ESSENTIAL EATS: CHUPACABRA

Open windows at the front, let the sunlight stream in while you start the day with a morning coffee. Maybe even a traditional breakfast dish of fried tortilla chips topped with salsa verde, frijoles and a fried egg and a cold-pressed juice of watermelon and dragonfruit. Or maybe amaranth and coconut-flour pancakes with Mexican fruits and cardamon syrup is more your thing.

At lunchtime, you’ll enjoy dishes such as Cape Byron steak with frijoles, cotija cheese, burnt onion and spicy salsa or roasted suckling pig, pork crackling and chile aqua. And as for the sunsets? How about tacos with a smoked duck breast, queso fresco and mandarin habanero sauce, a slow-cooked meat of the day with salsa and tortillas to share, or the amazing flame-grilled octopus with salsa macha, charred tomato and onion, confit potato and coffee butter. Through his work in Brisbane in the last 10 years (Mexican taqueria Coyotito formerly Chingon, Red Hook, The Burrow) and especially in this new venture, Evan believes in the importance of working closely with local producers and growers. Mexico is the birthplace to some of the oldest forms of agriculture and farming. This has always fascinated Evan, so he’s all about fresh and local produce wherever possible, and Byron serves up most of what he needs. He has access to the freshest seafood direct from the source, as well as locally grown traditional Mexican produce like cream guava, nopales cactus and beautiful jewel corn from local producer Picone Exotics.

So tear yourself away from the beautiful new 5-star round pool and the understated sophisticated luxury which is a signature of every bespoke property at The Bower, at some part of the day or night to try Chupacabra for yourself. The taqueria is only a minute’s walk from the beach at Suffolk Park. Our guess is a quiet stroll through the soft white sand is exactly what you’re going to need afterwards!

Arriba!