After a string of pop-up dinners all around town, Omar Andrade has finally put down roots, choosing a quaint little site in Sydney's dining mecca.
At first glance El Capo looks like it could simply be a kneejerk reaction to current trends: located in Surry Hills (the latest "it" suburb) and sporting a menu of Latin street food that just cries out "flavour of the month", it's all a little bit too much on-trend. Throw in a fit-out designed by Josh Logue, he of Empire of the Sun film clip fame, and it's almost enough to send you running for the hills (Castle or Pennant instead of Surry).
It's only on closer inspection that you'll see hints this place is actually something more than a fad chaser. For starters, the drinks menu is blessedly bereft of "iconic" brand names, instead opting for drinks you're more likely to find in South America rather than in a commercial about it. Side offerings of tamarind juice and
horchata (almond milk) give even more credence to the authenticity of the menu here. Second and just as important, if El Capo were trying to cash in on current trends their meal prices would be much higher.
On the food front expect a truncated menu firmly divided into small and large tasting plates. There are nods to all parts of Central and South American cuisine but the majority of offerings come courtesy of Mexico and Columbia. With this in mind expect to see Venezuelan arepas sitting comfortably alongside more Spanish-leaning dishes like morcilla (blood sausage) with soft-cooked eggs and saffron aioli.
For some, El Capo might still be just a little bit too
du jour but once the tide of Surry hipsters subsides you might just find you're left with a place that has a whole lot of steak to go with the sizzle.
Nick Eggert
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