Fresh and Funky with a menu to match...Newie's latest new Mexican: Casa de Loco

Whilst walking through the city a couple of months ago around the corner from Hunter Street I spotted a poster in a window of a sombrero-wearing-skeleton man telling me that there would be a restaurant opening soon. The hubby and I went on a holiday to Mexico a couple of years ago and absolutely just fell in love with the food, and as yet, we had not been able to find our Mexican 'fix' in Newcastle, so you can imagine I was more than a little excited to try this out...

Casa de Loco is right near the Novotel in the city on Pacific street in an ever growing little hub of new and trendy restaurants and cafes. We went on a Saturday night without a booking, and just thought we would take a chance on a table since it was just the two of us. Well, the place was packed. I thought we would definitely be heading back home to some half-defrosted sausages, but the host was so lovely and put our name on a list to wait for a table. She sat us at the bar and we were given a basket of authentic corn chips and some mouth-tingling salsa to whet our appetites.

We had the best seats in the house! The handsome, hipster-esque bar men whipped up a fiesta of different cocktails made with an array of different tequilas, agave syrups, lime zests and candied jalapenos. We settled in with a couple of jars (yes, actual jam-jars) of their signature margaritas, and within 20 minutes had a table right in the midst of the action. Everything we ordered was to die for...We started with the smokey, cheesy, street style corn and the spicy chorizo quesadillas, and then finished it off with 2 of the fish tacos....It was unreal. Truly a taste transportation back to the Mexican food that we fell in love with..the flavours were authentic- simple, fresh and perfectly balanced. I love that they even had some authentic mexican chilli sauces on the table. We stumbed home in a tequila haze, feeling festive, satisfied and full of nostalgia for our favourite country.

If you want to try something different from the usual cheese-laden-Tex-Mex food you may be used to, then defintaely take your amigos to Casa de Loco. We will be back for sure. Hasta Luego!

www.casadeloco.com.au