13th October 2012
With the Melbourne Marathon the next day, i was staying in the city and had a full day with no plans so i decided to have a big lunch before having carbo heavy snacks and food and drinks for dinner. After getting into the city about 2 and checking in, i needed a restaurant that was open all day Saturday. With limited choice i still decided on one of my favourites in Movida.
There was a reasonable amount of people in the restaurant for 330pm on a Saturday but nothing like the 3 month waiting list for the premium slots on a Saturday night. I was shown to a seat at the bar and offered a drink. I settled on the idea of having one beer and then water and went for a Moritz lager from a small list of Spanish influenced wines and beers but with some french and Australian wines.
I decided on two tapas and one raciones and a desert. As well as the normal menu they had a number of specials, of which i ended up ordering one tapa and one raciones. I started with the special of rich pheasant terrine encased in a crisp crouton shell and served with a beautifully sweet sherry puree and some pickled onions. Great combos of the rich earthy terrine and sweeter fresher elements.
The next tapa was one of my favourites from a previous visit to the various Movida establishments, the Pollo Escabache Al Miguel. Chicken smothered and marinated in a spicy mayo like sauce and sandwiched between two crisp crouton pieces to make a beautiful dish that will remain a favourite and a recommendation for anyone who goes to Movida.
We then moved on to the raciones which i decided on a special of confit rabbit leg which had been deboned and placed in a ceramic bowl and combined with whole almonds, carrots and a beautiful rich and decadent jus. Wonderfully cooked rabbit that was so moist and the bold rich flavours were definitely a winner. One special that i wouldn't mind being made a permanent dish.
I thought about another racione but decided that with the marathon the next day i decided to just go for desert. I went with the Pan con Chocolate, rich dense chocolate parfait between 2 pieces of toasted brioche and combined with a olive oil sorbet. Great balance and flavours and a worthy finish.
After this visit Movida still remains one of my favourite restaurants with a great vibe, good service and wonderful food that borders the line between innovative, homely and sophisticated. As last time the prices range from $5 per tapa item up to $20 for the bigger raciones but overall the cost is very reasonable and the bill was well under $100. Movida remains a top quality draw as a restaurant and well worth a visit.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Steer
5th October 2012
After heading out to Vue De Monde last year for my birthday dinner, i decided to head out for another extravagant dinner to celebrate my birthday. I settled on a place that i had yet to go to and had received a Hat in the latest Good Food Guide 2013, Steer. Steer, as the name suggests, was focused on beef and was a throwback to the great traditions of New York steakhouses but with some modern touches and embellishments.
After arriving early to catch up with Joe, my brother, we were escorted upstairs to the separate bar. Located in the Olsen hotel, the dining room had a dark modern feel with modern art hanging and lots of glass and black fittings. The restaurant was punctuated with a black wooden Steer to meet you at the door. The upstairs bar had a separate feel and also headed out to the hotel.
After selecting 2 beers (budvar) from the extensive and varied list, we settled down into some stools and had a chat whilst everyone else arrived. After a few arrived we were moved down to our table. Our table was located at the back of the restaurant and slightly secluded from the rest with the wine cellar to one side. Wood tables and wooden block holding our ornate cutlery (including a very nice steak knife) and matching well with the ultimate steakhouse theme.
After everyone had arrived and was seated we were instructed to flip our place mat by our charming, confident and quirky waitress to show our menu for the evening. Unfortunately with the size of our booking, we were forced to pre select only three dishes from a range of 10 entrees and five mains. We were also offered in advance the choice between 2 or 3 course which i opted for 2 and left desert up to individual dinners. This was a slightly disappointing draw back.
With the entrees, i selected for the 3 options - a Crisp Calamari and Pork Belly, hummus, dukkah and pomegranate; Buffalo Ricotta Gnudi and Miso Roast Scallops, pork crackling, Japanese spices and daikon. I went with the Crisp Calamari and Pork belly. Perfectly fried pieces of calamari and fatty cubes of pork belly with great flavour and texture were perfectly matched with the smoky hummus, nutty dukkah and contrasted by the sweet pomegranate seeds.
