Five To Try: Mexican Menus at Dine Out

Dine Out, Broadsheet’s winter food festival, is back for its second year. In partnership with Mastercard and Doordash, we’re staging 50 new events across the city from Monday July 20 to Sunday July 26. This year’s line-up includes a truffle party at Marmont, French specials from Guillaume Brahimi at Baker Bleu and a spotlight on Melbourne’s ever-growing Mexican food scene. Taqueria Sin Nombre’s collab with fellow Chinatown restaurant Boon Choou is sold out, but there are still plenty of opportunities to get top-tier Mexican-inspired dishes during Dine Out.

Nama x Mesa Verde, CBD

Nama is a roaming izakaya concept from chef Geoff Marett (currently at Hot Listed Benchwarmer and formerly of Hong Kong’s renowned Yardbird). For Dine Out, he’s swinging into the kitchen at Curtin House’s Mexican restaurant, Mesa Verde. Together, Marett and head chef Jacob Green will prepare a menu that explores the similarities and contrasts between Mexican, Japanese and Cantonese cuisines. Across four courses and seven dishes, you’ll try creations such as crispy fried wonton tostadas layered with spanner crab, corn, miso butter and melted cheese. Tickets are $99 and include a welcome drink. There’ll also be an extensive list of saké and agave spirits available at bar prices. 6pm–11pm, July 23. Book here.

La Cena Costa Sierra Dinner at Frankie’s Tortas and Tacos, Fitzroy

For one night only, Hot Listed Frankie’s Tortas and Tacos in Fitzroy is shifting focus from hefty Mexican sangas to an $85 set menu of regional dishes. To start, there’ll be seafood entrees from the coastal town of Puerto Vallarta including aguachile rojo, and tiger prawn tacos dorados. For mains, you’ll enjoy a selection of hearty plates popular in Guadalajara, such as carne en su jugo (meat in its juices) made from Scotch fillet, beans, bacon, beef broth, tomatillos and jalapenos. To finish it off, there’ll be jericalla (baked custard served cold) with blood orange nieve de garrafa (Mexico’s answer to ice-cream). The menu includes a drink on arrival, with cocktails and agave spirits from Jalisco available to order separately. From 6pm, July 22. Book here.

Aussie Nostalgia Meets Mexico at Santito and Mission District, Collingwood and Ripponlea

The team at Hot Listed Collingwood taqueria Santito prides itself on making tacos from scratch and keeping things authentic. Meanwhile, at Jenna and Tom Davies’s Ripponlea restaurant Mission District, the crew is focused on Cali-style Mexican dishes such as Baja fish burritos and loaded fries. But for Dine Out, Santito and Mission District are putting together Mexican menus inspired by nostalgic Aussie dishes.

At Santito, there’ll be Vegemite and cheese sopes (fried tortillas); a lamb barbacoa shepherd’s pie; frog in a pond with lime jelly; and Tim Tam horchata with an option to add a shot of rum, tequila or Licor 43.

And at Mission District, chilli con carne is being served with hard-shell tacos and pack-it-yourself condiments – Taco Tuesday-style on a school night. Iced Vovo churros hark back to raiding the biscuit tin at your nan’s house, while fairy bread milk punch brings back childhood parties with a grown-up twist (especially if you add an optional shot of rum, tequila or Licor 43). July 20–26. Bookings recommended.

Birria Burritos Special at Dingo, Abbotsford

The crew behind six-year-old food truck Dingo Ate My Taco (also behind Hot Listed Taqueria Sin Nombre) just opened permanent Abbotsford restaurant Dingo. The Tex-Mex spot is taking one of the truck’s best-loved dishes – the birria taco – and turning it into a burrito. For Dine Out, the Dingo team will be rolling out enormous 40-centimetre flour tortillas and stuffing them with cheese and slow-cooked brisket. Vegetarian and vegan versions will be available too. 12pm until sold out, July 25.