Mount Gambier’s new Mexican restaurant sets tongues wagging as grand opening unveiled

Lovers of strong spice, lime, salt and tequila will soon have a new haunt as a regional city eagerly awaits its latest Mexican eatery. Take a look inside.

A new Mexican restaurant is spicing up Mount Gambier as it prepares to open.

Casa De Tequila has already created a stir locally after throwing down the gauntlet to Zambrero – the only other Mexican offering in the city.

After working in a Mexican restaurant in Port Noarlunga for seven years, Jasswant Mann said he was ready to branch out on his own.

Jasswant Mann will be opening a Mexican restaurant, Casa De Tequila, in Mount Gambier. Picture: Arj Ganesan

“We’d been searching for the last six to seven months,” Mr Mann said of finding a good location for his enterprise.

“We tried all over Adelaide.”

Remembering the holidays he took with his family, Mr Mann decided to scope out Mount Gambier.

“We decided this the right place to do it,” he said.

Mr Mann said there was strong interest from the community, with locals looking through the glass since they took the covers off the windows.

“After launching our Facebook page we got nearly 600 followers within two days,” Mr Mann said.

“At that stage we hadn’t even put anything on the page – people just started reacting.

“Everyone keeps asking ‘when are you opening?’.”

Casa De Tequila has drawn on themes from Santa Muerte for its feature back wall. Picture: Arj Ganesan

The restaurant can seat 55 diners.

“I don’t want people to feel crowded, we could probably fit 70 to 80 people in here, but I don’t want the tables too close,” Mr Mann said.

Mount Gambier’s latest addition will open on Wednesday with bookings filling up fast.

Located opposite the Brass Duck Barber Shop, the restaurant is less than a minute from the Oatmill Cinema Complex.

Lovewinder Singh Brar, Mr Mann’s business partner and former head chef at the Ramsgate Hotel in Adelaide, will run the kitchen alongside Mr Mann’s sister.

Mr Mann said he was still looking for a couple of front-of-house staff.