For main everyone had the choice of 3 dishes being a Scotch Fillet, Eye Fillet or Market Fish with werribee artichoke barigoule and asparagus. The steaks were served with roast bone marrow and spring salad. Everyone ordered a steak and forgo the market fish but i had previous organised with the staff for a special bday steak, a David Blackmore 900g Wagyu Rib Eye steak served on the bone (for a proposed supplement of $109 - however they only charged an additional $30 bringing the total to $109). The meat was magnificent - ridiculously smooth, silky and buttery, perfectly cooked with a pink inside and a slightly charred outside with nice grill marks criss-crossing the meat. Was also a massive cut of meat and i was definitely not hungry afterwards. Would have been worth the exorbitant price quoted but for the lower price was a steal.
As part of the 2 course menu offer, the steak was also accompanied by a number of sides - Steak chips, salad, spring greens, Asparagus and the best of the bunch Onion rings. The chips and salad were great but the standout were the extra crisp batter and great flavour of the onion rings. A must for anyone who ventures to Steer.
We then moved onto the important decision of the evening. Must to the horror of my brother, i declared that yes i would like the desert menu (after demolishing the 900g steak). As this was not part of the set menu we were offered the full desert list. The deserts also stuck to the new york style theme with a version of Reece's peanut butter cup, donuts, new york cheesecake, bombe Alaska and my desert - a Strawberry Bakewell Tart / Ice Cream Sundae.
Two deserts in one, with a slice of moist bakewell tart with a layer of strawberry jam running through the middle. Accompanying this was three scoops of ice cream and this was accompanied by meringue blobs, strawberries, strawberry gel and square blocks of chocolate fudge. Decadent, beautiful (presented on a wooden board shown half eaten below), full of flavour this was a great desert and was well worth stuffing down after steak.
Overall a fantastic night out with great company and superb food. A real focus on quality produce and ingredients, especially the steak, but with some quality and refinement in the dishes. The cost of the meal varied on the quality and expense of the steak chosen but the other items were very reasonably priced ($79 for 2 courses and extensive sides - Entrees $14, sides $8 and deserts $12 on al a carte menu) and you would never complain about portion size or not being full at the end of the meal. For an amazing steak and some outstanding cooking i would fully recommend a trip to Steer.
After heading out to Vue De Monde last year for my birthday dinner, i decided to head out for another extravagant dinner to celebrate my birthday. I settled on a place that i had yet to go to and had received a Hat in the latest Good Food Guide 2013, Steer. Steer, as the name suggests, was focused on beef and was a throwback to the great traditions of New York steakhouses but with some modern touches and embellishments.
After arriving early to catch up with Joe, my brother, we were escorted upstairs to the separate bar. Located in the Olsen hotel, the dining room had a dark modern feel with modern art hanging and lots of glass and black fittings. The restaurant was punctuated with a black wooden Steer to meet you at the door. The upstairs bar had a separate feel and also headed out to the hotel.
After selecting 2 beers (budvar) from the extensive and varied list, we settled down into some stools and had a chat whilst everyone else arrived. After a few arrived we were moved down to our table. Our table was located at the back of the restaurant and slightly secluded from the rest with the wine cellar to one side. Wood tables and wooden block holding our ornate cutlery (including a very nice steak knife) and matching well with the ultimate steakhouse theme.
After everyone had arrived and was seated we were instructed to flip our place mat by our charming, confident and quirky waitress to show our menu for the evening. Unfortunately with the size of our booking, we were forced to pre select only three dishes from a range of 10 entrees and five mains. We were also offered in advance the choice between 2 or 3 course which i opted for 2 and left desert up to individual dinners. This was a slightly disappointing draw back.
With the entrees, i selected for the 3 options - a Crisp Calamari and Pork Belly, hummus, dukkah and pomegranate; Buffalo Ricotta Gnudi and Miso Roast Scallops, pork crackling, Japanese spices and daikon. I went with the Crisp Calamari and Pork belly. Perfectly fried pieces of calamari and fatty cubes of pork belly with great flavour and texture were perfectly matched with the smoky hummus, nutty dukkah and contrasted by the sweet pomegranate seeds.
