Tastes of Taqueria: Eduardo Conde of El Primo Sanchez on the Authentic Flavour Pairings of a New Menu
Paddington’s local Mexican joint has introduced a street-style food menu that needs to be explored with every tastebud you’ve got to spare.
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Street food is more than just a meal — it's a cultural experience. When you tuck into a paper plate of food made in front of your eyes, then take a seat on rickety chairs or just the sidewalk itself, you're getting a taste of a city, its culture, and the people who live there.
Enter El Primo Sanchez, Paddington's own piece of Mexico. The venue has just relaunched its menu in the style of a street-food taqueria, focusing on all things tacos and top-shelf tequila. We caught up with Eduardo Conde, El Primo's general manager, to learn more about the inspiration behind the change, the new flavours on offer and how to mix and match with the venue's world-class cocktails.
On the Inspiration to Switch to a Taqueria Menu
"To be honest, it just felt right for who we are," says Conde of the recent switch to a taqueria-style menu. "El Primo's always been about energy — bright lights, music, tequila, a bit of karaoke chaos. We wanted the food to match that."
Chef Diego Sotelo is the Guadalajara-born talent behind Rico's Tacos and helped Conde with the redesign. "When Diego came on board, we all agreed tacos were the answer. Primo's Taco Corner is about letting people build their own experience, mix and match their toppings, dip things in consommé, grab a drink, dance a little. That's the spirit of a Mexican street night out, and that's what we wanted here."
On the Key Details That Make Mexican Street Food the Real Deal
Authenticity comes first and foremost for experiences like this. Conde and Sotelo knew that from the get-go. This is no 'white people taco night' (as seen on TikTok), this is a high-quality experience lifted straight from the streets of Mexico and dropped onto Oxford Street. So in this case, what makes the difference between real and imitation?
"For me, it comes down to time and honesty. Real Mexican food is slow, layered, and bold. We're talking long marinades, dried chiles, masa tortillas, flavours that come from patience. A lot of copycat versions skip the steps that make it special. They go light on spice or lean into Tex-Mex shortcuts. But real street food has soul. You should taste smoke, citrus, vinegar… depth."
On the Perfect Pairings in the Food and Drink Menus
The food at Primo is, well, primo. But the venue is known first and foremost for its cocktails. That's no surprise, considering Conde was the 2023 Diageo World Class Australian Bartender. While the original drinks menu set a high bar, Primo recently launched a fresh new cocktail offering titled 'No Mames'. To celebrate, we challenged Conde to create some perfect pairings of his cocktails with his three favourite new menu items.
Quesabirria and Marakame
"People go wild for [the quesabirria]. The beef, the cheese, the consommé…it's got that melty, messy, flavour-packed thing going on. You dip it like it's French onion soup but with a Mexican heart. It needs something smooth to balance it out, and the Marakame [a tequila-based cocktail with white chocolate and citrus] does just that."
Al Pastor Pork Belly and Mandarin Paloma Jarrito
"This is straight from the street stalls of CDMX. Twelve-hour marinade, coals, fresh pineapple, boom — you're in Mexico with one bite. We pair it with a fizzy mandarin Paloma in a jarrito. It's light, zesty, bright, and it cuts right through the fat and spice."
Beer-Battered Baja Fish Taco and Flama Blanca
"This is your beach moment. It's a bit of a sleeper hit, but once people try it, they're hooked. Crispy golden fish, crunchy slaw, and then you've got the Flama Blanca with lychee, vanilla, and tequila — it's creamy and a little tropical. Like Tulum in a bite and a sip."
On the Ideas That Didn't Make It Past the First Draft
Of course, not everything is a winner. Conde says some flavour combinations ended up on the taqueria's cutting room floor.
"We had some early favourites that we just couldn't fit in. There was a chorizo con papas dish I was obsessed with: spicy, rich, comforting — like something you'd eat at your abuela's house after a night out. We also played with a snapper ceviche, super fresh and citrusy, which would've been killer with a mezcal spritz. They didn't fit the final format, but who knows? Maybe they'll make a comeback one day."
For more information on the El Primo Sanchez menu or to make a booking, head to the website.
