MEXICAN FAVOURITE RETURNS

TACOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT 11 Morrison St, Hobart 6223 5666 Fully licensed Open daily for dinner from 5-10pm

When you’re on to a good thing, stick to it. That must surely be the ethos behind the return of a retro favourite to Hobart’s dining scene.

After saying adios to the Salamanca silos about a decade ago, Tacos Mexican Restaurant has suddenly reappeared. While the location has changed, the menu remains the same. And the eatery’s most memorable attraction for many – fishbowl margaritas – are flowing again.

Owner Susie Flanagan revived the business last month in the Gibson’s Flour Mill building in Morrison St after the former tenant, the Music Bar, could play no more.

Just a couple of years ago, food from south of the US border was running hot (much like Japanese and Korean are now) and a Mexican stand-off ensued in North Hobart.

The long-running Amigo’s, in Elizabeth St, was joined in the North Hobart strip by the much darker and funkier Pancho Villa, which opened in a lavishly refurbished bank on the opposite Pitt St corner.

Just down the road, Sons of Baja rose from the ashes of Elizabeth St Food and Wine. Featuring great ceviche, an ever-changing range of tacos and a particularly lovely lamb quesadilla in casual surrounds, it abruptly shut last year but the restaurant fittings were only removed quite recently – no doubt to finally make room for something new.

Amigo’s, meanwhile, has closed after 30odd years and been swiftly replaced by Burger Got Soul. This left Pancho Villa – aptly named after a Mexican revolutionary – as the last man standing … until now.

We visit the resurrected Tacos on a Friday night after failing to secure a booking the previous Saturday. The surrounding streets are thick with hungry folk heading for the final Street Eats @ Franko for the season at Franklin Square.

It’s already buzzing when we arrive at 6pm, thanks, no doubt, to happy hour running from 5-7pm.

Many tables are laden with, you guessed it, massive margaritas. Two couples occupy a large table with young kids, all of whom are engrossed by electronic devices as the adults use their digital downtime to eat and chat. Going with the flow, my sister and I order a couple of frozen margaritas. I opt for an 805ml fishbowl, while big sis opts for the 355ml version. With a salty rim and a slice of lemon, it tastes just as I remember it all those years ago when middle age seemed oh so far away.

First to come on the food front are the chimmy changas – golden tortillas encasing shredded chicken and cream cheese. While a little airy in the filling department, they are quite tasty when combined with the sweet plum sauce. The nachos supreme and the fajitas arrive in rapid succession, completely filling the table with food.

Our favourite is the former – crunchy corn chips topped with shredded beef, sour cream, guacamole, salsa and lashings of melted cheese.

The beef fajitas, served on a sizzle plate and accompanied by taco-building supplies, are also fare best to share. We find the oldschool servings quite large and a beef enchilada goes largely uneaten.

I also struggle to drain my lemony margarita, with my sister offering a supportive straw when I succumb to an ice-cream headache. Shortly at 7pm, we take our leave as patrons continue to arrive and are greeted by Susie like old friends.

She says she feels very lucky to have found a new home for Tacos at the mill, describing it as “the perfect venue” for Mexican.

“[After we closed] I think I ran into at least one person a week who said you have to open Tacos again,” she says of her long break from the restaurant, during which she has had two children.

“The food is exactly how it used to be, the margaritas are the same. All the regulars are back … it’s been amazing.” Watch the video of Tacos Mexican Restaurant owner Susie Flanagan talking about their decision to re-open the eatery after an eightyear hiatus, available on Monday for Mercury subscribers at themercury.com.au/tassietastes