Nothing is more than $20 at Mami’s (and you can BYO)

The first thing you notice about Mami’s Casa Latino is its striking cobalt-blue exterior. It’s a homage to Frida Kahlo’s family home in Mexico City, Blue House (now a museum), and owners Erendira Perez and Mariana Beverido are channelling those homely vibes at their quaint new casual Bondi eatery.

“We want Mami’s to feel like you’re in a home and you’re getting a meal you’d eat with mum. That’s why it’s called Mami’s,” says Perez, adding that “mami” is Spanish for mum.

The second thing is how well priced everything is. “There are many beautiful restaurants in Bondi and in Sydney doing $25 margaritas and $40 mains, but that’s not where I can take my family,” says Perez. “Nothing here is over $20. It’s a place you can take the whole family. It feels unpretentious.”

Perez and Beverido both have three children and when Laurie’s Vegetarian on Bondi Road closed earlier this year after more than 20 years, Perez says they were forced to find another restaurant that was casual, family friendly and offered a sense community. The two, who would cook for their families at each other’s houses on weekends, decided to instead open a place of their own in that very spot.

Mami’s sits somewhere between a fast-casual takeaway joint and restaurant. And while its vibe is easygoing, chef Beverido doesn’t take shortcuts. Case in point: the signature pork confit carnitas tacos. “We marinate the pork in orange, like you would duck a l’orange, and then confit the pork for four hours,” says Perez.

The result is a taco filled with beautifully rich and succulent pork and finished with onion, coriander and a zesty salsa verde.

The beef birria taco special, accompanied by a delightful cup of spice-laden consomme, is another labour of love, as is the side of refried beans for $4. “We cook the black beans in butter and onion. It’s slow, takes time, but when you do it that way, it’s better,” Perez says.

Tacos are one for $6 or four for $20, and you can also get marinated chicken tacos with slaw and pico de gallo (salsa); mushroom with onion, capsicum and coriander; and occasionally chicken adobo. There are hefty burritos from $10, and for dessert, a shortbread sandwich cookie with dulce de leche for $6.50.

Both Perez and Beverido were born in Mexico and, while most of the dishes are from there, Mami’s weaves in Latin and Tex-Mex flavours too (most notably the Texas nachos, which are $16, or $40 for the only menu outlier, nachos grande, a beast of a dish). They’ve gone with a uniquely Australian tradition for the drinks, though, by offering BYO wine and beer (if you get wine from the nearby Royal Hotel, you get a 20 per cent discount).

“The current economy in Australia is tough,” says Perez. “Hospitality needs to make a change and deliver more affordable food – food that’s good quality. That’s what we’re doing. We didn’t spend a fortune on a fancy fit-out. We used things we picked up on the street and items from my home to keep the costs down.”

Open Tue-Sat 9am-9pm; Sun & Mon 9am-8pm.

286 Bondi Road, Bondi, instagram.com/mamis.food.bondi