Level 6, 252 Swanston St
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Melbourne, VIC 3000
It came in the night. With no fanfare and hardly any warning,
except for a short media release in my inbox, Mesa Verde became the newest addition to Curtin House,
boasting Mexican treats and an extensive drinks list all the way up on the 6th
floor.
Like
most inhabitants of Curtin House, Mesa Verde is first and foremost a bar. The
restaurant itself has a distinctly western feel with lots of wood and lazy
ceiling fans, topped off with mismatching oil lamps, and cowboy films projected
onto a blank wall. And whilst we were here for the tacos, most people seemed
keener on sampling the 240 types of tequila on offer.
 |
| Baja Fish Taco ($8)/Ox Tongue Taco ($6.5) |
Speaking
of tacos, we started our Mexican fiesta with an Ox Tongue Taco ($6.5), and a Baja Fish Taco ($8), the latter being from the specials
menu. The tacos had a generous amount of filling held in a soft tortilla; the
juicy cubes of ox tongue were served with a grassy salsa verde and tangy
pickles, and the crisp baton of fish was simply garnished with crisp iceberg
lettuce and a drizzle of spicy chipotle mayo.
 |
| Grilled Corn ($6) |
I
ordered the Grilled Corn ($6)
with a healthy dose of anticipation, and these were fine specimens indeed. The
sweet, charred kernels of corn were rolled in a peppery chipotle mayo and
shavings of queso fresco. The creamy sweetness was spiced up with the addition
of smoky chipotle powder, and a squeeze of lime.
 |
| Lamb and Green Olive Empanada ($6.5) |
Chris
the Crazy doesn’t like grilled corn, so he had a Lamb and Green Olive Empanada ($6.5) instead. The crescent
of pastry came out flaky and piping hot, filled with a lamb mince that was a
tad dry but flavoursome. Not sure where the green olive featured though.
 |
| Bourbon Glazed Pork Ribs ($20) |
 |
| Bourbon Glazed Pork Ribs ($20) |
Most
of the larger plates sounded delicious, but we couldn’t resist the Bourbon Glazed Pork Ribs ($20).
The succulent rack of ribs was sweet, sticky, and finger-lickingly good. And
whilst Chris only had eyes for the protein, I loved the crisp, piquant salad of
radishes and watercress on the side.
 |
| Potatoes al Horno ($9) |
To
go with our ribs, we ordered a plate of Potatoes al Horno ($9), an intriguingly named dish that turned out to be a
simple serve of roast potatoes – not that there’s anything wrong with that! They
were completely delectable, with a crisp skin and fluffy center, garnished with
sea salt and brittle sage leaves.
Mesa
Verde is a worthy addition to the ever-growing Mexican scene in Melbourne. It’s
not cheap, but let’s not pretend that Mexican is a particularly affordable
option around here anyway. For the price, you get a selection of food that
won’t leave anyone complaining, countless ways to get sloshed, and no queue to boot
– for now.
Rating: 14/20 – green pastures.
This rating reflects my personal
experience at the time of visit.
No comments:
Post a Comment