Chances are, the last time you went to a Mexican restaurant in Brisbane you didn’t order real Mexican food at all, but Tex-Mex, a distinctly US cuisine.
Apparently, if you headed deep into Mexico, wandered into a local food place and asked for chilli con carne, sizzling beef fajitas or even cheesy nachos, you’d be answered with blank stares. Soft white tortillas, lashings of cheddar cheese, black beans and even shredded beef, all those things we kinda love best about Mexican food, all Stateside in origin, born out of a marriage between the tastes of the Deep South and the flavours of Mexico. Yep.
But that’s not to say it isn’t delicious, right? So we’ve rounded up the Mexican restaurants in Brisbane that are serving up some authentic Tex-Mex alongside their mole, tacos and burritos (that’s real Mexican, just FYI).
La Quinta | Bulimba
You could just order a serve of buffalo wings and jalepeno poppers stuffed with cream cheese and roasted corn and consider yourself fed at La Quinta. But you really should save some room for their chilli, the chunky beef chilli to be exact, slowly braised until it falls apart and practically melts in your mouth. Mmmm, thank you Texas.
Pepe’s | Jindalee
Forget taco Tuesday, it’s all about enchiladas on the day before hump day at Pepe’s. $15 enchiladas stuffed with cheese, your choice of protein, baked with plenty of spicy sauce and served with a side of sangria or a Corona, actually. And though we’re not sure it can even be classed as Tex-Mex, let alone Mexican, mention must go to their dessert nachos, loaded with chocolate fudge sauce and ice-cream.
Beach Burrito Company | Fortitude Valley
While their 12 types of burritos are impressive, it’s the loaded nachos and chilli fries that catch our attention every time at Beach Burrito Co. Piled high with chilli con carne, blended cheese, salsa, jalepenos, guacamole, sour cream AND chilli salt, these guys know how to do nachos in true Tex-Mex fashion.
Dos Amigos | Taringa
Dos Amigos has been around for 27 years, so they must be doing something right. One thing they’re definitely doing right is their fajitas, with a choice of chicken breast, rib fillet or prawns marinated and served up on a sizzling platter with flat bread, salad, sour cream and guacamole for some DIY Texican. Just don’t burn yourself rushing to get some of that juicy meat onto your plate like we always seem to do.
Fiesta Ole | Spring Hill
Fiesta Ole cater to both sides of the border, with traditional Mexican tacos and ‘Gringo tacos,’ the Tex-Mex tacos that we know and love. Hard shell tacos are stuffed with chorizo, marinated beef, refried beans or chicken along with lettuce, cheese, sour cream and salsa. Not to be confused with the real deal, which comes in a soft tortilla without a hint of cheese or sour cream.
El Torito | West End
El Torito is a little more Mexican than most but it’s still their Tex-Mex dishes that have us salivating. Convince yourself you’re dining healthy with a taco salad, a deep-fried flour tortilla bowl filled to the brim with shredded beef, beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole. If it’s called a salad it’s low fat, right?
Whatever your preference for Mexican food in Brisbane, whether it be cheesy, sour cream smothered Tex-Mex or fresh, colourful Mexican, just know that you should never trust people who don’t like tacos. They’re probably not human.
Words by Ranyhyn Akui
Beach Burrito Company | Fortitude Valley
While their 12 types of burritos are impressive, it’s the loaded nachos and chilli fries that catch our attention every time at Beach Burrito Co. Piled high with chilli con carne, blended cheese, salsa, jalepenos, guacamole, sour cream AND chilli salt, these guys know how to do nachos in true Tex-Mex fashion.
Dos Amigos | Taringa
Dos Amigos has been around for 27 years, so they must be doing something right. One thing they’re definitely doing right is their fajitas, with a choice of chicken breast, rib fillet or prawns marinated and served up on a sizzling platter with flat bread, salad, sour cream and guacamole for some DIY Texican. Just don’t burn yourself rushing to get some of that juicy meat onto your plate like we always seem to do.
Fiesta Ole | Spring Hill
Fiesta Ole cater to both sides of the border, with traditional Mexican tacos and ‘Gringo tacos,’ the Tex-Mex tacos that we know and love. Hard shell tacos are stuffed with chorizo, marinated beef, refried beans or chicken along with lettuce, cheese, sour cream and salsa. Not to be confused with the real deal, which comes in a soft tortilla without a hint of cheese or sour cream.
El Torito | West End
El Torito is a little more Mexican than most but it’s still their Tex-Mex dishes that have us salivating. Convince yourself you’re dining healthy with a taco salad, a deep-fried flour tortilla bowl filled to the brim with shredded beef, beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole. If it’s called a salad it’s low fat, right?
Whatever your preference for Mexican food in Brisbane, whether it be cheesy, sour cream smothered Tex-Mex or fresh, colourful Mexican, just know that you should never trust people who don’t like tacos. They’re probably not human.
Words by Ranyhyn Akui
