Mamasita (Melbourne, Australia)

rosanne — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:37:05 +0000

It’s getting cold outside but this Mexican restaurant at the Paris end of Collins makes you feel like you’re in the middle of summer. We ducked in for lunch and found good seats at the bar. The music and atmosphere were light and just right, the sangria was tasty and best of all, the whole menu was gluten-free. Stand-outs included the Tostaditas de Carnitas (bite-sized melt-in-your-mouth slow-braised pork shoulder with pickles and jalapeño) and the beef taco (my companion couldn’t stop murmuring in delight about the caramelised onions).

Every item we tried was delicious. We started with "street-style" char-grilled corn with chipotle mayonnaise — mine without the queso, because I’m dairy-intolerant too. Our starter drinks were "natural flavoured" but definitely not natural coloured soft drinks from Mexico. We tried the mandarine (delicious), the tamarind (very unusual, lovely but got a little syrupy toward the end) and the lime, which was okay until we started eating and then it clashed.

The ceviche mixto was just right — prawns and calamari with pear-drop tomatoes and coriander in lime, served in a most unusual way: in a cocktail glass. The bean taco was finished perfectly with pico de gallo. The tacos can be ordered individually or as a mixed plate of three, which is a great way to experiment with flavours. And of course, there were those tostaditas, which can also be ordered as a tasting plate of two flavours (eight little toasted tortillas) or four (sixteen little toasted tortillas) which would be terrific to share.

The desserts looked fabulous but all had dairy. My companion ordered the fresh mint flan, subtly flecked with specks of vanilla bean. I was going to have the chocolate and cinnamon sorbet but without the jalapeño praline (dairy) when I had a brain wave. Could I have the sorbet with the stewed figs and caramelised pecans from the other dessert? Our extremely helpful waiter checked with the kitchen and came back with a resounding yes. I really wish we could have tried the other dessert, which sounded amazing: a quinoa pudding.

We want to go back and try the mains for dinner some time, especially the red mole chicken and the chipotle goat.

We’d also like a night out there after we’ve researched which tequilas are 100% agave and guaranteed gluten-free: Mamasita has an extensive menu. Mind you, we hear there’s a queue of a night, and they don’t take bookings, so get in early or be prepared to wait. It’s worth it.

The menu changes regularly, but should stay gluten-free. The web site boasts it, but check with the staff on the night to be certain.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Mamasita
Level 1/11 Collins Street
Melbourne
Phone: +61 3 9650 3821
Web: http://www.mamasita.com.au

Gluten Savvy » Mexican

Mamasita (Melbourne, Australia)