Vanessa: Back in the day, Mexican was a solid staple for my gal pal and cousin, Bianca, long before the love affair with pancakes and burgers began. So when the opportunity arose to check out the Mexican inspired, El Camino in the Rocks, we decided to take a trip down memory lane.
The decor creates a sense of fun and frivolity from the moment you walk in from their large mural with neon lighting bolts to the very unique boot of the Cadillac, which doubles as a station where staff assemble complimentary serves of tortilla chips and dips as patrons arrive. A novel touch!
It was fairly evident from the outset that El Camino is geared towards people having a good time, getting into the food but also enjoying their extensive drinks menu. Being a school night we were quite tame, but had this been a weekend or we were up for getting a party started, their giant margaritas would have been right up our alley. As it goes, we opted for their standard size margarita ($16) which were still substantial, although it was missing the salt rim which I do enjoy with a margarita. The complimentary tortilla chips are definitely appreciated as we sipped on our cocktails and perused the menu.
I find it hard to differentiate the flavors with Mexican food as the base is always so similar, but we did well to choose a good mix. Nachos are an all time favorite of mine and the El Camino Nacho Macho ($19) were a winner. A plentiful serve of toppings, piled high got the taste buds going. I did have to dodge the super hot jalapeno after I saw the steam coming out of Bianca’s ears!
The Cadillac tacos ($15) are a great sharing option with 3 different types to choose from. We chose the chargrilled steak, the carnitas which is pulled pork and the cheeseburger. The cheeseburger was the one that stood out the most as it was unique in flavor. The steak was well cooked and tender. Not the most photogenic of dishes, but this is a great option for sharing and goes well with the margaritas!
The lollipop de corn ($12) was drenched with jalapeno aioli which really detracted from the corn itself.
The pulled pork quesadilla ($12) was a stand out for us. The pork was tender and the pineapple gave this a welcomed sweetness along with a solid cheese melt.
We ended on a high note with a serve of the Mexican Churros ($10). Five perfectly crunchy churros that are absolutely smothered in sugar and cinnamon and paired with a salted caramel dip. Absolutely delicious and well worth the calories.
So if it’s a Mexican fiesta you are after or you are looking for somewhere with great cocktails before an evening out, keep El Camino in mind. For a smooth and efficient reservation, be sure to book via OpenTable, who have over 1600 restaurants in Australia using their booking platform.
Enjoy!
Vanessa
Photos by Bianca
*For Foods Sake dined as guests of El Camino and in partnership with OpenTable
