El Calibre - Kurunjang

I was fortunate enough to be invited to try El Calibre last night, a brand new Mexican restaurant on degraves st. It’s a fabulous addition to the laneway given the surrounding options are mostly Italian. It seems looks aren’t everything because on arrival I was expecting to see vibrant bright decor but the subtle Mexican touches such as little skull vases on the tables were quite pared back. Turns out they were going to let the food do the talking because the dishes were just exceptional. It could probably use a little more atmosphere but the cocktails were simply outstanding. All four we tried were absolutely delicious; pink senorita, raspberry mojito, coco fresa and Dutch iced tea. They have an extensive list and they all sound as fabulous as each other. Would love to go back and try the mango lassi cocktail. The Indian fusion theme is echoed a little through some of the dishes on the food menu.We kicked off with nachos which were yummy and then tried a selection of tacos. I absolutely loved the chicken with its subtle hint of spice and the beef brisket which was tender and saucy. The fish taco was a bit spicy for my palate but was thoroughly enjoyed by the rest of the party. We then tried the brisket quesadilla and the butter chicken quesadilla. Exceptional value with the generous serving size and packed full of flavour. We finished with the butter chicken burrito and the Mexican seafood dish. The burrito to me was perfect and came with a side of avocado and sour cream (as did the quesadillas). None of this charging for those as extras rubbish you see in so many Mexican restaurants. To me the night was flawless and I wouldn’t hesitate to return. It’s certainly my pick of the laneway and if you sit outside you get plenty of ambiance from the surrounds

I can’t express how excited I was to be invited along by El Calibre to try their Mexican menu. This newly opened Degraves street eatery has cornered the Mexican food market in this high volume tourist street. <br/ <br/ The restaurant itself is quite minimalist in decor but there is certainly a subtle theme of Mexico, glass skulls and cacti and a message on the wall asking Why Not Both? The menu explained this message. A light selection of fusion dishes in amongst the classic mexican. <br/ <br/ We started of with cocktails and these were positively a delight. We tried the Raspberry Mojito and the Pink Senorita which were probably our favourites but I also rated highly peachy Dutch Iced Tea and the Coco Fresha was dangerously drinkable (packs quite the vodka kick). <br/ <br/ We started with classic vego nachos which were good with plenty of melty cheese and cheese sauce. Tacos next and we loved the Beef and Chicken ones. The fish tacos had a bit more kick to them and were very light and delicate portions of fish. Fillings were generous and complex. <br/ <br/ Perhaps my favourite dish was up next. The quesadillas we chose were a combination of slow cooked beef and omg Butter Chicken!!!! The Beef was great but the butter chicken magnificent. Two of my favourite cuisines in one. <br/ <br/ We butter chickened again in our burrito which was hearty and full of rice, beans, slaw, guacamole and of course the butter chicken curry. This was a main size and was exceptionally large.<br/ <br/ Our last dish of the night was a lovely tomato seafood dish which was well cooked and that tomato sauce very flavoursome. Perhaps the only let down for me this evening was the rice accompanying this dish which was a little over cooked. <br/ <br/ Sadly on the day we visited the deep fryer was out of action so this leaves a heap of menu items still untasted. I’d be keen to give the dorito chickos (dorito covered chicken wings) and the truffle fried chips a go on a future visit.<br/ <br/ Thanks so much for having us

Peking duck taco was a good blend with mexican flavors<br/ Cocktails were amazing, staffs were friendly and helpful!<br/ Loved the quesadillas as well. Was quite a bummer that my gf and i did not get to try the lotus root chips but we will be back next round for more!<br/ <br/ Great mexican fusion place although they are new<br/