It was once the case that Sydneysiders in search of Mexican eats had to largely content themselves with Tex-Mex, burrito-centric, fast-casual chains, save for a handful of mom-and-pop outfits and food trucks here and there. With nothing but foil-wrapped logs of mass-batched ingredients and hours-old meat to go on (added guac for an extra dollar), local expectations of Mexican cuisine were duly low. Those high street burrito joints still exist, of course, and they serve their purpose. But thanks to a relatively recent influx of eateries elevating Mexican fare to new authentic heights, flavours from south of the border have gone from siesta to fiesta in Sydney.
And it’s not just the food that has undergone a glow-up, as Tommy’s in Darlinghurst proves. Part of this new local vanguard of more aspirational Mexican venues, you won’t find a piñata, sombrero or Lucha Libre mask anywhere in sight at Tommy’s. Gone are the eye-popping paint jobs and stereotypical Mexicana that were once mandatory decor, replaced with an elegantly stripped-back design of simple cream walls, exposed brickwork behind the bar and a tasteful floral mural in the front dining room. It’s a welcome departure from the cookie-cutter playacting that once tried to compensate for 'meh' food with ¡Ay, caramba! aesthetics.
However, the Tommy’s team has been careful not to throw out the proverbial baby with the bathwater. The menu still leans heavily on staples of Mexican cuisine that are familiar (and popular), but executed with a level of care and generosity that stands them apart from their white-washed chain restaurant counterparts.
Take the obligatory nachos, for example. For a start, the menu pays its dues to the true hero of this popular snack, the guacamole (the word ‘nacho’ is absent altogether), and for good reason. It’s creamy, rich and embued with just the right amount of heat that’s balanced by a welcome dollop of fresh pico de gallo and a squeeze of lime juice. But while it’s certainly the star of this show, the chips are no slouch either. Fresh fried and finished with a drizzle of árbol chili oil, a dusting of house-mixed spice, and a judicious sprinkle of toasted seeds and nuts for an added dimension of texture – your average bowl of pub nachos, this ain’t.
Similarly, the ever-present Margarita also gets a flex. There are 11 inventive riffs to choose from on the menu, but not the trashy crowd-pleaser of the frozen variety. These are each carefully crafted cocktails in their own right, but the eponymous house specialty is a good place to start, featuring an expertly handled house-made jalapeño-infused tequila. Managing how much spice leeches into the liquor is no mean feat, and it can easily topple from tipple to torture without due care. Tommy’s version, on the other hand, offers a subtle heat rather than a multi-Scoville scorching, so the brightness of the citrus and salt take centre stage, with just a whisper of jalapeño from the wings.
Word to the wise though: come to Tommy’s hungry. And when we say hungry, we mean absolutely famished, because the portions are notably ample. Tacos are piled high with flavours that nimbly zip between earthy heat and citric zest, like the achiote chicken, melding the smoky char of the grill with the rich spice of crisp chorizo, mellowed by a chipotle mayonnaise and finished with a vibrant onion pickle. There’s a similar formula with Baja fish tacos, with a sweet pickled cabbage sparring with a smoked jalapeño aioli that in turn both harmonise delightfully with the lightly battered fillet. There are six different tacos to sample and at just $8 a pop, they offer incredible bang for your buck – we were nearly defeated by four between two diners.
While presented beautifully, the ceviche suffers a little from Tommy’s kneejerk generosity. The sizable serving of tuna we sampled was closer to a tartare than achieving the true cure you might expect from more a cautious portion. However, you'll find the quality of the fish and the carefulness of its handling is more than high enough to forgive the lack of acidity, and the delicate avocado mousse and ponzu dressing make for a pleasing combination with this almost-sashimi dish.
The mains (if you still have room) are made to share and feature some of Tommy’s flashiest cooking. Of particular note, the Northern Rivers grass-fed Black Angus skirt steak has a treacly sear and a succulent blush, finished with the refreshing house-made chimichurri – it’s a showstopper.
Like much of the rest of the menu, dessert is a gourmet elevation of a Mexican favourite. Golden churros drizzled in a glorious gloop of dulce de leche, counterpointed with a salt-heavy caramel ice cream that binds the whole confection together as the heat of the just-fried street doughnut melts it down. We can hardly imagine a more tempting mouthful to savour as we drift off into the inevitable food coma this mighty meal will induce.
There are, for the true aficionados out there, more rigorously authentic Mexican restaurants in Sydney, but Tommy’s has mastered the art of bridging the gulf between the bland burritos of yore and the more exacting takes on the cuisine of the Americas that are now available. Not everyone is ready for a complex and challenging mole madre or a leche de tigre that can singe their eyebrows. Until they are, Tommy’s is the place to eat.
