Bad Hombres… Good food.

We caught up with Jose Artidiello, the man behind Mexican Plant based restaurant and bar Bad Hombres.. He shared the story behind some of the best Plant based food going around town…

“We started Bad Hombres as a pop up just over 4 years ago, originally we were a 50% plant-based restaurant, but after so much success with the plant based menu we wanted to make the transition to a fully plant based menu. After our Bondi Pop up had wrapped we knew we wanted to stay for good, but the Mexican food market was quite saturated at the time, and realized we would have trouble competing in it unless we differentiate ourselves in a radical way, so we decided to make the change. The PLANT-BASED industry was getting more and more traction and since it already comprised half of our menu, the solution to our predicament was right there.

It was shocking for many at the beginning to hear of a PLANT-BASED MEXICAN restaurant due to the misconception we have of Mexican food; meat-oriented, dairy heavy and unhealthy, but once you realize how different that is from real authentic Mexican food, and how the basis of the cuisine actually consists of a combination of grains, chilis, and spices—it is a no brainer.

We wanted to create a place not only with good food and drinks (our wine list consists of all-natural and minimal-intervention vegan wines, as well as a full tequila and mezcal based cocktail bar), but also good vibes; The music, curated by me ranges from 80’s Australian rock, 90’s party hits, Punk and Mexican POP that somehow blends together to create the best ambiance any night of the week.

We are not your average Mexican Restaurant, and we like to showcase it in any way we can.

Fast forward a few years and we are one of the most recognizable names in Sydney for both, Mexican and Plant-based food.

We just finished a summer pop-up at a popular location in Bondi, and are in plans of expanding to the inner west as well as moving to a bigger site in Surry Hills within the next year. Our menu is designed to be shared, and although we are suitable for individual ordering, we encourage people to share a few plates instead to get the full experience”

• Nachos w/ House Cheddar “Cheese”, Black Beans, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole & Cashew Crema
• Miso Eggplant Tacos w/ Pineapple Habanero Salsa & Miso Caramel
• BH Cauliflower w/ Oregano-Paprika Salt, Cashew Crema, Salsa Verde, Coriander & Onion (served w/ Corn Tortillas)
• Sweet Corn Creme Brûlée w/ Burnt Chipotle-Cacao Sugar. So good you can’t believe there’s no dairy
• Wash it all down with a couple of Rosalinda Spicy margaritas

“We take most of the inspiration for our menu from the street food in Mexico City (my hometown) with an Aussie twist, just enough to keep it authentic, while adequate to the local palate and produce—although we import a few key ingredients from Mexico, most of our food is sourced daily from Australian suppliers. The best part is trying to interpret these traditional dishes in a full PLANT-BASED version and coming up with unreal representations of the food I grew up with.

When it comes to a cocktail, you can never go wrong with a classic margarita at any dinner party. Easy to make, boozy enough, and straight to the point. Ditch the simple sugar syrup for a few drops of agave honey instead and you’re all set…Just remember, always use fresh lime juice!

If you like to spice things up, slice a couple of jalapeños and chuck them into your tequila bottle the night before (w/o the seeds) and surprise your guests with restaurant-level spicy margaritas!

Buy tequila marked “100% de agave and that has been aged for at least 2 months.”

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounce blanco tequila (also called plato or silver tequila)
• 1 ounce orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec, Cointreau, or Grand-Marnier
• 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Plenty of flake salt for glass, optional (do not use iodized salt)
• Ice cubes, optional
• Lime wedges for garnish, optional

Method: Pour Tequila, Liquor, freshly squeezed lime juice over ice on a cocktail shaker, shake, shake, shake.. And Serve over Ice, add your lime wedge for garnish.