For main everyone had the choice of 3 dishes being a Scotch Fillet, Eye Fillet or Market Fish with werribee artichoke barigoule and asparagus. The steaks were served with roast bone marrow and spring salad. Everyone ordered a steak and forgo the market fish but i had previous organised with the staff for a special bday steak, a David Blackmore 900g Wagyu Rib Eye steak served on the bone (for a proposed supplement of $109 - however they only charged an additional $30 bringing the total to $109). The meat was magnificent - ridiculously smooth, silky and buttery, perfectly cooked with a pink inside and a slightly charred outside with nice grill marks criss-crossing the meat. Was also a massive cut of meat and i was definitely not hungry afterwards. Would have been worth the exorbitant price quoted but for the lower price was a steal.
We then moved onto the important decision of the evening. Must to the horror of my brother, i declared that yes i would like the desert menu (after demolishing the 900g steak). As this was not part of the set menu we were offered the full desert list. The deserts also stuck to the new york style theme with a version of Reece's peanut butter cup, donuts, new york cheesecake, bombe Alaska and my desert - a Strawberry Bakewell Tart / Ice Cream Sundae.
Two deserts in one, with a slice of moist bakewell tart with a layer of strawberry jam running through the middle. Accompanying this was three scoops of ice cream and this was accompanied by meringue blobs, strawberries, strawberry gel and square blocks of chocolate fudge. Decadent, beautiful (presented on a wooden board shown half eaten below), full of flavour this was a great desert and was well worth stuffing down after steak.
Overall a fantastic night out with great company and superb food. A real focus on quality produce and ingredients, especially the steak, but with some quality and refinement in the dishes. The cost of the meal varied on the quality and expense of the steak chosen but the other items were very reasonably priced ($79 for 2 courses and extensive sides - Entrees $14, sides $8 and deserts $12 on al a carte menu) and you would never complain about portion size or not being full at the end of the meal. For an amazing steak and some outstanding cooking i would fully recommend a trip to Steer.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Akachochin
11th September 2012
Having head into the city for a work meeting, i decided to try a new restaurant that made it into the guide this year (Score of 14) before heading out to Vic Gardens to watch Expendables 2 with some friends. So with a friend who worked in the city in tow, i headed to the waste land of South Wharf to try Akachochin.
Located on the South Wharf Promenade in a converted shed, along with some other restaurants, it is a new area of the city that hasn't really caught on as a place to go out except for people staying at the Hilton or at the convention centre. High ceilings, wooden floors and marble counter tops at the sushi bar where i was seated and a busy vibrant atmosphere greeted me. (was very busy due to the food and wine convention at the exhibition centre next door and several people were turned away. Would probably be nowhere near as busy on a normal Tuesday.)
Billed as an izakaya, or Japanese tapas restaurant, with smaller dishes offering a wide variety of choice and the ability to try more of the extensive 7 page menu. However to start with i was offered a one page beer and wine list as well as a list of Sakes (there is no wine list for this restaurant due to its desire to stay true to traditional Japanese style - however the sharing house list from next door can be requested).
I went with a beer and ended up with a Kirin Larger in a can imported from Japan. Along with the beer came a free appetiser of Asian vegetables in a sesame sauce. Very decent and good fresh clean flavours.
I started with an initial dish of fish chips. Thin crisp sheets of fish (consistency of prawn crackers) with a decent fish flavour and topped off with liberal helping of salt and AO nori. Very good and definitely addictive and left u wanting more.
I however resisted and moved on to the next course of Quail Karaage to Manju which consisted of quail cooked 3 ways. The first was a slow cooked quail egg with a delicious yolk centre and perfectly cooked. The second was quail breast braised and had a beautiful coating and great flavour. The third was a potato croquette filled with minced quail. Served extremely hot (i may have burnt the roof of my mouth) but had a soft crisp outer casing, soft potato inside and excellent quail mince inside. Excellent.
The next up was chicken wing dumpling. A deep fried chicken wing with a dumpling ball attached to the end and deep fried and stuffed with chicken mince and herb and spices. Also served a smidgen too hot but very good flavours and textures. I especially enjoyed the crispy batter on the wing and dumpling.
