Welcome to the next in a series of stories showcasing one drink, one bartender, at one great bar. This series is made possible by Brown-Forman's Elevate program — to learn more, contact your Brown-Forman representative.
In the Melbourne suburb of Elwood you’ll find a restaurant and bar that does things a little differently.
Set on a suburban corner, at Repeat Offender you’ll find an array of nine Margarita riffs, Mexican-inspired food (and all-corn tacos), and an all-gluten free kitchen offering.
“The tortillas are 100 percent corn, as good tortillas should be,” says co-owner Taylor Granchi in the interview below. “A lot of people don’t realise that they can enjoy a meal from start to finish without gluten. Gluten-free options have come a long way since when I started in hospitality.”
Below, Taylor talks about their Blueberry Margarita riff made with Herradura Plata, and why some customers might not even realise their meal is 100 percent gluten-free.
BOOTHBY: Taylor, tell us about Repeat Offender?
TAYLOR GRANCHI: Repeat Offender is a local, Mexican-inspired restaurant. We really focus on the area that we’re in. We also have a 100 percent gluten-free menu so that we cater to a lot of people with dietary issues. Half the menu is actually vegan as well, so it caters to a large portion of people here. We also have nine different types of Margaritas — so plenty to drink as well.
BOOTHBY: Where does the name Repeat Offender come from?
TAYLOR GRANCHI: Well, the name Repeat Offender is because we wanted the locals to become the Repeat Offenders. We want them to keep coming back. We love this area.
BOOTHBY: Tell us about the drink you’ve got here, the Blueberry Margarita?
TAYLOR GRANCHI: This is an extremely popular drink here. It’s nice, fun, fruity. People like it. I mean, when you’re coming back from the beach and sip on one of these before dinner, it’s pretty perfect. We make it here with Herradura Plata tequila, just nice, fresh and clean.
There is 15ml of a blueberry liqueur instead of triple sec. But this blueberry liqueur is actually quite fresh, it’s not too sweet. We use then 15ml of a blueberry puree and 15ml of sugar syrup to balance out the 30ml of lime juice.
It’s the most popular cocktail going around. I think people like the freshness of it. It’s a very balanced cocktail as well. Not too sweet, not too sour.
BOOTHBY: How long have you been in hospitality?
TAYLOR GRANCHI: I’m old. I’ve been in the hospitality game for a long time, 18 years. I’ve been in Melbourne for 12 of those years. I was traveling around and I was working in America and Italy before that.
BOOTHBY: And how long has Repeat Offender been here?
TAYLOR GRANCHI: Five years. We’re just a group of friends. We started this business just before Covid — fantastic timing. We really wanted to create a local space. But also, working in hospitality, we really noticed that there was a lack of gluten-free and dietary-friendly food. So we thought that we would create a space where people don’t have to worry. I mean, it’s not only the food, we also have gluten-free beer on tap. It’s just a safe space for people with dietary issues. So we started that during Covid, and that’s kept us quite agile over the years.
BOOTHBY: To look at the place, though, you wouldn’t exactly know it’s gluten-free...
TAYLOR GRANCHI: No, we don’t go out and tell everyone that we’re a gluten-free restaurant. We use so much corn in our cooking. The tortillas are 100 percent corn, as good tortillas should be. We use different ingredients throughout. A lot of people don’t realise that they can enjoy a meal from start to finish without gluten. Gluten-free options have come a long way since when I started in hospitality. We’re just taking full advantage of that, making a lot of everything in house.
The Blueberry Margarita at Repeat Offender
Ingredients
- 45ml Herradura Plata
- 15ml Voir Blueberry liqueur
- 30ml fresh lime juice
- 15ml blueberry puree
- 5ml sugar syrup
Method
- Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with a half rock salt rim and fresh blueberries.
Recipe by Taylor Granchi, Repeat Offender.
Founded in 1870, in the small town of Amatitán in Jalisco, Casa Herradura is the last tequila-producing Hacienda in the world. Tequila Herradura tells an over 150-year story of exceptional Tequila and vivid innovation. Tequila Herradura is an extraordinary fusion of the terroir and the process, expert skill and ancient tradition.
Sam Bygrave
Sam Bygrave
Drink Responsibly. Tequila Herradura is a registered trademark.
