Fonda Mexican In Windsor Launches Its New Menu

There is nothing better than some good ole’ Mexico City tacos washed down with a frozen lychee margherita – or four. That’s why you have to try Fonda’s new summer menu according to Phoebe Rothfield.

When most people think of Mexican food they think of how spicy it is, but according to newly imported Fonda executive chef Gery Lopez, that is where you are wrong. “Traditionally Mexican food is full of freshness and flavour, nothing is spicy unless you make it that way.” Being a third generation chef, Gery has a unique talent to engage and educate on true Mexican flavour. Gery explains his most recent educational stint where he was flown in to teach restaurateurs in Tel Aviv about Mexico’s 31 regions and 280 types of chilies that could help craft their menus. He was brought to Melbourne to transition Fonda from a tex-mex style menu to what he calls “authentic not traditional.”

Gery has picked apart Fonda’s original menu and completely grown what was the basic guacamole and tort crisps, tacos, burritos and quesadillas to provide a great “variety of fresh flavours and fresh crunch and bring the protein to life.” Along with the typically Mexican meat options Gery made it known that anything is possible to accompany a persons particular taste buds. “It’s a kitchen, if you come in and want something vegan, vegetarian, gluten free…we can do it.”

With a background in marketing, Gery opened the prospective menu to a select few from the public, die hard fans, in the hope to gain an understanding of what the people want. I was lucky enough to try an array of newbies on the menu that I absolutely loved and so did my stomach. (Unfortunately due to the amount of Mexican I consumed, my personal trainer will not appreciate my lack of willpower come tomorrow morning.)

I have included below the chef’s recommendations along with my own from my little sit-down today. Mi Casa, Su Casa.

Chef’s recommendations:

Mushroom Quesadilla, which includes portabello & shitake mushrooms, pasilla chilli, watercress, sweet pickled onion, Fonda salsa and micro-amaranth. It melts in your mouth!

Mexico City Pork Quesadilla, which includes grapefruit, guajillo chilli, pico de gallo, sweet potato crisps and avocado salsa. The pork just falls apart so nicely in your mouth and kicks you with flavour.

Soyrizo Burrito, which includes Casa-made soyrizo (fake meat), toasted chillies, Mexican chocolate, chipotle, roasted sweet potato, sofrito salsa, feta, and tort crisps. It is so damn good and caters to vegetarians and vegans, it is a must try!

My recommendations:

Tortilla crisps with guacamole and salsa, which include the new white & blue corn tortilla crisps cooked fresh to order. The guacamole is accompanied with pomegranate and coriander and the combination is amazing, along with the new tort crisps with crunch and flavour.

Braised beef taco, which includes lime infused cactus, arbol chilli salsa, guacamole, pimento berries and shaved cabbage. I did not think cactus could taste so good.

Mexico city pork taco, which includes grapefruit, guajillo chilli, guacamole, shaved zucchini and pomegranate. I can’t even.

Fonda Mexican
44 Chapel Street, Windsor
fondamexican.com.au/windsor