Sunday 16 September 2012

Hola! Fonda

Spontaneous after-work foodie trips are the best, even if it means my wallet has to suffer some unexpected damage and vegetables in my fridge meet their sad, lonely deaths. Well the happiness I gain from these outings do make up for it haha. 

I have been wanting to try Fonda Mexican ever since I saw my ex housemate post an instagram pic of her mexican outing, and when the restaurant came up in conversation with a work friend K,   she raved about the huge servings, the cheap prices and most of all, their chunky chips covered in Chipotle Aioli. Now I must go, you had me at chips+aioli. 

As Fonda Mexican is situated near the intersection of Swan and Church Streets in Richmond, it is a pain to get to/ find parking around if I were to drive out there from home. It was however only a short two-stop train ride from Parliament Station to East Richmond then a 5 minute walk, so it worked out to be a very convenient post-work dinner location. 
K was pleasantly surprised to see the joint half-empty as she noted that waiting for a table would be the norm. Well I guess that is the perk of getting there early :D

The decor of Fonda was casual with pops of colour provided by the chairs and the rather impressive chandelier hanging from above. 

After been given menus, I allowed K to make the selections, I would have been happy even if we only had the chips. 

Charred Corn with Chipotle ailoi, ricotta salata and lime $3.5 each
For someone like me who likes all things tangy, the ricotta and chipotle aioli was heaven. It paired well with the sweetness of corn, but I must admit I am still clumsy as when it comes to eating corn on a cob, K does it in a much more dignified and graceful manner. The only other occasion that I can recall eating a similar item was at Mamasita almost two years ago, given that I have little recollection of that experience, this probably beats the latter version, hands down. 

Before we could finish the corn, the chips arrived almost simultaneously with our drinks, Sauv Blanc for K and Horchata for me. Because K can handle alcohol better and I wanted a drink with the stripey straws. 

Fat chips with chipotle aioli $6

Picture crispy, hot, fat chips, seasoned generously with salt crystals and then doused with tangy chipotle sauce. Yum, that is all. 
Horchata $4.5 (yay for stripey straw :) )
Chopped beef burrito $14

Cross-section of the burrito: beef and prok burger, black beans, salsa roja and chipotle aioli


The Horchata (to me it tasted like asian almond milk sans the almond flavour) came in handy when our main item arrived in the form of a beef burrito. The wrap was soft and chewy, its contents incredibly hearty. K informed me that the crispy texture of the filling were provided by crushed pieces of corn chips, which was a nice compliment to the beef, black beans, salad and quinoa. The only criticism I have is just how juicy this wrap was, and by the end of the meal my plate was mountain high with used paper napkins. Then again, this could also be attributed to my poor burrito-eating skills. 


We left Fonda just as the usual dinner queue started to form and a couple first in line was glad to see us vacate our table. I checked my watch and realised it was only half past 6. This was definitely an efficient but satisfying after-work dinner. 

I will definitely have to visit Fonda again for the chips and to try other items on the menu. If anything, the fact that they can provide me with an opportunity to practice eating corn-on-a-cob or burritos in a dignified manner amounts to sufficient reason for a second visit. 

Fonda Mexican
248 Swan St
Richmond 3121
Ph (03) 9429 0085

Fonda Mexican on Urbanspoon


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