Review: Loco Madre, a taste of Peru in Manly
Loco Madre brings a South American vibe and great Peruvian flavours to the Manly dining scene
Manly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Manly. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE trouble with tapas is that you have to choose your fellow diners. Carefully.
It’s OK if the rest of the table is happy with a mouthful of this or a forkful of that, after all tapas is nibbles and a drink before dinner.....
But if that person sitting opposite is a perpetually starving uni student, then half a dozen or so small, shared plates won’t do.
Tapas in question is Loco Madre, loosely translated as Spanish for mad mummy, and Manly’s latest addition to the dining scene.
This North Steyne eatery is Luke Cartwright’s third venue on the strip, adding the former Honolulu Grill to next door Jellyfish and Beach Salt late last year.
Inspiration came from a holiday to Peru with his mum who had broken her back, hence the name. Back in Sydney, Cartwright brought in Peruvian chef Antonio Saco to devise a suitable menu.
That legacy (left for head chef Mani) is a high speed culinary romp through South America with a bit of trendy So-Cal and Mexico chucked in along the way.
So it’s eyes down and forks up. Service is friendly and quick. And after three meaty tacos — the chipotle and lime chicken with Cusco slaw, guacamole and pico de gallo a clever upsell of the nice and limey guacamole and house made corn chips, kingfish ceviche with lime and chilli dressing and grilled whole king prawns pimped with coconut, lime and tequila dressing, we’re left wanting more. Much more.
The secret is ordering fewer smaller dishes and more of the larger dishes with a couple of sides.
Under ‘Bigger’, two dishes of the four dishes on the current menu appeal and are easy to share around.
One is the crispy skinned salmon and the other is pollo al carbon.
Blackened chicken comes as either half a charred free range bird for $17. Alternatively the whole chicken is $30. The dish is served with jalapeño chimmichurri atop a bed of fresh, green herbs.
It’s not the prettiest dish, but what it lacks in looks, it makes up for in plenty of flavour.
The Tasmanian salmon picks up Peruvian, Mexican and Middle Eastern elements with green quinoa, roasted nuts and pistachio guajillo chilli labne, accompanied by charred broccolini with jalapeño cream and corn chip dust.
There are specials too. Monday Loco margaritas are $6 — our house special frozen mango and chilli margarita was $16 and the venue is BYO wine only. Tacos are two for one on Tuesday and there are five varieties including frijoles, the vegetarian option with Cusco slaw, guacamole, pico de gallo and jalapeños, or hand-torched kingfish with cachuate sauce.
Dining at Loco Madre isn’t a cheap night out, expect to pay around $50 a head for a decent sized feed, but the food’s interesting, imaginative and packed full of flavour.
Loco Madre
6/93-95 North Steyne, Manly.
Bookings: 9976 0076, or by Facebook as the phone line is down.
Open: Daily, breakfast on weekends
BYO: Yes, bottled wine, $4.50 a head corkage