The Milpa Collective went hard and fast, opening a slew of Mexican restaurants to introduce Sydneysiders to authentic regional flavours. While many have since shut, Carbón in Bondi is still kicking. Maybe because it’s approachable, maybe because it’s the kind of food you want to come back to. Billed as a Mexican steakhouse, the premise here is woodfired cooking. The combination of smoke and strong spices is a hard one to beat.Grilled chorizo is drizzled with habanero honey, wagyu steaks with a marble score of 2 and 3 are cooked over coals and a side of Brussels sprouts comes with an addictive burnt jalapeno aioli. 288 Bondi Rd, Bondi; carbonmexican.com.au