Villa Maria is surprisingly small given then large and extensive menu, covering all things Latin and Central American. The small locale is tucked away on Bennetts Road on a strips of small and unassuming takeaway shops.
The food is extensive, covering all things Latin American with strong Mayan, Aztec and Spanish influences. Being my first time, I thought I'd give the four taco option a go. As others have mentioned, you get a lot of food in four tacos. The choice of tacos available is excellent, easily mopping the floor with anyone else claiming to do authentic tacos in Brisbane. The cactus taco is excellent and not what you would expect in seeing the word cactus. The texture is more akin to capsicum, and the taste is a nice mix of savory and nutty notes. The other tacos used more conventional ingredients, but honoring the traditional recipes. Expect meat lathered in a rich dark sauce akin to squid's ink. The only letdown in the tacos I tried was the chorizo taco where the texture was quite fine. Akin to what would happen if someone had minced the inside of a chorizo and sautéed it. The texture wasn't bad, but it was different enough from what I expected to be a letdown. Otherwise, the food was excellent.
On the drinks side of things, I had the sangria which was excellent. It's a bit fruitier and sweeter than most other places do in Brisbane, not that that is a bad thing.
The staff were exceedingly friendly and helpful, and even encouraged my--probably terrible--spanish pronunciation. The interior is nothing special, but the very friendly staff and excellent food are more than enough at the generous prices. read more