Jalisco review: Doubleview taqueria celebrates the spirit of Mexico and its best food and beverage inventions

The world has many reasons to be grateful to the good people of Mexico. They brought us the contraceptive pill, aqueducts and the colour TV. Mexicans also punched above their weight with culinary discoveries, creating chocolate and popcorn. However, it is spicy stews featuring meat and/or beans, wrapped or encased in a corn or flour-based edible vessel like the taco, tortilla or fajita that has become synonymous with Mexican cuisine. Taco Tuesday was even coined in honour of how popular Mexican-style food has become for quick, easy and budget-friendly mid-week dinners. It wasn’t a Tuesday, but rather a rainy Saturday, when my friend Lara and I waltzed into Jalisco in Doubleview. We were drawn there not just for the cuisine, but for the fact Jalisco celebrates another of Mexico’s gifts to humanity, tequila, which is the base of the world’s greatest ever cocktail — the margarita. Purists can try and argue the negroni or martini are superior, but they will lose on account of the fact that neither of those drinks unleashes a whole Mariachi-soundtracked party in your mouth like a margarita does. Lara and I are both Librans and usually decision-making is not our strong point, but we were so keen to get that first margarita down our gullets that we very quickly put in our order for a bunch of share plates including elotes (charred corn), guacamole (obligatory), tostadas, cheese quesadillas and two beef birria tacos. Anticipation was running high as we perused the seven margarita options at Jalisco, which takes its name from the very Mexican State from which tequila originates. Lara and I like our margaritas any way we can get them, but opted for one of the two spicy options — the “ancho” ($21), which comes with a pickle garnish and tajin salt rim. One sip, and the Mariachi band were in full swing. Our plates arrived fairly pronto and it was clear we’d over-ordered from the get-go. The guacamole was served in a large bowl with a rim of corn chips — an absolute bargain for $12. Even though the corn chips are not made in-house so not quite as crunchy as they could be, I would still be perfectly happy with this dish and a margarita if not feeling too ravenous. The curls of charred corn ($12) resembled giant bumble bees with the perfect balance of black and yellow corn. They were doused in manchego cheese and chipotle mayo, and sported a dusting of tajin and a sprinkle of coriander. Another winner. The beef birria tacos ($16 for two) were the highlight with a hearty whack of rich, sweet and spicy slow-cooked beef with a sprinkling of red onion and coriander. Maybe I’ll hit up Jalisco every Tuesday. We should have stopped there. Reaching for a tostada ($14 for two) filled with crumbled chorizo, black beans, guac and lettuce, I was nearing capacity. One bite and the fillings all fell out, so I proceeded to eat a deconstructed tostada. The four cheese quesadillas with pickled jalapenos ($13) were a bridge too far and we couldn’t finish them — especially given we had to leave room for a second margarita . . . and possibly a third. THE VERDICT: 15/20 The perfect place for a casual catch-up over some simple but tasty and well-priced dishes. Be sure to order a margarita. Jalisco 197B Scarborough Beach Road, Doubleview Open Tuesday to Thursday 4pm-late, Friday to Sunday noon-late Contact 0417 594 959 Bookings Yes