It’s been six months since Consider The Sauce’s first visit to the then newly opened Village Cantina at Yarraville.
I’m happy to return, especially as my son, Bennie, has yet to do so and it fits right in with our mid-week nothing-planned-for-dinner situation.
Village Cantina has become a firm favourite among locals with a warm, welcoming vibe.
Without intending to make a direct comparison to that first visit, we end up ordering two items we also had on that occasion – and it’s something of a revelation.
First though, we start with “street-style chargrilled corn” with chipotle mayo, queso fresco and lime ($5).
Our single serve, cut in two, lasts all of about five seconds.
It’s yummy but oh, so very small!
Bennie’s beef burrito ($14) is a big step-up from the same item ordered by me on that initial visit.
This dish is much more deftly done, with none of the solid, if enjoyable, stodginess I experienced.
The filling has very nice shredded beef and there’s salsa, sour cream and guacamole on the side.
But the real eye-opener is the nachos ($13).
I’m not sure why I order this as nachos can so often veer between acceptable bar/snack food for sharing and a gloopy, unappetising mess. The new-look Village Cantina nachos has really good melted cheese, guacamole, black beans and salsa in great profusion atop a big mound of good corn chips.
But this nachos is lifted to a whole ’nuther level by the fabulous strips of grilled chicken, which have tremendous flavour and a bit of a cajun thing going on.
It’s the best nachos I’ve ever had.
There’s so much of it – and its tastes so good – I’m happy to fully share with Bennie once he’s done with his burrito.
Heck, it’d make a fine light meal for two!
The opening of Village Cantina is part of an explosion of openings and refurbishments that have taken place at Yarraville village in the past six months or so.
These have included the re-opening of the corner pub under its original name, the Railway Hotel, and the opening of a branch of the popular Middle Eastern-style Seddon eatery, Advieh.
Kenny Weir is the founder of Consider the Sauce, the definitive guide to Melbourne western suburbs eating – www.considerthesauce.net
