The Gold Coast’s newest Mexican restaurant has tacos of course, but hold onto your sombreros, they have margaritas ON TAP!
The Gold Coast’s newest Mexican restaurant has tacos of course, but hold onto your sombreros, they have margaritas ON TAP!
Drawing from the mouth-watering Mexican flavours of Southern California, California Tacos owner Ty Yturralde uses succulent Baja favourites and Grandma’s homemade tortilla recipe to make some of the best Mexican food Australia has ever tasted at his latest project, California Cantina.
Ty’s recipes at sister restaurant California Tacos, didn’t get voted best Mexican cuisine on the Gold Coast two years in a row for nothing.
The SoCal styled menu at California Cantina has all the classics tacos lovers want, like Pollo Asado aka chicken and Carne Asada aka steak, but there are some wildcards thrown on this menu too. You’ll be loco not to check out the Nopales Taco, filled with sautéed cactus, zucchini, black beans, baja aioli and avo all tucked in to a warm blue corn tortilla, or the panko crusted Octopus Taco. If you are in the mood to share, we suggest ordering the Braised Lamb which comes seasoned in chili, feta, coriander, salsa verde, pickled Spanish onion and avo. But you know what goes well with tacos? TEQUILA!
The bright neon tequila and smiley face sign hanging above the bar say it all- This is your new margarita headquarters!
The $13 ON TAP margaritas served on the rocks with a salted rim is muy bueno. If for the off chance tap margaritas aren’t up your alley, they’ve got a tequila cocktail list sure to please any gringo. Keep it simple with the Batanga, tequila, Mexican coke (so good), salt rim and lime. Wanna get a little fancier? Try the Tijuana Sunset. Tequila, pear juice, lemon juice and Pinot Nior syrup is sure to have you convincing yourself ‘one tequila is never enough’.
Open daily from 12pm
Capri on Via Roma, 15 Via Roma, Isle of Capri
Hump day is always a fun time, the week is half over and it’s a downhill slope to the weekend. You know what else is a fun time? Cheap and delicious foods. Combine the two and you’ve got yourself the best day of the week.
Here you go hungry peeps.
NORTH GC
MID GC
SOUTH GC
Words by Belinda Symons
A few weeks ago we leaked the news that Lucas and Erin Schranz, of Easy Street and Luckies Diners‘ fame, were on the verge of opening a sweet new Mexican food venue in Burleigh. Well the time has come friends, tacocat is here, and with it comes all the magical mexi-vibes James Street has been longing for.
Found down a little alleyway just off the main drag, tacocat makes a bold statement painted in the brightest of blue hues (and a smidge of pastel pink for good measure) and a neon sign reading “hustle” lighting the way.
Once inside it’s all about good food, good company and good times. Lucas and Erin, who clearly know a thing or two about running a vibin’ venue, simply wanted to bring the tastiest of Mexican eats, and a little party atmosphere, to the people. And that they did (again).
So the food. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll start with the Fundito Guacamole topped with pork crackle, crispy chicken skin, corn crunch and cheese crisps – taste sensation. There’s also everyone’s (read: ours) favourite mexi-dish, Cheesy Corn Queso Dip which we’ll take by the buckload, thanks. The Kingfish Ceviche, cured with lime and topped with ruby grapefruit and jalapenos, also comes highly recommended (obviously).
For mains grab yourself a Tostada with Cerveza Negra Beef Cheek and pico de gallo or a Taco with green (herbed) chorizo, roast potatoes and avocado verde. Veggie friends look no further than the Zucchini Flower Taco with goats curd, chipotle cream and crispy cheese.
The good folks at tacocat also offer a range of house-created margaritas (yesss) some of which include the likes of smoked honey, habanero chillis and apple cheeks.
Cocktail extraordinaire Rupert has also created some very special non-tequila laden cocktails for those of us who may not be friends with the Mexican specialty spirit. The Flamingo is the go, made with Calle 23 Blanco, strawberry, chipotle, lime and Mexican lager.
If you’re keen for night of Mexican festivities fuelled by some of the best food around, dance your way down to tacocat, you know you want to.
LOCATION: 6/26 James Street, Burleigh Heads
HOURS: Wednesday to Friday 5pm until late, Saturday and Sunday 12pm until late
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
You’ll need all the energy you can get this weekend with three full days of dancing on the cards at Blues on Broadbeach. To start your weekend right, cook up this simple and healthy breakfast hash and you’re good to go!
INGREDIENTS
2 cups pumpkin in 1cm cubes
1 tablespoon of olive oil
12 teaspoons of smoked paprika
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
A pinch of salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
12 onions, diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
12 cups of red capsicum, diced
1 cup of zucchini, diced
1 and a 1/2 cups spinach
4 eggs
Juice of 1 and a 1/2 limes
1 avocado
1/4 of a red onion, diced
A handful of fresh coriander
DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. Peel the pumpkin and cut into small 1 cm cubes. Place the cubes in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, smoked paprika and cumin. Toss so each cube is well seasoned. Place the pumpkin on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until tender.
While the pumpkin is roasting, in an oven-proof frying pan sauté the crushed garlic, diced onion, diced capsicum, diced zucchini and 1 tablespoon of the diced jalapeños, for 3 to 4 minutes. Once the onion becomes translucent add in the spinach, lime juice and 1 teaspoon of cumin. Cook for another minute and then set aside.
Once the pumpkin is cooked add it to the pan with the veggies and stir to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Create 4 wells in the mixture and crack an egg into each hole.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until the egg whites are cooked.
In the meantime mash the avocado with 1 tablespoon of diced jalapeños, diced onions, the juice from half a lime and a pinch of salt.
Once the eggs are cooked serve with the smashed avocado and a handful of fresh coriander.
Serves 2
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 25 minutes
For more great recipes by Gold Coast local Caralee Caldwell, check out her page here.
