Los Vida

The verdict

Take yourself to this Mexican restaurant and bar in Crows Nest, where you'll be able to taste your way from the Pacific to the Caribbean, then settle in to one of the many lofty levels and make yourself comfortable, you’re going to be here a while.

This is likely to be the most authentic Mexican food you could ever hope to find in Sydney with an eclectic mix of flavours letting us humble Aussies eat, and most importantly drink, like the Mexicans do. Food comas, however, are optional at this Crows Nest restaurant because the team here pride themselves on plating up healthy Mexican food, meaning you can drink your calories instead. 

With starters that are made for sharing, like guacamole that’s finished with pomegranate and served with totopos (aka corn chips) to tuna ceviche with chipotle mayo and clamato infused tapioca. Of course, there are tacos but we aren’t talking any old tacos we’re talking tinga chicken with guac, sour cream, iceberg lettuce and queso fresco, or the beef short ribs with mole (that’s a 32 ingredient coloradito mole, people), and the famous Los Vida fish taco with beer battered barramundi, zesty lime, cabbage slaw and not one, but three, types of jalapenos and chipotle mayo.

Los Vida’s larger offerings include chicken breast like the chef’s grandma used to make with their famous mole, quinoa salad, roasted vegetables and pistachios as well as an oven baked mahi mahi fish with a Mayan marinade, cherry tomatoes, capsicum, habanero, plantains, pickled onions and lime, see what we mean, it’s healthy Mexican. 

Now, nothing says Mexican like margaritas. We love them, you love them, your Mum probably loves them, but have you ever had a real one? A truly authentic Mexican margarita is a game changer when it comes to upping your cocktail game and Los Vida has six, giving you all the margarita choice with some seriously epic taste. From the salted watermelon with tequila blanco, aperol, fino sherry, watermelon, lemon, sugar and bitters to the Chihuahua for those who like it hot with a generous lashing of habanero sauce. You can even learn how to make them like the pros at one of their margarita master classes.
 
Save room for dessert because not only are there home made treats like chocomole and peanut flan, there are also deep fried sticks of chocolate, we repeat, deep fried chocolate sticks, in the form of chocolate tequenos and they belong in your belly stat.

If you’re looking for authentic Mexican food in Sydney, book your table at Los Vida easily online, and with two other locations across Sydney, Westfield City open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week and Tower 2 in Barangaroo, you're never far from some seriously good tacos.

Image credit: Federica Portentoso