Potentia Solutions Leisure head honcho Ross Ledingham makes no secret of the fact that he’s had an eye on James Street for a hot minute. But, much like securing the perfect scenic sites for his luxe rooftop bars, snagging a piece of prime real estate on Brisbane’s most fashionable promenade requires a bit of luck and a lot of patience. The dice fell in Ross’ favour earlier this year when Tippler’s Tap vacated its beery bastion at the base of Sage Hotel, allowing the Potentia group to slide in. Great timing, too, as development plans look to transform pockets opposite and next to the hotel, subsequently expanding the James Street precinct further up the road. “That extension of James Street is very much around the corner, which is fantastic for us,” Ross tells us, days out from the official unveiling of Potentia’s newest venue, 80-seat Tulum-inspired bar and nosh spot Carmen Tequileria. To capitalise on the opportunity, Ross and his team looked to install a concept that not only matched the exisiting glamour of James Street, but added something the strip didn’t already have. “We looked at the street and what was missing,” explains Ross. “We came to the conclusion that the best thing for us was to redevelop a concept that we’d had previously but never done, which was coastal, new-wave Mexican.”

Carmen Tequileria is a tasteful hybrid of restaurant and lounge bar functionality, with a breakneck 31-day fit-out process removing Tippler’s rustic brick-heavy aesthetic and exchanging it for a brighter one featuring whitewashed walls, touches of light oak, rattan, stone tiles, avocado-hued banquettes, curved arches and pops of greenery. The spot feels beachy, conjuring the salt-licked serenity of the Yucatán Peninsula’s coastline and the relaxed clubs and bars dotted along it. Like most Potentia venues, Carmen is geared to accommodate a variety of wants and needs. Casual cocktail seekers can perch at the bar with a glass of something delicious, while large groups are free to gather around a table and split a stomach-stuffing feast. Though glam, Carmen feels approachable – and you needn’t worry about being ushered out the door. “It’s not intensely formal,” says Ross. “It’s one of those venues where we want to be able to offer everything for everybody – any experience throughout the course of the day and night.”

As can be surmised from the name, Carmen Tequileria is a temple for tequila lovers and Mecca for mezcal aficionados. Behind the back bar you’ll spy more than 30 varieties (a total that will grow over time), including rare bottles you’d be hard-pressed to find in Australia (Pescador de Suenos Pechuga, The Lost Explorer range and Clase Azul Reposado), as well as plenty of party-starting staples from the likes of Patron, Tromba and Don Julio. “There’s some really interesting mezcals and tequilas that we’ve managed to get a hold of,” says Ross. “I would say at the moment 70 percent is available in country already and the other 30 percent is very much special import.” Bolstering the agave-laced offering is a sizeable menu of hand-crafted signature cocktails, highlights of which include the Arte De Volar (Patron Silver, luxardo maraschino, creme de Violette, lime and agave) and the XO Espresso (The Lost Explorer Espadin, Licor 43, cold press, demerara sugar syrup, chocolate bitters and cinnamon sugar). Carmen’s seafood-heavy menu – devised by head chef David Hernandez – is broad, encompassing snacks to pick at (pinchos morunos, Mexican popcorn chicken and classic guac), crudo dishes (kingfish ceviche, and tuna on sweet-soy rice cakes with caviar) and tacos (filled with pulled pork, blue swimmer crab, teriyaki duck and poached lobster). These bites make way for larger plates of charred-corn ribs, achiote salt-and-pepper squid, and tuna poké tostaditos, while share-style mains like agave al pastor pork loin and beef short-rib rendang are showstoppers. Carmen Tequileria will also be implementing Potentia’s sustainability program, gunning for a zero-waste target for its cocktail menu, using drops from carbon-neutral makers (Mijenta Tequila, Tres Tribus Mezcal) and ensuring the kitchen is maximising ingredients across the board.

Carmen Tequileria is opening to the public on Saturday July 15. Head to the Stumble Guide for more information.