Notes about Los Amates Mexican Kitchen

This week we look at some of the dishes that are driving Melbourne's Mexican food craze.

The name “Los Amates” comes from the Aztec work “AMATL” which means the bark from a tree called Amate, in which the Mexican indigenous people from the southern State of Guerrero would create paintings depicting celebrations, birds or Aztec symbols

This week we look at some of the dishes that are driving Melbourne's Mexican food craze.

This week we look at some of the dishes that are driving Melbourne's Mexican food craze.

We choose the Tres Leches dessert, something of a labour of love to make, usually taking 2 days to infuse the lightest of sponges with the three milk mixture (condensed, evaporated and cream).

Prawns Chipotle: This was our favourite dish along with the Ceviche. Nine large prawns in a generous serving with a creamy tomato chipotle chilli cream sauce with fresh lime on the side.

Lamb Tacos: The white corn tortillas were soft and warm served in a little basket wrapped in colourful fabric. The tomatillo salsa was a great accompaniment (a green tomato looking fruit, actually a part of the gooseberry family, with a tart flavour). It was certainly a large serving and we weren’t sure about our choice of lamb so if you want a more traditional taco then try the chicken or be adventurous and try the fried cactus.

Chicken enchiladas with Mole Sauce: The chicken enchiladas were coated in a rich, dark mole sauce, one of the yardsticks of Mexican cuisine. The complex combination of flavours in the Mole derived in part from chiles, spices, peanuts, garlic, raisins, cinnamon and dark chocolate will not be to everyone’s taste but we found it smooth, rich and smoky without any hint of graininess.

Los Amates have been serving Ceviche for around 8 years. Ceviche is a raw fish dish marinted in a citrus dressing.

These paintings are featured on the restaurant’s walls. When Arturo started the restaurant, he wanted a name that had meaning for him, referencing Amates that depict traditional cooking techniques, such as making tortillas.

Arturo Morales Los Amates Mexican Kitchen at 31 Johnston Street doesn’t pretend to be the Capella Pedregal of Fitzroy, in fact it has no pretensions at all which is part of its charm. The staff

The chicken mole dish from Los Amates Mexican restaurant in Fitzroy.

The Ceviche Tostada was one of our favourite dishes. It was fresh with lots of citrusy lime, fish, avocado and tomato, all topping the crunchy fried tortilla. It did include lettuce which may not be traditional but it did add a freshness and crunch to the dish. A great entree and way to start the meal.

Delicious and Authentic Mexican Food in Melbourne. Enjoy an amazing dinner at Los Amates and a JOURNEY THROUGH MEXICO with our authentic Mexican cuisine.