Melbourne has been in love with Mexican and Latin American flavours for years now, and chef Paul Wilson is one of the city’s most prolific purveyors. After an illustrious stint at the famed fine diner The Botanical, Wilson became a consultant chef and go-to guy for all things zingy and zesty, travelling the Americas, writing a book and creating menus for spots such as Acland Street Cantina and the revamped Newmarket Hotel.
Wilson’s latest menu can be found in the ever-evolving northern enclave of East Brunswick. Lady Carolina is a loud and lively street food joint outside, and a moody and more refined restaurant, ceviche and cocktail bar inside. Those cocktails are pisco, rum and tequila based of course, while out that back, its tacos, beer, tacos, BBQ corncobs and tacos.
Local design studios Biasol and Elena Critchley have produced two distinct fit-outs that set the tone and reflect the dining style of each space. Internal walls stripped to reveal original brickwork, distressed and faded turquoise paint, two-tone parquetry floors and loose vintage timber screens find the sweet spot between rustic and refined. In the large open air courtyard, dappled light, banana palms, loud hand-painted signage and astroturf flooring keep it casual, colourful and, in the current heady depths of a local summer, crowded.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
175-177 Lygon St
-
Indian studio Compartment S4 celebrates architectural collaborationCompartment S4, the Indian architecture studio out of Ahmedabad and Mumbai, is true to its collective nature
-
A revamped Edinburgh apartment combines Californian-style modernism with modern craftArcher + Braun have transformed an apartment in a historic house with finely tuned contemporary additions and sympathetic attention to detail
-
Formafantasma’s biodiversity-boosting installation in a Perrier Jouët vineyard is cross-pollination at its bestFormafantasma and Perrier Jouët unveil the first project in their ‘Cohabitare’ initiative, ‘not only a work of art but also a contribution to the ecosystem’
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openingsExplore the best new hotels in the world, from beachfront living at Cheval Blanc Seychelles to otherworldly Zaha Hadid architecture at Me Malta
-
Australian surf culture merges with the charm of the Mediterranean at Il DelfinoIl Delfino, designed by Sheree Commerford, is a restored 1940s seaside inn nestled on the Yamba coastline in Australia
-
Layover in style at Melbourne Airport’s new hotelIbis Styles Melbourne Airport hotel by FK brings together elegant rooms, co-working lounges and leisure facilities in a striking aircraft wing-inspired design
-
Australian heritage meets European grandeur at Copperstone, a New South Wales retreatCopperstone is New South Wales’ answer to the European country estate, and includes a five-bedroom retreat, set in 48 acres
-
Tap into local creativity at The StandardX, MelbourneThe StandardX, Melbourne is the first hotel in The Standard Group's new breed of ‘younger and rebellious’ properties
-
Basq House is the eclectic-cool stay to know in Byron BayDesigned by StudioFAB and Léo Terrando, Basq House reverberates with the Australian town’s laid-back beach culture and artistic spirit
-
Discover Beau Sydney, an intimate two-part restaurant enlivening the city’s lanewaysBeau Sydney dishes up contemporary Australian cuisine, from baked goods to regional wines, amid elegant interiors by Smart Design Studio
-
Inside The Ghan train across Australia, new carriage interiors elevate a classic tripThe Ghan’s new carriage interiors designed by Woods Bagot reimagine modern rail travel for this epic trip between Darwin and Adelaide
