There’s nothing better than an unexpected night out filled with great food, delicious cocktails and an atmosphere that has you saying “oh my god is it 12am already?”
I was lucky enough to have such experience at the brand new Mexican hot spot Hot Lips Hacienda.
More than just a restaurant, this new Highett based gem, allows customers to escape the hustle and bustle of their day, and step into a fiesta filled with so much fun, one completely forgets they are in a Bayside local.
The only thing that elevates the fiesta vibe – is without doubt the food! Each dish was better than the next, with bursts of flavour, colour and excitement.
For those with a sweet tooth, the churros were no doubt the best I’ve ever had – not to mention the delicious tequila infused dipping sauce, which is truly mid blowing.
I sat down with the team to find out how this idea came about, what they are hoping to achieve and what we all must try when visiting.
How did the concept of hot lips hacienda come about?
Well, the concept of Hot Lips Hacienda has been a fluid one from day one. I suppose we set out to create a space that was more than just an eatery & bar.
We really wanted to create an experience – tastes, smells, sights & sounds that take you to the streets of Mexico.
As far as the architecture & design, we just wanted to create something really special that people would normally have to travel much closer to the city to find.
What inspired the name?
Good question & one that we are rarely asked surprisingly.
I suppose people hear Hot Lips and assume it’s to do with the spice usually found in Mexican cuisine.
In fact, we were in Mexico to learn as much as possible about Mexican cuisine, culture and to meet our Chef’s that eventually have come over to Australia. We were at a Hacienda for a long degustation style lunch & after eating way too much food and a few Mezcal’s, we took a walk around the huge estate and were blown away by the architecture & the gardens….
The idea of using some of the architectural features of a Hacienda for the fit out arose, which then lead to the potential of using Hacienda in the name.
The next step was researching a range of different things that were Mexican such as places, animals etc. We looked into flowers and came across a flower found throughout Mexico called Hot Lips.
Hot Lips Hacienda.
What made you choose the location?
Both of the owners are local Highett residents.
We love Highett and all the local’s, and we just wanted to be able to get good taco’s without leaving our suburb… Haha.
Signature Dish?
That’s a tough one as we are so newly open.
People are loving our Ceviche Tostadita, our most popular so far is our Elotes Callejeros.
Signature Cocktail
No surprise but our Margaritas are our most popular cocktails.
However, of our signature cocktails the Incan Sacrifice is a crowd favourite.
How would you describe the vibe?
Fiesta
What are your hopes for the future?
You’ll have to stay tuned for that….
Whether you’re a local, or a foodie looking for the next delicious hot spot – there’s no doubt you will have a memorable evening. And while they are just getting started, something tells me there’s plenty of exciting things yet to come.
