Emilia checks out a perfect venue for International Women’s Day
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Santito
174 Smith St, Collingwood
If you have been around Collingwood a while, you might remember this spot as Hotel Jesus, that loud, tiled Mexican diner that felt like you had walked straight into a Mexico City taqueria.
These days the name above the door has changed to Santito, but the bones of the place are still the same. It feels more like the venue has had a fresh coat of personality than a total makeover.
What used to be Hotel Jesus, (and well before that, the old Collingwood Post Office), one of Melbourne’s early big-name taco joints, is now a new school, Mexico City-inspired taqueria with a new team and a very different energy.
The interesting thing is that it still sits in that lineage of Melbourne Mexican institutions, but this time, there is a near all female crew running the show, especially in the kitchen and on the floor.
It makes Santito a really fitting place to celebrate International Women’s Day (on Sunday, FYI), because you can actually see and taste that focus on women leading from the front.
Inside, it still looks like a postcard from 1970s Mexico City. There is bright white tiling almost everywhere, lots of soft blue and brown accents, retro-style signage and that bodega corner store feeling.
The space is long and bright, with an open kitchen so you can watch tortillas coming off the press and fillings being cooked to order. It feels casual and a little bit chaotic, like you have ducked into a busy street spot rather than a stiff, formal restaurant.
Let’s start with drinks. I began with a Guava Spritz, which is light, tropical and very easy to drink without thinking too hard about it. And we tried the Watermelon Coconut Jalapeno Marg, which sounds like it should be a bit much but is actually beautifully balanced.
You get the sweetness and creaminess from the coconut and watermelon, the freshness of lime and then a gentle warmth from the jalapeno. It feels like a holiday cocktail that has just enough chilli to keep it interesting.
One of the simplest things I had turned out to be one of the best: the Esquites. This is a classic Mexico City street snack, essentially corn off the cob served in a little paper cup instead of on a stick.
At Santito, it arrives in that cup with all the good stuff on top. You squeeze fresh lime over it, mix everything together so the butter, chilli and cheese coat every kernel, and then you have options. You can tip it upside down onto the plate and eat it like a warm corn salad, or just keep going at it straight from the cup.
It is salty, sweet and tangy all at once, and it is exactly the sort of thing you want in one hand with a drink in the other.
From there, the tacos start to show you what this kitchen can do. The Baja Fish Taco is inspired by Baja California on Mexico’s west coast, where battered fish tacos are a way of life. And the Al Pastor Taco, pork marinated with chilli and pineapple, cooked on a vertical spit that you normally would see at a “Lamb’s On” on a corner after a big night.
You can add a costra, which is an extra layer of fried cheese, so you end up with pork and pineapple plus this crispy, gooey cheese blanket. It is messy, smoky and sweet in all the right ways.
For anyone who wants to skip the meat, the Coliflor Taco is a real standout. The cauliflower is roasted until it is browned and a bit nutty, then piled with salsa and garnish. It has enough texture and flavour that it does not feel like a compromise. Even the meat eaters at the table will be happy with it.
The Tuna Tostada is probably the prettiest thing on the table. A tostada is basically a crisp, flat tortilla used as a base, popular all along the Mexican coast.
This one comes with soy and orange-cured tuna on top, with lime and jalapeno mayo, avocado and pickled jalapeno. It sits somewhere between ceviche and sashimi, but the citrus and chilli keep it firmly in Mexican territory. Crunchy base, cool, fresh topping, lots of brightness.
Then there is the Rajas Poblanas Quesadilla. Rajas means strips, and poblanas are mild green poblano chillies. They roast the chillies and fold them all with cheese inside a tortilla and serve it with an avocado salsa.
It is melty, gentle and very comforting, a great pick for anyone who wants flavour without a lot of heat.
To finish, I tried both desserts. The Churros, three of them, are classic fried dough sticks dusted in sugar and spice, perfect for dipping and sharing.
The Spiced Cheesecake is richer and more grown-up, with warm spices running through it and that dense, creamy texture you want from cheesecake. It feels like a New York-style cheesecake that has picked up cinnamon and a bit of caramel along the way.
What ties all of this together is the philosophy behind Santito now. They have kept the feel and the bodega diner vibe, but they have focused the menu down to things they really care about.
Proper corn tortillas, a tight lineup of tacos and street style dishes, a drinks list that plays with fruit, chilli and tequila, and a mostly female team driving the whole thing.
Images: Supplied