El Topo MexicanThe Eastern Hotel
Level 3, 500 Oxford St
Bondi Junction, Sydney
El Topo Mexican, located within the Eastern hotel in Sydney's famous Bondi Junction is well established as a local favourite. Boasting a very impressive space inside, situated on the rooftop, EL Topo Mexican has two main eating areas connected via a bridge that hosts a bar with one of the most impressive Tequila lists anywhere in Sydney. El Top Mexican is a perfect choice for any occasion. Private booth cater for small groups or an intimate dinner and large share tables make it easy for you to bring large groups together for a Mexican feast.El Top Mexican has a very impressive menu with an array of choices from your classic Tortilla chips, guacamole, Tacos and Quesadilla's to more authentic traditional Mexican food such as Pork Belly and spatchcock. Also, we're pretty sure it’s the only Mexican restaurant in Sydney that offers roasted Crickets and a Cactus salad.
We ordered a few starters to keep us occupied while we studied the menu. We started with a classic Mexican starter - tortilla chips and here at EL Topo Mexican they come with two types of Salsas, avocado and tomato Chile. Both salsas were very fresh and the chili added a welcome touch of hotness for an added kick. If you're looking for something different to corn or tortilla chips to start your Mexican meal, we would highly recommend you try the Plantains. These fried crisps were deliciously crunchy and full of spices.
We decided to try a Tequila drink as El Top Mexican has a very extensive range. Our lovely waitress, Melissa, a Mexican girl here on a working holiday visa, recommended the coconut Margarita. Count J, who loves Tequila ordered a classic one. Both cocktails were delicious and the coconut Margarita here is made with coconut flavoured Tequila not with syrups or artificial flavourings.
We enjoyed our cocktails with the kingfish ceviche which was fresh and full of flavour with huge pieces of juicy watermelon bringing out the full flavour of the kingfish in every bite.
We then moved on to some Tacos and a Quesadilla, both classic choices for a Mexican restaurant but done so well here. The Quesadilla generously filled with truffle oil, mushrooms and cheese was oozing with flavour. The tacos were perfectly crisp, especially the soft shell crab with the cactus salsa. I had never had soft shell crab in a taco before and I have to say it is definitely worth trying.
Our two main dishes were just as impressive as everything else we've tried so far however the 'Camote Y Frijole Pintos' was definitely the outstanding dish for this evening. This dish, stuffed peppers with sweet potato was literally a taste sensation. The pinto beans and walnuts added a real crunch and blended really well with the vegetables. This is a great vegetarian choice but meat lovers don't stress because the 12 hour beef rib smothered in a slightly sweet barbacoa sauce is sure to satisfy your carnivore needs.
As we finished our mains we started to think about dessert and saw lots of choices. We ordered the flan on the advice of our waitress who's local knowledge of Mexican food was invaluable. The huge serving of coconut flavoured single origin Mexican chocolate blended with hazelnuts and goats milk caramel was the most delicious flan we've had in a long time. With just the right sweetness and luscious shavings of coconut served in a huge Mason jar, it’s perfect for sharing or not, depending on your appetite.
And with that a perfect
evening has come to end. El Toppo Mexican at the Eastern is a perfect choice for any occasion. The atmosphere is fun and the staff are great with local knowledge on hand to help you with any menu questions you might have.
If you love Margeritas, then you might want to visit on a Monday where all Margaritas are $10 from 4pm. Ole!
They do what the do well here at El Topo.
It's not over the top-o (sorry) but it's a fun night out in a relaxed atmosphere with good food and drinks to match.
It's not over the top-o (sorry) but it's a fun night out in a relaxed atmosphere with good food and drinks to match.
The Counts, who are now doing reviews for Sir and Mlady Dine Out, dined as guests of El Topo and The Eastern Hotel. Special thanks to Sonya Blan of The Eastern for arranging this.