The final dish was a yakimono dish of Wagyu beef, thinly slices and perfectly cooked with a slightly pink inside and slightly charred on the outside with a spicy teriyaki sauce that was beautiful and perfectly balance with the meat. A simple but wonderfully executed dish.
After deciding on whether i would bother with a Japanese desert (or go somewhere else), i decided to give desert a go. I settled on a Black Sesame Panna Cotta with green tea ice cream, red bean paste and slice strawberries. The flavours worked well but just wasn't for me and added into my dislike of Japanese deserts.
Overall the night was good. Efficient and speedy service and a menu designed for speed and a snacky dinner rather than a long languishing dinner extravaganza, it was decent food with a few rough edges. The cost was well under $100 and service was decent if somewhat brash at some stages. Good for a quick nice meal but not Hat worthy.
Having head into the city for a work meeting, i decided to try a new restaurant that made it into the guide this year (Score of 14) before heading out to Vic Gardens to watch Expendables 2 with some friends. So with a friend who worked in the city in tow, i headed to the waste land of South Wharf to try Akachochin.
Located on the South Wharf Promenade in a converted shed, along with some other restaurants, it is a new area of the city that hasn't really caught on as a place to go out except for people staying at the Hilton or at the convention centre. High ceilings, wooden floors and marble counter tops at the sushi bar where i was seated and a busy vibrant atmosphere greeted me. (was very busy due to the food and wine convention at the exhibition centre next door and several people were turned away. Would probably be nowhere near as busy on a normal Tuesday.)
Billed as an izakaya, or Japanese tapas restaurant, with smaller dishes offering a wide variety of choice and the ability to try more of the extensive 7 page menu. However to start with i was offered a one page beer and wine list as well as a list of Sakes (there is no wine list for this restaurant due to its desire to stay true to traditional Japanese style - however the sharing house list from next door can be requested).
I went with a beer and ended up with a Kirin Larger in a can imported from Japan. Along with the beer came a free appetiser of Asian vegetables in a sesame sauce. Very decent and good fresh clean flavours.
I started with an initial dish of fish chips. Thin crisp sheets of fish (consistency of prawn crackers) with a decent fish flavour and topped off with liberal helping of salt and AO nori. Very good and definitely addictive and left u wanting more.
I however resisted and moved on to the next course of Quail Karaage to Manju which consisted of quail cooked 3 ways. The first was a slow cooked quail egg with a delicious yolk centre and perfectly cooked. The second was quail breast braised and had a beautiful coating and great flavour. The third was a potato croquette filled with minced quail. Served extremely hot (i may have burnt the roof of my mouth) but had a soft crisp outer casing, soft potato inside and excellent quail mince inside. Excellent.
The next up was chicken wing dumpling. A deep fried chicken wing with a dumpling ball attached to the end and deep fried and stuffed with chicken mince and herb and spices. Also served a smidgen too hot but very good flavours and textures. I especially enjoyed the crispy batter on the wing and dumpling.
The final dish was a yakimono dish of Wagyu beef, thinly slices and perfectly cooked with a slightly pink inside and slightly charred on the outside with a spicy teriyaki sauce that was beautiful and perfectly balance with the meat. A simple but wonderfully executed dish.
After deciding on whether i would bother with a Japanese desert (or go somewhere else), i decided to give desert a go. I settled on a Black Sesame Panna Cotta with green tea ice cream, red bean paste and slice strawberries. The flavours worked well but just wasn't for me and added into my dislike of Japanese deserts.
Overall the night was good. Efficient and speedy service and a menu designed for speed and a snacky dinner rather than a long languishing dinner extravaganza, it was decent food with a few rough edges. The cost was well under $100 and service was decent if somewhat brash at some stages. Good for a quick nice meal but not Hat worthy.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Easy Tiger
24th August 2012
Before heading out to my brother's second EP launch (Panoptics - check them out) i decided to have a late dinner nearby. Given the gig was on Johnson street i had a range of restaurants available to visit including an old favourite in Cutler & Co. but decided on a newly crowned hat restaurant (2013 Hat winners were announced on the 27th August) in Easy Tiger.
