La Cabana Mexican Restaurant Bar South Fremantle WA 5

Dine

La Cabana

Chef Ben Fossilo began his catering career creating food truck, Eat No Evil, back in 2013, which swiftly earned a reputation as one of Perth's best street food offerings.

By Ai-Ling Truong

Now he's taken his love for Mexican food from the streets to a permanent location just a skip from South Beach.

Teaming up with friends, and fellow Freo locals, Jarrah Stevenson (of The Bird, Northbridge) and Madi Fay (one-time events and marketing at Eat No Evil), La Cabana opened in March 2020.

The venue draws inspiration from travels through Central and South America and coastal Mexico. The decor is light and bright, with shades of terracotta and pastel tones featuring along an interior bar that sits beside an open kitchen. A large outdoor and dog-friendly courtyard radiates carefree beach vibes, littered with bench tables and leafy shrubbery with the sun streaking through an overhanging hessian shade bringing a little tropical touch to South Fremantle.

Like the interiors, Fossil's food menu is inspired by coastal Mexican cuisine using local, seasonal and native ingredients to Western Australia. Tacos and tostadas are crowd favourites with modern twists on classics from pork dressed with native-strawberry adobo and pineapple salsa to a Mexican fermented cabbage with whipped black beans, toasted sesame, and elevated with a parsley/coriander garnish.

Fresh seafood includes oysters with Geraldton wax vinaigrette and fish ceviche with zesty, tart green apple, raw onion, coconut guacamole and chipotle mayo on a crisp fried tortilla. Slow-cooked beef cheek comes with potato puree, corn mustard and a sticky rich mezcal glaze. Vegetables are celebrated: spiced baked broccoli with white bean, green mole, kale chicharron, and corn tentacles are an unmissable sight on tables - their charred sweetness is offset by chipotle's tanginess mayonnaise and pickled cabbage. Many dishes are gluten-free and vegan.

La Cabana Mexican Restaurant Bar South Fremantle WA 11

The bar pushes well-crafted cocktails centring, naturally, around tequila and mezcal.

Classic margarita on the rocks, an in-house infused chilli tequila margarita or their take on the espresso martini 'Mex-Pressotini' based in horchata (cinnamon rice-based milk) topped with cold brew coffee and mezcal. A rotation of local craft beers from the likes of Beerfarm, Nail and Blasta breweries, their own La Cabana lager on tap, along with a selection of WA wines from the Great Southern, Margaret River and Swan Valley fill out the drinks menu.

La Cabana has become a destination venue that sees its 120-seats filled nightly. Club Cabana sessions every Sunday afternoon finds the energy levels elevated even more with DJs spinning Latin vibes besides drinks and food specials.

"It's been a wild ride, "Ben Fossilo tells Lost in Fremantle. "I'm amazed and humbled by the community support and an epic team that surprised me every week. It's a lot of work but so rewarding. I'm so pumped to have a venue in my hometown of Fremantle and excited about where we can take it."

Throughout Summer, expect more super fresh crudo and ceviche seafood specials and locally made burrata. Plus, keep a watch out for La Cabana's 'Eating Amplified' events, where local artists will perform in the courtyard, served up with a 5-course menu curated by Fossilo that is slated for winter 2022.