34 Johnston St
Fitzroy, VIC 3065
Fitzroy, VIC 3065
We’ve come a long way. From being a cuisine that’s
associated with orange cheese and refried beans, Mexican food has since in the
last few years evolved into a sparkling, vivacious cuisine. Some of it is homely,
some of it is almost-fine-dining, but a lot of it is delicious. The
orange cheese has long-since been replaced with queso.
That said though, Los Amates Mexican Kitchen has
been around for over a decade. Like a true lady, it seemed quiet and unassuming
from the exterior, but the moment you walk inside you are faced with an
explosion of colour and personality. It was festively decked out with
memorabilia and paper cuttings hung from wall to wall, and a gorgeous mural
splashed across the back room.
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| Horchata ($3.8) |
Not even winning the lottery could
possibly feel better than when Horchata
($3.8) is on the menu. This fabulous ethnic drink is grossly under-represented,
and the last time I had this delicious cinnamon rice milk was at Fonda Mexican, where I fell in love with the beverage that is simultaneously
warming and refreshing. This version was served tall and very sweet, and I loved
the hint of creaminess.
 |
| Papa Con Nopales ($8.5) |
When I was younger, my parents
always called me potato head. Combine that with a love of trying unusual foods,
and I jumped straight onto the special of Papa
Con Nopales ($8.5), described as cactus and potato cooked with an Ancho
chilli sauce. Served with two fragrant tortillas, we essentially had a starter
of two vegetarian tacos, the filling soft and mild like a veggie stew.
 |
| Pulpo Enamorado ($15) |
I’m not a big fan of corn chips
(though Chris loves them), but I will concede they’re about as good as
topping-vehicles get. In our case, we opted for Pulpo Enamorado ($15), a generous serving of octopus in
creamy dressing with salsa. The pieces of octopus were fresh and addictively
chewy, spiced up with coriander, onions, and a hint of chilli in the tangy
dressing. Whilst Chris spent his time picking around the coriander, I
demolished the entire dish.
 |
| Tacos de Res con Rajas ($22.5) |
Arguably, the dish that everyone
comes here for are the tacos. Instead of being served up at $6 a pop, these are
served up in true Mexican spirit – DIY and shared. Our choice of filling – Tacos de Res con Rajas ($22.5) –
was mouth-watering. Thin strips of steak were grilled with a medley of onions
and peppers, resulting in rich, smoky, and succulent pieces of beef. And on the
side, the most adorable little basket of tortillas wrapped warm and snug in
coloured cloth. It was served with two salsas and pureed black beans, but I
enjoyed the plain beef in tortillas best of all.
 |
| Pastel de Elote ($7.5) |
Having not eaten nearly as much of
the octopus as I had, Chris insisted on dessert, and the Pastel de Elote ($7.5) was a sweet ending indeed. Flavoured with
corn kernels and honey, our slice of cake was fluffy and hot, and we fought for
the last spoonful (well, metaphorically; we actually shared it like respectable
adults). And whilst calling half a strawberry a ‘berry coulis’ is stretching
the truth to shattering point, we didn’t mind a single bit.
Los Amates advertises itself as the
only authentic Mexican restaurant in Victoria, and whilst I’m not entirely sold
on that point, I will concede that it serves up the most legitimate meal of
home-styled Mexican food I’ve had to date. The staff bantered in Spanish, and
whilst I had a bit of trouble understanding them through their luscious accents
and over the music, it is all part of the charm. Here is Mexican food served as
it was intended – homely, flavoursome, and fun.
Rating: 14/20 – mexican mama’s meals.
This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.
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