Touche Hombre Cravings and Competition
By Jessica Williams
Follow her food adventures on Instagram: @jsallgoodthings
Competition:
The World Loves Melbourne is running a competition with Touche Hombre. All you have to do is take a picture in Touche Hombre with @touchehombre and @theworldlovesmelbourne tags and the pic with the most likes by 31st May gets a Cocktail Chicken Jug on us.
Review:
Touche, Touche Hombre, Touche…
Your dynamic flavour combinations slayed me.
Your astounding mayo and aioli combinations staggered me.
And your desserts disabled me.
Touche.
What a magnificent evening I had at Touch Hombre in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. On the corner of Swanston and Lonsdale Streets, it is a Mexican restaurant I had never before come across or noticed before now. But Touche Hombre is good, its is oh so good.
The vibe is pure fun. A bar slash eatery; the lighting is dim and the music is loud. The place is pumping for a Thursday. Through all the happy people hunkering over plates of delicious smelling food, it is difficult to take in the artwork on the graffiti covered walls.
A Mexi-American Fiesta awaits you at this CBD diner. Smoky Corn On The Cob, Spicy Lamb Ribs, Crispy Chicken with a Punchy Aioli, and margaritas! Be sure to start with a mug of Tommy’s Margarita. It is complete proof that the best margarita in town does not need a fancy cocktail glass to be fantastic. It is the perfect, citrus-heavy, refreshing companion to the many tasty dishes on the Touch Hombre menu that I am about to recount.
For me the chili level was mild, but by no means was it dull; just perfectly balanced. We began with a Mexican staple, Elotes Callejeros – otherwise known as grilled corn on the cob with a punchy dressing of lime zest, coriander and chipotle mayo, and covered in parmesan shavings. So good!
The Spicy Lamb Ribs are Touch Hombre’s signature dish, and I can taste why. The flesh fell of the bone at touch, and sat in a sweet honey marinade, which became a gnarly outer coating of the ribs. The sweetness eased the chili exterior; I would have been content with these ribs and my margarita alone.
But there was more. The Touche Fried Chicken was crunchy on the outside and juicy in the middle as all chicken should be, and Pumpkin Tostaditos – canapé size tacos, were served with cashews, pepitas and jalapenos for a sweet, nutty, fiery bite size eat.
Next came the soft shell tacos: Albondigas – wagyu meatballs with jack cheddar, onions and a Touche Hombre special sauce, Chimichurri Chicken, grilled, with Egmont cheese, toasted pepitas and coriander aioli (really fresh and wonderful) and my favourite, the Haloumi Taco. This particular taco was served with a bright pink beetroot mayo, mint and a caramelized peach salsa. It was stunning to look at, fragrant and the unique flavour combo was astounding. See meat eaters, vegetarian can be fun!
By this point I was so full. The portions at Touche Hombre are generous. And I had used up some of my sacred stomach space with the aforementioned stunning margarita. But I made room for dessert.
I had to. I am pro.
Like a dream, Mexican Donut Holes arrived at the table alongside a rich, almost bitter chocolate dipping sauce and a sour berry coulis. So much goodness.
And then another plate came out. This one with three types of cake, Ice Cream Sandwiches to be precise. Chocolate with Chilli and Peanut Butter Parfait (so addictive) and a Strawberry Parfait with Pistachio and Dulce De Leche. My favourite was the Passionfruit Parfait with Toasted Coconut. It was the perfect palate cleanser after an evening of rich food.
Who would have thought a Mexican restaurant could serve up such amazing desserts?! The people sitting around us certainly didn’t, but quickly caught on. As I rolled out the door, many tables began to hunker down over their own plates of creamy, crunchy, decadent ice cream sandwiches. No doubt they were impressed.
I guarantee your next Mexican craving will be more than just satisfied after a visit to Touche Hombre. Just expect many repeat cravings in the days that follow. It is addictively good.