In my younger and sprightlier days, I collected more than my fair share of sombreros from Taco Bill. As any Melbournian with a penchant for icy cocktails will know, you’ll be rewarded with a sombrero if you order and finish a large fishbowl margarita (approx $30-40) from Taco Bill. Alas, those days are over. If I was to try to finish a fishbowl margarita now, you’ll find me passed out in the gutter rather than celebrating with a sombrero on my head and tacos in hand.
These days, my meals at Taco Bill is a lot more sedate. My most recent visit was after a plasma donation appointment, so drinking was definitely off the cards. Located just up the road from the Blood Donor Centre on Collins Street, Taco Bill is a basement level restaurant that seems pretty non-descript from street level but then explodes into a riot of colour, noise and laughter as you descend down the stairs.
K ordered a glass of Mexican Punch out of curiosity, as the menu gave no further explanation of what ‘Mexican Punch’ actually is. I think he was hoping for something not dissimilar to sangria, but this was more like plain red cordial. Coloured sugar water, and nothing more.
We ordered dishes to share – the first a Seafood Quesadilla. I was quite pleasantly surprised with this quesadilla – the prawns and scallops used were plump, juicy, and plentiful. While there was probably too much creamy sauce in the quesadilla for my liking, that definitely comes down to personal preference. My only criticism is that the guacamole had started to change colour, indicating that it wasn’t made fresh as it should have been.
Our second main was the Beef and Chicken Fajitas, served with warm tortillas and rice on the side. The guacamole included in the meal suffered from the same issue as the other dish, having been pre-made hours earlier. The chicken and the beef weren’t particularly remarkable, but I loved how the onions had caramelised, as well as the smoky flavours throughout the dish.
We also ordered the Charred Corn to share, simple buttery grilled corn. Nothing out of the ordinary, though the chopped coriander on top was a nice touch.
The two mains, side, and a drink came to a final bill of $52 – however, we had a Daily Deal that entitled us to $50 of value for only $25, so paid $27 at the end of the meal. A bargain for two people!
Taco Bill will never be a renowned Mexican restaurant, drawing in fans from all over Melbourne and food pilgrims from further afield. However if you’re after some decent comfort Tex-Mex food, and a restaurant that welcomes boisterous catchups with friends over fishbowl margaritas, Taco Bill is the place to go.
Taco Bill is located at 412 Collins St in Melbourne, Australia.