Australian Gourmet Traveller - (11)November 2019 (1)

J

oshLewislovesthesimplicityofMexicanfood.Somuch

so,hemadeit thedrivingforcebehindhislatestventure

withAstridMcCormack,thetiny10-seatLaCasita.

“Mexicancuisineis incrediblysimple, butthedishes

bringsuchcomplexityanddepthofflavours,”saysLewis.

Thetrailblazingduo,whoownthesmallyetprodigious

Fleet, alsoinBrunswickHeads,snappedupthesitefortheirnew

ventureinMarchlastyear.Andwitha casualMexicanrestaurant

inmind, LewistravelledtoMexico insearchofauthenticdishes

toprovidethefoundationfora vibrantseasonalmenu.He spent

mostofhistimeinMexicoCityandthesouthernseasidestateof

Oaxaca,wherehewasinspiredbytraditional,home-stylecooking.

“Somevillagesrelyonlyonwhattheyproducethemselves,so

disheshighlightjusta fewcoreingredients,”saysLewis.It’sthis

focusonlocal,seasonalproducethatdriveshismenuat LaCasita.

Wholesnapperis rubbedwitha sour-orangeglazeandgrilled

overwoodfire. Albacoreis marinatedinan achiotepaste, grilled,

andservedwitha spicytomatillosalsaonhandmadetortillas.

Cocktailspacka punch,too.Benny’sMargaritais mixed

witha smokycombinationofmezcal,orangeandchilli; and

a refreshingmixoftequila,limeanda pineappletepache

formthebasefora twistona classicToreador.

It’sa playful, approachablemenushowcasingtraditional

Mexicanflavoursinalltheirglory.“Wewantedtocreate

somethingthatappealedtoeveryone,a relaxedenvironment

wheredinerscouldcometohavea goodtime,”saysLewis.

La Casita,5/3FawcettSt , Brunswick Heads, NSW,

(02)6685 1223, lacasita.com.au

2 avocados,atroom

temperature(seenote),

coarselychopped

1 tbspfinelydiced

whiteonion

1 tspfinelydicedjalapeño

(about½jalapeño)

1 tbspdicedtomato

1 tbspcoarsely

choppedcoriander

Totopos(cornchips)and

lime wedges, to serve

Guacamoleand totopos

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 5 MINS

“Thisversionofguacamoleis inspiredbyDianaKennedy’sclassic

recipe,which,surprisingly,hasnolime,asthereis enoughacidity

inthetomatoestocarryit through,”saysJoshLewis.“I serve extra

lime on the side for those who likeit.”Pictured p101.

ALL PROPS RESTAURANT’S OWN.

1 Coarselymashavocadowith

a forkora mortarandpestle

andseasonwithsalttotaste.

Stirthroughonion,jalapeño,

tomatoandcoriander.Transfer

toa servingbowlandserve

withtotoposandlimewedges.

NoteKeepingavocadosat

roomtemperatureensures

theguacamolewillhave

a creamy consistency.➤

p 108

Rosado

p 108

Benny’s

Margarita

p 108

Tepache

Toreador

Opposite:bartenderBenMudge(seated,fromleft),

co-ownerAstridMcCormack,chefandco-owner

Josh Lewis, and Ben’s brother, Robert Mudge.