Fritter bites… whole kernels of yellow corn mixed in with zucchini. Photo: Wendy Johnson
Langosta Y Queso taco… Loaded with chunks of lobster tail and garlic butter. Photo: Wendy Johnson
Charred corn… with garlic butter and honey and came with a bold chipotle aioli. Photo: Wendy Johnson
Lime margarita with blue curacao. Photo: Wendy Johnson
La Gama taco… chilli and garlic king prawns. Photo: Wendy Johnson
“While recipes are authentic and celebrate many parts of Mexico, Cartel Belconnen dares to add its own twist,” writes dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON.
You can’t escape the Day of the Dead theme at Cartel Belconnen. It’s everywhere (even decorating the staircase), but that’s part of the fun. Indeed, the entire place is a riot of colour, with a great vibe.
It was margarita time, and I asked for a “traditional lime”. The chap behind the bar (you order at the counter or through each table’s QR code) explained that Cartel’s take tastes like lime, but is actually brilliant blue in colour because it features blue curacao.
When I hesitated, he didn’t skip a beat and offered me a taste. I was won over. My friend ordered a frozen strawberry marg, served in a fun glass with a stem shaped like a cactus plant.
Cartel is obsessed with tacos and wants you to taste Mexico with every bite. While recipes are authentic and celebrate many parts of the country, Cartel Belconnen dares to add its own twist.
We shared the fritter bites, great value at $8 for a small serving and $12 for a large. These mini morsels are super tasty, and whole kernels of yellow corn are mixed in with zucchini.
My friend is a lobster lover and couldn’t move past the Langosta Y Queso ($27). This taco was loaded with chunks of lobster tail and garlic butter. The house bechamel was great, and the Mexican cheese added another dimension.
The dippy side of lobster prawn bisque missed the mark, we agreed. It was a bit gluggy and lacked flavour. Dip aside, my friend wasn’t shy with her praise of the dish overall.
My La Gama taco was super fun, and Cartel Belconnen didn’t hold back on the chilli and garlic king prawns ($16). I wasn’t sure, when I read the menu, about the caramelised pineapple salsa, but it worked a treat.
We also shared a cob of corn (already cut in half). It was charred with garlic butter and honey and came with a bold chipotle aioli ($12). On top was coriander, salty feta and tajin, a Mexican spice featuring chilli, lime and salt.
Cartel Belconnen has four eating areas – outside, inside upstairs, inside main area, and an inside side area, with floor-to-ceiling windows, which is where we settled admiring the water views (Cartel Belconnen holds a prime possie on Belconnen’s boardwalk). It was hot and still inside, and the air con struggled to keep up. Some tables are packed in, and we could definitely rub elbows with neighbouring diners.
Service was okay. It was hard to flag down staff to ask questions about the menu, even though a lot of staff were milling about.
Cartel opened its first operation in Queanbeyan, in Ray Morton Park. It’s still going great guns.
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