132 Darlinghurst Rd
Darlinghurst, Sydney
There’s a little piece of Taco heaven in Sydney’s hip suburb of Darlinghurst and it’s called Playa Takeria. Situated on Darlinghurst road., not far from the iconic Coca-Cola sign, Playa Takeria is bringing a slice of the Caribbean right to the heart of Sydney.
The space is colourful (you could even say tropical) and oozes Mexican cantina atmosphere with bar stool seating inside and also a few tables outside, perfect for al fresco dining during the warm summer evenings.
Some of the stools inside are situated right on the window overlooking the street, a great spot to just sit and watch the world go by as you eat or drink.
The colourful feel of the restaurant is enhanced by a huge mural of Freda Kahlo done by Argentinean artist Skullavera. It’s quite striking.
We started our Mexican culinary trip with a couple of Margaritas and Playa Takeria have quite a few you can choose from.
Count J, always more adventurous chose the Jalapeno Margerita whilst Count N decided to be a bit more conservative and opted for the seemingly milder Mango one.
Both drinks were full of flavour, strong and to our surprise, the Mango Margarita was actually quite spicy.
We were quite impressed with the rimming salt as well, an authentic version according to staff, right from the coastline of Playa del Carmen. It really added something to both drinks.
Now, If you’re like us and can’t quite decide what to have at a Mexican place, if you’re always tossing up between the nachos and the guacamole, the burrito or the taco, then fear no more folks because here at Playa Takeria they have a degustation menu, so you don’t have to think about a thing. We chose that and were told to sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.
First to arrive was some guacamole followed by cobs of corn. The guacamole was really fresh and loaded with zesty ingredients like coriander and lime. We scooped it up in no time with the fresh tortilla chips. The corn, or Elote De Barrio III as its formally called, was a mouth-watering combination of corn, cheese and mayonnaise. Sinking our teeth into it was so good.
We then enjoyed some ceviche. A bright and light dish with lovely citrus aromas complementing the fish. It was obvious the fish was prepared well, as you would expect, raw fish with the opaque appearance and firmed texture of cooked fish (the chef certainly knows what he’s doing).
So after three dishes, it was time for a short break from the food but of course more Margaritas. Hoping for something milder Count N went for a passionfruit one and Count J chose the classic. We weren’t disappointed.
Next, a selection of Tacos arrived, five different ones to be exact, all presently beautifully on a lovely platter. There was one for every mood. A delicious fish taco with guacamole and salsa, a hearty chicken taco with coriander and adobo sauce, a famous pork taco with pineapple, a slow cooked lamb taco with salsa verde and a beautiful Mexican truffle taco with haloumi.
All Tacos were fresh and delicious. Count N especially enjoyed the pork and pineapple taco, a combination we haven’t seen many times before whilst Count J, normally a fanatic carnivore, couldn’t get enough of the Mexican truffle (and the haloumi).
We finished up with a lovely set of fluffy churros for dessert. They were served with a decadent caramel dipping sauce which we couldn’t get enough of. The sauce was surprisingly delicious and we say surprising for two reasons. Firstly it was caramel and not chocolate and secondly, it was cold (but still totally delicious). The answer? Well according to staff, Dipping your Churros in cold caramel sauce is the Mexican way to enjoy Churros.
Playa Takeria is the perfect choice for your next Mexican adventure. With an authentic cantina atmosphere, friendly staff and reasonable prices, it sure to satisfy your Mexican hunger. We're told that Timeout Magazine has said Playa have the best burritos in town (we just couldn’t fit any more food in) and on Monday’s they're only $10 each. Be sure to check it out.
But don’t worry, if you don’t like feel like leaving the house and you live in the Eastern Suburbs, Playa Takeria can deliver a little piece of Mexico right to your door as well. ‘Andale Ariba’.
The Counts, who review for Sir and Mlady Dine Out, dined as guests of Playa Takeria. Special thanks to Ricardo and Pamela for arranging this visit.