Tacos, tequila and taquitos – Mexican eatery and bar Frida Sol arrives in Palm Beach
For the past few years, taqueria Bonita Bonita has been delighting diners with tasty modern-Mexican fare and tequila-spiked tipples from its moody and eclectic digs in Mermaid Beach. This week, Bonita Bonita’s bright, bubbly and sassy younger sibling, Frida Sol, arrived in Palm Beach – and we think you’re going to like her.
The details
In July this year, dining space 8th Ave Terrace quietly closed its doors. The elevated Gold Coast Highway-fronting space remained vacant throughout winter, until Bonita Bonita’s new owner Ryan Renwick (who purchased the Mermaid eatery from founder Morgan Walsh earlier this year) laid eyes on it just last month, beginning extensive works on the two-storey site to bring Frida Sol to life. While Bonita Bonita and Frida Sol are from the same family, there’s an entirely different vibe and atmosphere at the new seaside Palm Beach space.
The space
Things have really gone full circle for Bonita Bonita’s founder and current owner of FuFu and Poké Poké, Morgan Walsh. In a bid to give Frida Sol its own identity whilst still maintaining the heart and soul of Bonita Bonita, Ryan tasked Morgan (under her fit-out guise Growling Tiger Designs) with transforming the multi-level dining space and bar. A portrait of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo – the restaurant’s namesake – overlooks diners, while the walls are dotted with shrines, hanging plants and and an enviable line-up of cacti. A hint of inspiration was taken from Mexico’s coastal town of Tulum to capture Frida Sol’s elevated seaside location, with thatched umbrellas lining its breezy sun-kissed balcony creating the ultimate setting for margarita sipping. For now, only the 45-seat lower level is open, with the enclosed upper level expected to open before the year’s end.
The food and drink
Frida Sol will offer the same menu as Bonita Bonita, though there are plans to differentiate the food offerings in the new year. Southern locals will be delighted that all of the favourite Bonita Bonita classics are now closer to home – there’s everything from the smoked-chilli-salt corn chips and the deep-fried chimichangas, to the four-cheese and jalapeno quesadillas and the drool-worthy grilled corn with cilantro crema, queso fresco and smoky paprika. Tacos are still the hero (the crispy cauliflower variety is a great vibe), plus you’ll also find a selection of towering burrito bowls, share plates, and of course, the famed Bonita nachos. Behind the bar it’s all about tequila, margaritas and carafes of sangria, with local tap beers and a selection of wine also in the mix.
Frida Sol is now open! Head to our Stumble Guide for opening hours and contact details.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Gold Coast dining guide with more than 870 places to eat, drink, shop and play.