el PÚBLICO is bringing a whole lot of humble hog to the streets of Highgate on Tuesday, 31 July. The menu includes:
– cheese and sausage fondue
– “mexican subway”
– antijitos of lesser known parts
– quesadilla’s and all the regulars
– sunday roast with the trimmings
– not so classic ice cream spider
This was my first trip to Mad Mex. I found it quite messy in every aspect. Reminiscent of an American high school in the 80s with a lunch lady just slopping any old thing onto the tray. The burrito was lacking. Something to grab after a boozy night out with friends but definitely not somewhere to take a friend for good grub.
I am quite happy to ride the mexican wave that is crashing down on Perth at the moment. I have been to La Cholita a few times now and I think the trick is … embark on this adventure with friends who want to order for Africa. This is always the best case scenario. Damn you two people date night … you just cannot sample enough in my opinion. Maybe that is why I try and turn every catch up into a social fiasco. Was perfect to drown my sorrows with my Moogni (collective term for the three of us … don’t ever ask … it’s totally gay) over Tamarind Jarrito as they are both leaving me for fun times abroad.
Entradas: Guacamole, crispy flour tortilla, Market ceviche, Mexican street corn,Taco ~ beef cheek, pico de gallo, Quesadillas ~ chorizo, queso corelo
Fuertes: Wood roasted pork hock, recado rojo with Mexican rice – HOLY SHIT I will now order this every time. You simply have to poke it with your fork and all that ham hock goodness just falls off the bone. (Homer Simpson drool … urghhhhhh).
Dulce de leche chimichanga – a devillish good dessert (an icrecream burrito deep fried and served with a condensed milk like sticky sugary caramel-y sauce. YUM.
I have already fallen hard for you el PÚBLICO and we only just met. I know that our future together holds many looooong nights together. We thought we would pop in for a quick bite before French Film Festival (ie. order everything off the menu twice and run late for the movies).
BOTANA (snacks)
fried chickpeas burnt tortilla salt, street prawns, guacamole
ANTOJITOS (mexican street snack designed to satisfy a craving)
pork tongue butter orange picked onion taco
tasajo grilled cheese taco pasilla peanut sauce
requeson radish habanero relish taco
POSTRES (desserts)
“tequilla slammer” lolly <— bombs of marshmallow bliss with an injection of tequila … party in your mouth!
If you want fresh, fast and healthy then Zambrero is your answer. Jamie and Eli opened their Mt Lawley store just in time for the Beaufort Street Festival.
Following in the footsteps of big bro Leederville, the Mt Lawley store is always packed. The line is full of patient peeps waiting to sink their teeth into quality ingredients and Mex with modern attitude. I tend to opt for a salad bowl and I always get verde and white sauce. Oh how delish! When life gets busy I probably scoff a salad bol two times a week.
Happiness in a soft tortilla.
These two dudes are the owners!
This is the part about Zambrero that really hits home.
“Our plate4plate initiative has been running since April 2011. We work with Action Against Hunger, to provide high protein, high vitamin meals that help strengthen people suffering malnutrition.
Each quarter, we add up all the meals¹ we have served at Zambrero and deliver the resources to provide the equivalent number of meals to our distribution partner, Action Against Hunger, who provide the logistics to distribute the food relief to the areas most in need.
Why did we choose Action Against Hunger as a partner? Because with thousands of volunteers all over the world, and a 30-year track record of providing non-governmental, non-profit, non-religious humanitarian action, we were totally confident that our plate4plate donations would be distributed to the right people in the right places.
Plate4plate is funded through the profits of Zambrero, which means we’re never going to ask you for money. All you have to do is enjoy any delicious meal from our fresh, healthy menu and we’ll donate a meal in return—a definite win-win!
With your support, as Zambrero grows, the number of people we can feed increases and we hope it goes a little way to helping reduce world poverty. Thank you for helping us to help them!”
We were invited by Matt and Marcela to join them at an el PÚBLICO test dinner. Friends with foodie leverage, humour and appetite. My kind of people.
Alex, Paul and the whole el PÚBLICO crew were very welcoming. You already get that comforting feeling that the right people are in place to have it running like clockwork. So pleasing to see James Connolly back behind the bar on Beaufort Street. It is always great to get the whole story from venue owners upon you first visit. It makes the venue personable and makes you want to just spread kind words. This investment within all your potential clientele is so important and the guys do it well. Not that they will ever be short on clientele with Cantina 663 and Greenhouse prime examples of being the finest operators.
We are all very good eaters and when I say that I mean when they told us to order EVERYTHING from the menu and report back. Well we did. BEST dinner ever. We had so much fun and we laughed more than we ate.
Spanish “gordita” ~ little chubby girl, me
slow cooked pork belly piloncilo chili oaxacan chocolate – JOY
I cannot recall what the two middle dishes … can anyone help? 
pan fried fish chileatole
home brewed soda ginger and pink grapefruit YUM
Sam’s hot sauce DANGER
tomatoes smoked avocado tortilla radish
arroz local prawn mussel organic epazote achiote
tequila flights with sangrita
“tequilla slammer” lolly
nicuatole mouse wedding cookies cafe de oila nieves
cajeta flan banana peanut butter icecream
paleta avocado
paleta avocado and chocolate – served in steal-able glasses (don’t worry I didnt)
Making the most of the hustle of Fringe World we ducked into La Cholita for a liquid refreshment (hello tequila heaven) and some mexican fare before tackling the Twilight Laneway Markets (which were gorgeous). It was nice to go before the evening rush were battling for a table is like waiting for the changeroom at a Sass and Bide sale. You ca’nt exactly say fk it I will sit and eat on the floor thanks. But thats the beauty of somewhere fresh and new Perth … if it’s a winner, it’s obvious.
I would rather punch myself in the face then go into Kuta but we did trek in for a cheap tex mex meal at TJs. I really love the TJs special salad … just a whole lotta taste and you get to eat the bowl.
Laura Moseley 