Gold Coast food. Inside new Surfers Paradise restaurant La Diosa Mexicana

This new, modern Gold Coast restaurant offers Mexican but not as you know it, writes Amber Macpherson. There’s a good reason why it’s not your standard taco and tequila bar

Chef and owner Danny Azzi.Picture Glenn Hampson

THE Gold Coast’s newest Mexican restaurant is not your standard taco and tequila bar.

Opening up last month in Surfers Paradise, La Diosa Mexicana puts a modern twist on the South American fare by blending the cuisines of a variety of cultures for a diverse flavour fiesta.

Owner Danny Azzi says his background in Arabic and Mediterranean cooking influenced the recipes on the menu.

New Mexican restaurant in Surfers Paradise La Diosa. Some of the food available. Picture Glenn Hampson

“My background is Middle Eastern, Moroccan and Greek, and this isn’t too different from that — it’s all fresh food put together on the spot,” Danny says.

“You’ve got your regular nachos, burritos, quesadillas and tacos, but a bit more modern.

“We’re trying to keep it to Australian standard Mexican but modern food, things an everyday Australian knows what it is, but with Mexican flavour.”

The previous owner of Gringo Loco on the Esplanade, Danny is a fan of fresh, clean ingredients and earthy spices with not too much chilli punch.

La Diosa’s Chef and owner Danny Azzi with selection of food.Picture Glenn Hampson

The Al Pastor meat as well as the molotes dish and poke bowl capture La Diosa’s distinct difference.

“The one thing we specialise in is El Pastor,” Danny says.

“The Lebanese community, in the ’70s or ’80s, they brought the kebab machines to Mexico, and instead of the regular kebab flavours they used Mexican flavours.

Some of the food available. Picture Glenn Hampson

“So with our meat that we use in our tacos and quesadillas, it’s all slow cooked and you shave it on as you cook.

“With the pork, we use a lot of chipotle, chilli, pineapple juice and orange juice, and garlic, that’s marinated over a couple of nights.

“The chicken we use achiote, it’s a berry seed Mexicans use it a lot, we marinade that with lime juice as well overnight.

Bartender Pamela Arciniega with drinks. Picture Glenn Hampson

“The molotes, it’s similar to an empanada. It’s a corn flour from Mexico, we make the dough ourselves here, and it’s got a mixture of five different seafoods in there.

“When you bit into it it’s like a soft bread.”

The drinks menu offers a healthy variety of fruity and salty cocktails, as well as a lesson in Mexico’s hard liquor exports — tequila and mezcal.

Tequila, which is made from the specific blue agave plant, makes up the majority of the cocktail bases and straight spirit options, but the more adventurous sippers can try the mezcal drinks — a smokier version of tequila that can be produced from 28 varieties of the argave plant.

Yum. Picture Glenn Hampson

Danny says he opted for quality over quantity when it came to serving Mexican liquors.

“We’re trying to keep it to really good quality tequila,” Danny says.

“We don’t have a standard house tequila, every cocktail has a different tequila in so they all have their own flavour.”

As for dessert, the excitement of La Diosa’s flaming cactus will eliminate any thoughts of an after meal siesta.

The dish is a battered ice cream treat for two that’s doused in mezcal and set alight on the table.

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There’s plenty of available options. Picture Glenn Hampson

“The flaming cactus is like a bombalasca, we shape it like a long cactus with berries on the outside, and we light her up on the table,” Danny says.

“Inside of that has got sweet corn ice cream, mixed with salted caramel.”

With a sleek fit out featuring a blue and white colour scheme, comfortable furniture and succulents to admire, La Diosa creates a metropolitan Mexican atmosphere with neither a sombrero nor maraca in sight.

“We really wanted to get the tourists and the locals that live in the high-rises coming through,” Danny says.

“I love this type of food — it’s simple, it’s easy, it’s tasty. We’ve put a lot of effort into it.”