El Columpio

1/52 Johnston St
Fitzroy, VIC 3065

We love some good cultural representation here, and kudos to El Columpio for doing it right. With their unapologically traditional recipes, El Columpio (that means The Swing) warming bowls of pozole, slow-cooked tacos, and – on weekends – tamale and barbacoa. It’s the type of home-styled Mexican food that’s too rarely seen in Melbourne, and their tamales alone are easily worth a visit.

Rating: 13/20 – lardy tamale.
No, seriously: their tamales are made with lard as per the traditional recipe, and they are mad good. if you’re as smitten with them as I am, you can also get them take away. but they’re only available on weekends (Fridays included), so plan accordingly!

I’ve had spicy red pozole before, but I didn’t realise that it also comes in the other two colours of the Mexican flag. The Pozole ($22) here is the white variety, featuring a clear, gentle meat broth, hiding a mixture of pork and chicken, chewy hominy kernels, and a handful of fresh lettuce for crunch. It’s an elixir boasts all the restorative properties of a good chicken soup, though if you’re after an upper rather than a downer, you can also stir through the tangy chilli sauce on the side.

I was afraid that their focus on pozole – that’s literally the only thing their sign outside says – would mean subpar tacos, but not so! These can easily be counted among the better tacos in the city. My pick of the lot would be the Mixiote Estilo Hidalgo ($9ea), the juicy pork slow-cooked in its fatty juices, its decadence balanced out with zippy green habanero sauce, and sugary pineapple chunks from the tin. Alternatively, the Chorizo ($9ea) is a punchy crowd-pleaser, and whilst the Suadero Estilo Ciudad ($9ea) erred on the dry side, I appreciated how well the flavours of the beef brisket was brought out by the grill. And although you can’t tell from these photos, these tacos were absolutely stacked; I’m not usually one of those three-tacos-equals-a-meal people, but it definitely does here.

For the herbivores, there’s a lone Vegetarian Taco ($9), which is actually really well done with its combination of creamy black beans, juxtaposed with plump, tangy strips of marinated cactus.

Finally, we get to the Lardy Tamale ($10). Available Friday through Sunday (or until sold out), there are easily the best I’ve ever had. The corn masa is fragrant and deliciously rich, thanks to the generous addition of lard. They come filled with chicken, pork, or veggies, but honestly? I would happily eat the corn tamale plain, with a quick dip into the jalapeno sauce.