Melbourne Mexican sandwich shop Cumbe serves chilaquiles tortas on Sydney Road, Brunswick
Even if you’ve had a Mexican torta before, it’s unlikely you’ve ever had one at Cumbe in Brunswick, which includes two-way tortilla chips and your choice of chicken schnitty or slow-cooked pork.
before coming Frankie’s Tortas and Tacos In the inner north, the vast majority of Melburnians had never heard of the torta, the Mexican-style sandwich, let alone tried it. But now there’s another venue dedicated to creation: Brunswick’s newcomer Cumbe.
Cumbe’s specialty is torta de chilaquiles, Mexico City’s staple street food; The eponymous ingredient of this food is corn tortilla chips cooked with red or green salsa, often served for breakfast. Covered in crispy white rolls with your choice of protein and plenty of other fillings.
For this installment Sandwich Watch – a column dedicated to the Melbourne singers you need to know about – two Good Food writers make two secret visits to the new sanger store. Here is their decision.
Bread
“Are you making banh?” A passerby asks at the counter, rummaging through my coriander-crowned tiger roll. No, they don’t, but I can see their confusion (Cumbe gets his rolls from nearby Vietnamese bakery Dat Thanh). On that dinner visit, my roll had a cracked crust, but it was so flimsy and heavily stuffed that it buckled when I picked it up. It’s a delicious mess that requires a mustache wipe between each bite. Another time, when I go on the road, there are fewer added materials and the roll turns into more of a package during the packaging process
I ate it on both visits, splitting the hefty roll in half before attacking. Often stuffed with soft fillings, the bread miraculously managed to maintain its structural integrity until the last assembled bite. The interior was softer than some banh mi’s – perhaps due to the (intentional) sog factor of the chilaquiles layer.
Pork
T.T.: Why would you order anything else if the aroma hits you as soon as you walk in? Cochinita pibil, a Yucatan dish of slow-roasted pork shoulder and neck, is cooked for 17 hours until melt-in-your-mouth tender. The deeply spicy marinade imparts an earthy, peppery flavor. And what I get for a $16 torta is extremely good value. Especially for the couple next to me who half-gone for a slightly less filling lunch.
LIKE: The generous amount of pulled pork was tender and juicy, flecked with the distinct red of the achiote and sweetening orange juice (speaking of juice, try the bottled mango or guava Boing). Traditional xnipek, a pickled red onion with purple flecks, helped cut through the richness of the meat. My Mexican partner is proud of his cochinita pibil, and Cumbe’s approach also gets a thumbs up from him.
chicken shinitty
LIKE: Milanesa (aka schnitzel) is sliced into strips for ease of eating; useful when there’s already a big mouthful to deal with. The underside of the chicken’s coating was inevitably a bit soggy, but those textures are part of the sandwich’s appeal. On my visit, the chilaquiles were soaked in salsa verde (green), slightly softer than the pork salsa roja (red), but with the optional added bite of sliced fresh jalapeno (note: the kitchen informed me that the chilaquiles salsa varies depending on green tomato availability). The bean layer was more prominent, whereas it tended to blend into the pork.
T.T.: This is listed as “01” on the menu, but there is nothing on said pork. My schnitty torta contains just a few slices of crumbled, deep-fried chicken breast. Individually they’re a little soggy and under-spiced, but you can let them fade into the background while everything else in the sandwich goes on.
Extra touches
LIKE: Pickled red onion with pork versus raw white onion with chicken were thoughtful touches. Fair warning: My pork tortilla was stuffed with a handful of coriander, but otherwise the proportions were spot on. The staff were justifiably proud of the homemade sauce in squeeze bottles on the tables; A smooth, fruity blend of fermented red tomatoes, spices, mango and Mexican beer provided a welcome exclamation point as all the fillings began to melt.
T.T.: More is more with these tortas, so maximum pleasure comes from leaning into excess. “Do you want spicy?” my server asks. Definitely. This homemade hot sauce amps up the heat and acidity. Chilaquiles bring the toppings (but the splash of crushed tortilla chips offers a contrasting crunch on top). Blotches of ricotta ripple a bit creamy throughout. Extra brightness comes in the form of pickled red onion.
Would I go back?
T.T.: I’ll definitely be back for that pork torta for a lunch when I’m hungry and ready to roll up my sleeves. In my experience, even dinner rather than takeaway seems like the ticket, which means more time with extremely kind and attentive staff. I’d also love to try one of their homemade pie warmer baked goods, including excellent pork belly in pie form or even a parson-style sausage roll.
LIKE: Crunchy-mushy chilaquiles are an acquired texture, but embrace the mess and you’ll be rewarded with a flavor-packed, textured adventure—no trendy birria dipping water required. If you have the opportunity, definitely eat it. So far, pork has the edge, but I’ll be back to compare the huevo to the fried egg, next time I have a hangover, I’ll chase it away with espresso-spiked horchata (spiced rice milk).
How can I get one?
Chilaquiles tortas ($16) or bowls ($15) are available daily for breakfast and lunch at Cumbe, 551 Sydney Road, Brunswick.
This is the last installment Sandwich WatchA column dedicated to the Melbourne sandwiches you need to know.
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