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 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. Thursday July 23 from 6pm to 11pm. Book here. La Cena Costa Sierra Dinner at Frankie’s Tortas and Tacos 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. Wednesday
July 22 from 6pm. Book here. Aussie Nostalgia Meets Mexico at Santito and Mission District 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). Monday July 20 to Sunday July 26 at Mission District and Santito. Bookings recommended. Birria Burritos Special at Dingo 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. Saturday July 25 from midday until sold-out.
Dine Out, Melbourne food festival, Mexican inspired dishes, Mesa Verde, Frankie’s Tortas and Tacos, Santito, Mission District, Dingo Ate My Taco, birria burrito, Hot Listed
So this is like Mexican food but with sushi vibes? $99 seems insane though.
I don’t get why they gotta mix Mexican with Japanese and Cantonese. Just make legit tacos. Also who even pays $85 for dinner when you can cook at home?
Not sold out??? It says Taqueria Sin Nombre collab sold out but then mentions other chances, so like… where are the other chances? I tried booking and it just kept spinning.
I read “truffle party” and immediately assumed it was just appetizers with truffle oil everywhere, which is not my thing. And “agave spirits at bar prices” sounds like they’ll charge like $25 for one drink. But wonton tostadas with spanner crab?? That just sounds like a gimmick to me, not Mexican food.