On the recommendation of a friend, I set off this afternoon to sample the delights of pop-up taqueria, La Lupita. Nestled on a drab stretch of road, if you didn’t know it was there, you would rocket right past it. Its unassuming facade is just a decoy. Inside it is magical.
With gorgeous wood panelling and exposed beams, La Lupita has attitude. It also is sensually arresting: the smell of flame-roasting meat, the old school music, the lighting.
You order like a canteen, receiving your goodies as you line up alongside the kitchen. You then load up your tacos with all sorts of fillings and tasty salsas and sauces which are made fresh everyday. Naturally I opt for the hottest sauce there. Weee!
The Tacos Al Carbón (cooked over coal) are a steal at only $6 each and we order the Al Pastor Pork y Roast Pineapple and the Carne Adasa, spit-roasted wagyu beef. The wagyu is soft and juicy and is a cut above any other beef taco filling I’ve had in Sydney. Usually the beef is stringy and dry and looks like it came from an old donkey. The pork is also juicy and the pineapple brings a lovely sweetness to the taco… But that charcoal taste is what sets these babies apart. Fire is meat’s best friend. Remember that.
The Spit Roast Hot Chipotle Hot Wings y Smokey Chipotle Lime & Garlic Crema are simply awesome. Crunchy bits of ebony char adorn the outside, and you bite into moist white flesh. This is the sort of fare you eat with your hands and wear on your face. Mmmmm mmmm.
Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans) y Chiltepil Salsa, Crema Mexicana, Corn Tortilla Chips could be likened to up-market nachos, but are thankfully lacking the soggy-factor. These chips are crunchy and remain so throughout the duration of eating. The salsa contains an alluring mix of sesame seeds and pepitas and really adds textural diversity.The Crema Mexicana is divine and adds a decadent edge to this dish.
As I strike up conversation with the owner and chef, Attila Yilmaz, it turns out the lovely friend who’d recommended La Lupita used to be his neighbour. Yilmaz, a former police officer, returned to his culinary heritage (his father was a restauranteur) when he saw that Sydney lacked a real street food scene. He loved Mexican cuisine and set about creating an authentic Mexican street food experience. He has certainly achieved this. Yilmaz also runs the Al Carbón Food Truck which travels all over Sydeny during the week. In fact it was delyas with getting the truck operation up and running that manifested the creation of La Lupita. Having already leased the space as a prep area for the food truck, he didn’t want it to go to waste. Now, La Lupita is attracting foodies from all over town and I can assure you, it’s worth the commute.
