Los Vida, Crows Nest

I had a really fun night at Los Vida. Is this photo strangely scary but endearing?

Los Vida is fast expanding in Sydney with restaurants in Sydney CBD in Westfield, Crows Nest, Barangeroo, and Wintergarden (Sydney CBD, O'Connell St). 
I dropped by the Crows Nest Los Vida for dinner and a celebration of the Day of the Dead festival. Los Vida in Crows Nest has great atmosphere and on the 31st October, there were face-painters and fairy lights added to this fun and carefree spot. 

The Crows Nest version has three levels and is beautifully decorated. For dinner, we had a huge Dia de Muertos feast. So many food comas!

The cocktail above was to die for and named a mezcal morelos ($17); a special smokey mezcal with candied orange on top; it was a special on the night but perhaps if you asked nicely they might be able to accommodate. I loved it. To start I had the Guacamole with Totopos ($12, below) which included a range of corn chips including fried green chilies and guac which had lovely pomegranate seeds which made dip refreshing. If you're in a group, this is a nice entree to share along with the nachos (if this is a staple favourite of yours - otherwise save some stomach room for the other dishes).

The above tequenos ($12 for 3 pieces) are crumbed cheese sticks which is served with a chipotle sauce. The tequenos is a nice dish and unique - I haven't seen this one on any other mexican restaurants. I'd recommend this one!!

The Famous Fish Taco (above $5) was delicious, not sparing on the fillings with a beautifully light and crumbly battered barramundi, chipotle mayo, and jalapeños adding a bit of a zing – this one was recommended to us, and we agree it’s a must try! The other tacos will range from $5 to $8 and another favourite was also the octopus and chorizo taco.

There's also the Hibiscus Flower Flautas ($14) which has a crunchy coaching topped with cheese and encases hibiscus flowers and tasty cheese. Check this one out if you want a bit of crunch.

The chorizo quesadillas ($13 below) were absolutely inhaled and barely touched the sides. Everyone has a staple favourite and this has to be one of mine. The tortillas for these were fluffy and had a toasty consistency, which went nicely alongside the fire of the chorizo! I also like the Watermelon salad ($12) was a great healthier option with prosciutto, rocket and cheese. This had a blend of sour and salty flavours, which the watermelon helps to balance out. A great side to complement all the tacos and meat!

The Tuna Ceviche ($13 for two, above) is a traditional ceviche with a light lemon zest. This raw, ‘lemon cooked’ dish is like sashimi on a taco for the uninitiated - so if you like your seafood, give this a go! We also tried the Scallop Ceviche which was peppery and fresh with coriander and chilli notes but the tuna is my favourite.

Dessert definitely catered for the chocoholics here. The chocolate tequeno’s were a sweet little treat without being too chocolately (wait, does that even exist?), though at $12 (below) for three are a bit expensive, depending on your chocolate habit!

We also tried the Tamal de Chocolate which had intense marzipan flavours and the softest bread texture. A traditional ’Day of the Dead’ dish, this one needs a more mature palette to enjoy with its dark flavours.

Overall Los Vida was a nice restaurant, with lively atmosphere, but being split level, it wasn’t too noisy and we didn’t have to shout over each other so perfect for a big group of friends to have dinner. The service was very hip and friendly. All the food came out quickly and all together so I suggest if you prefer food to be timed then let the staff know. Check it out!

Weekendfoodescapes by Lisa dined as guests of Los Vida. Thanks for looking after us. All photos, words and opinions are my own. This blog post was contributed by Christina. Thanks to Octavio and Ulysses for being super nice as well :)