Chula

Overview

Anyone who has travelled to Mexico will know how tricky it can be to find authentic Mexican food in Sydney. Do yourself a favour and make like Speedy Gonzales to one of them: the Potts Point restaurant, Chula.

Located on Bayswater Road, Chula was established by Peter Lew and Nicole Galloway, the couple behind Fei Jai and Barrio Cellar. The elegant venue was designed by Joshua Clapp from Steel + Stitch and features warm desert tones of terracotta and agave, and woven cocoon-style lighting that casts a soft glow over cane basket chairs and sunken lounge seating.

Chula's food offering was created by chef Alvaro Valenzuela, who moved to Sydney from Mexico City to showcase the fresher, more vibrant side of his native cuisine. Rather than carby nachos, burritos and quesadillas, the menu focuses on fresher feeds like lime-cured snapper ceviche or the huitlacoche quesadilla made with 'Mexican truffle' fungus, mushroom, queso, jalapeño salsa and avocado mousse.

If you're here to try real Mexican fare, you can't go past the juicy beef birria, a prized find in any Sydney restaurant.

Chula has multiple menus on offer, including set menus, a bottomless brunch menu and a taco Tuesday offering of $5 tacos. Said tacos include chicken, pork, fish and vegetarian — the latter of which emphasises either corn and avocado or mushrooms and cactus. The bottomless offering (for $99pp) includes four sides, two tacos, churros and bottomless margaritas, rose, sparkling wine or house beer.

If the mention of churros caught your eye and alerted your stomach, the a la carte dessert menu includes a decadent churros sandwich (with salted caramel ice cream, peanuts and dulce de leche) or tres leches cake with coconut chantilly cream.

The venue also has a sizeable bar, which has been elaborately decorated like a shrine to the spirits — quite literally. If you're struggling to choose between the spicy jalapeño margarita or the refreshing peachy frozen margarita, por que no los dos? Otherwise, divulge in the nine specialty cocktails, beers, or wines on offer.

Whether you're after a cultural exploration of Latin America or just a strong drink and a tasty meal, Chula delivers on both.