the joint that does true Mex with a fetish for black and white pixelated images, newspapers against splashes of yellow with a big dark table you could lie on.

If that’s a mouthful, wait til you see the menu. Relatively straight forward… choose your soft tortilla: small sized Quesadillas (that’s keh-sah-dee-ya to you punk) which is kinda like a cheese fold over, medium Taco (not what you’re thinkin) which is kinda like a half fold over or the mother Burrito which is kinda like a non fried Chicko Roll but heaps healthier. Then your meat filling from a zesty chargrilled chicken or prawns in Yellow Mole, the BBQ spiced chicken, beef, fish or tofu Gurrero, a mysterious D.F. Steak and Onion, Pork Chipotle or the “it ain’t a meal if it ain’t got meat” rabbit food options of grilled pepper & onion, grilled mushrooms or black bean. Finish it off with salsas of tomato, jalapeno, coriander and chilli in mild, medium hot and hot. Go the GYG Nachos for the brainless choice.

Satisfying that key criteria to be fast food, could this be the industry’s new black? Great value with most under $10, it’s Subway fresh that’s Selma Hayek foxy, lean and fat free.

3 / 5 yums!
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Where? 175 King St, Newtown; 1A Bronte Rd, Bondi Junction; Bayswater Rd, Kings Cross, NSW
What? Most under $10





Left to Right : Fish Guerrero Burrito, Pork Guerrero Taco, Black Bean Taco, GYG Nachos, Chicken Guerrero Burrito

Flying Fajita Sisters

“Deal or No Deal” shares my sentiments for Mexican food. Not a fan. Not that it’s clumsy, or an ill conceived idea that to this day leaves me scratching my ass as to why people enjoy the show. The cuisine from that country south of NSW, I mean Canadia has never really did much for me. Tex Mex, it just tries too hard to please, kind of like the host of that TV show. That was until a cabbie, playing reggaeton and with a slight American accent told stories about how his wife had been a predator of true Mexican food in the big apple and that her hunting adventures had taken them to little place in Glebe, with it’s little courtyard out the back, is probably the number one target. With a music taste like that and advice from a seemingly well travelled gent, sure… lets play… DEAL.

So you venture into the main dining area that feels like you could pull over that poncho, slap on a sombrero, lean up against a wall and go for a siesta. Further through is the courtyard as promised, though not as charming as described, feeling more like a fenced cobble stoned driveway complete with the four legs. Dining by candles does set a healthy mood.

Easing into the grub, eliminate those hand made corn chips and dig out a healthy amount of dipping, a trio of pepian, a Mexican pesto of pureed pumpkin seeds and non-threatening green chilli, queso fundido made with charred tomato, melted cheese and a sweet, mildly spicy ancho chilli and frijoles of reddish brown bean stewed down with traditional spices and cheese. Envisaging a few of those cynical briefcases in my mind are being knocked off, temperate for this stuff is rising.

Mains are typically Mex, though made the traditional way. No Doritos style tacos here and most come with your choice of meat / non-meat fillings. Tamales, explained as a pre Hispanic sandwich, steamed parcelled brick red achiote pulled pork by a banana leaf, served with Mexican rice, black beans and two salsas which I mistakenly under utilised until the end, for until then, it was mildly pleasant with it’s spice blend. Burritos, a flour tortilla bounding a sour cream, cheese, tomato salsa and a sweetly smoked chicken comes with guac that’s neatly spiced allowing a full avocado hit.

Unfortunately all this hasn’t changed the brain’s opinion for the Mex. Deal or No Deal… okay game but bored knocking off cases… NO DEAL for me, happier to take the bank and run.

2.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 65 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe, NSW
What? Most under $20





Left to Right : Appetiser, Trio of pepian, queso fundido and frijoles, Tamale, Burrito