Sonora Mexican Restaurant and Bar Potts Point — Restaurant in Sydney

Having visited Mexico City, we are well aware of the accomplished high end dining scene and how sophisticated their cuisine can be. Drawing inspiration from Sonora, a coastal state in Mexico’s north-west, chef Roy McVeigh offers this sophisticated and contemporary Mexican dining experience in Sydney. And, when you hear the resume of chef Roy McVeigh extends from Darley’s, Bathers Pavilion, Bennelong and Berowra Waters Inn, you know you’re going to be in for a treat. This kind of experience and refined skills, added in to his knowledge gained through travels, it results in a pure feast for the delights.

The dishes had interesting ingredients, not commonly seen when dining out in Sydney, for example cactus. We had to try the tempura cactus tacos, which had a nice crunchiness and a good spice kick. We tried each of the tacos, which were all superb, very tasty in their own way. The chicken taco was another favourite with a surprising crunchy element, provided by crushed corn chips, this added some unexpected excitement, we also enjoyed the pumpkin. The Spicy octopus tacos, certainly were spicy, also had a nice smokey flavour and nuttiness.

The mains were a surprise, with the Mexican flavours but also similar flavours to what you would have in aEuropean bistro. The roast duck carnitas was served with a bitter sweet hibiscus sauce, which very much reminded us of a plum sauce, and we very much enjoyed the salty, spice elements which enhanced the flavours. A basket of warm flour tortillas is served with the carnitas.

The Rangers Valley wagyu rump cap was prepared well and served medium rare, and thickly sliced, sitting atop a Mexican bean charros sauce that was glistening and the umami flavours had us salivating. The sliced palm was soft and the dish also saw a scattering of raw mushroom that balanced it out well.

To finish off, the dessert was a goats cheese cheesecake, beautifully creamy, with a lovely basil and raspberry granita, there was a hint of saltiness that balanced the sweetness of the granita. The tostada added a nice earthiness and some crunch.

Whilst you’re there, grab a cocktail or two, even a virgin mojito as they all pair super well with the food.

A cool vibe to the restaurant, where it has a painted roof over the pipes, trendy artwork and cacti, whilst an ambience of cool tunes playing. We liked meeting the chef and hearing about his perspective...

(4.5 stars) The guacamole ($17) at Sonora Mexican is incredible: a textural adventure through avocado, green peas, togarashi and guava scooped onto corn chips dusted in flaky black salt. Team it with mezcal and beers—Modelo Especial ($12) and Young Henry’s Newtowner ($12)—as you kick back and enjoy an impressive live music offering that uses loop pedals to create layers of sound. This quirky Kings Cross basement (Potts Point if you’re being fancy) has thus far managed to fly under the radar, but with Roy McVeigh taking over the kitchen, I suspect you’re about to hear a lot more about it…

Drawing upon his time in top-rated destination restaurants from Bathers Pavilion to Darley’s and the Berowra Waters Inn, as well as his extensive travels, McVeigh has put together a cracking Mexican-inspired menu. The kiss of the grill is evident on beautifully rendered pork mojo tacos ($8/each) teamed with duelling house-made salsas for those who fancy extra oomph. Wrapped in warm flour tortillas, duck carnitas ($32) is equally impressive with robust pulled duck meat cut by blobs of hibiscus, hazelnut crumbs and chipotle. We punctuate each dish with a different mezcal from their extraordinary list.

Mezcal de Leyendas ($20) made using Cenizo agave from Durango is smooth and buttery with cedar sauna intrigue. I also liked Yoowe ($16) made using Bacanora agave in (the restaurant’s namesake) Sonora. It starts smoky but ends on seasonally appropriate peppermint candy cane. Lobo de la Sierra ‘Maximiliana’ ($20) made on Maximiliana agave in Jalisco has the best aroma: a hint of funkiness and caramel creaminess with a big pine note on the tongue. Save the Origen Raiz ($20) made on Chacaleṉo agave in Durango for the beef. This mezcal has a hot green pepper burn that will cut through the richness of McVeigh’s Rangers Valley wagyu rump cap ($58) presented in a heavily reduced charros sauce offset by raw mushroom. Put your mouth back together with the brown butter drizzle cake ($17)—its intense sweetness cut by frozen yoghurt—then float off into the rest of your...

We went here for my friend's birthday celebration. It is our first time dining here and trying out their bottomless brunch so I had high expectations. Their instagram feed looks incredible and i was really expecting for a bottomless experience. The margaritas and tacos got empty and we were hoping for the servant to refill as it is a bottomless for $91. But they did not refill until our friend asked to get another tacos and try another flavour. The servant asked why and our friend said well we just wanted to try that flavour. I mean it is common sense for us to asked for more since it is bottomless right and it feels like a sin to ask for more. Margaritas and were not refilled except for the water lol! Closer to staying 1.5 hours the servant gave the receipt and the eftpos machine and put them in our table. The servant was so eager to kick us out because there were girls waiting outside for their round. I mean she could have placed them to other vacant tables. Why the need to kick us out and place the girls in our table when there were vacant tables available in their small restaurant. I guess it is a marketing strategy to put everyone in front so people can see that someone's dining there. I won't recommend this place unless it's ok to spend $91 for a mediocare food and...