Located on Smith Street just up from the busy corner with Gertrude Street, the restaurant was a modern but cool and relaxed fit out with both large shared tables, individual small tables and an outdoor patio area out the back.
Having arrived early at 830 for my late 845 booking i was told my table was not ready and shown to the outdoor area. Wooden tables, chairs and waiting benches, i was seated and offered an palate cleanser of subtle green tea. Fresh, hot and subtle it worked well.
They also offered me the drinks list and food menu to peruse while i waited. After a couple minutes they returned and they suggested i have some taro chips with chili salt whilst i waited and that a lager would go well to accompany them. Obviously some great minds work at Easy Tiger cos i was thinking the same thing. I went with a large Singha beer. The taro chips had a good hit of chili, were crisp and delicious and very addictive. I went back for seconds after being shown to my seat inside.
I was seated inside near the front at a low table with leather couches and candlelight. Having looked online before leaving and having looked at the menu whilst waiting i had already decided on my dishes when the wait staff came around but let the waiter tell me about the specials and recommendations in case he swayed me from my original choices. I decided on 2 small snack dishes, one main with a side and desert.
The first snack was a double serve (2) of Ma Hor. A mixture of prawn, pork and chicken mince combined with peanuts and cooked in palm sugar and then rested on a small disk of watermelon. Perfect execution, great balance of flavours with the meaty and nutty flavours balanced by the fresh sweet watermelon. A winner and a great start.
The next snack was a dish of classic Thai fish cakes with sweet chili sauce. Great, bold flavours and a slight kick of chili and were good. Maybe i shouldn't have expected more than what was stated but given the inventiveness of the menu, i was expecting a twist or something extra. But a solid dish.
The next was a main of stir fried duck with snake beans, hand main egg noodles & chili oil. Big bold flavours with a substantial hit of chili it was a superb dish and was perfectly accompanied by a side of big fluffy, perfectly cooked rice. I also went with a further side of a 'son in law egg'. Runny yolk in the centre of a slightly crisp outside batter. Excellent side dish and well cooked.
To accompany the main course i went with a moorooduc estate pinot gris which was ok but nothing special but was reasonably priced and part of a smaller (2 page) but intriguing wine, beer and cocktail list.
I then went on to desert and the desert that first attracted me to going to this restaurant. The waitress didn't even need to hand me the menu as i had known for months if i went to Easy Tiger, this would be my desert. The desert was the chocolate and pandanus dumplings, melon and salted coconut cream. The dumplings were green in colour and great in flavour and filled with a rich decadent dark chocolate. There was also small round melon balls and a layer of coconut cream that had only a slight salting. The dumplings were the standout and i would have preferred more of these than the melon but only because the chocolate was so good. Excellent dish and due to a slight delay (the waitress didn't immediately put the order in but corrected it before i noticed the time delay or even thought that it was delayed) this dish was give for free.
Definitely worthy of the hat that was recently bestowed and loved the style and atmosphere of the place. Amazing food, excellent friendly service and very decent value (snacks, 2 entrees, main and side and desert with a giant beer and a glass of wine for well under $100 - although the desert was free and would have pushed it close to $100). Would definitely go back with a group of friends to show off a very cool, hip and quality restaurant.
Before heading out to my brother's second EP launch (Panoptics - check them out) i decided to have a late dinner nearby. Given the gig was on Johnson street i had a range of restaurants available to visit including an old favourite in Cutler & Co. but decided on a newly crowned hat restaurant (2013 Hat winners were announced on the 27th August) in Easy Tiger.
Located on Smith Street just up from the busy corner with Gertrude Street, the restaurant was a modern but cool and relaxed fit out with both large shared tables, individual small tables and an outdoor patio area out the back.
Having arrived early at 830 for my late 845 booking i was told my table was not ready and shown to the outdoor area. Wooden tables, chairs and waiting benches, i was seated and offered an palate cleanser of subtle green tea. Fresh, hot and subtle it worked well.
They also offered me the drinks list and food menu to peruse while i waited. After a couple minutes they returned and they suggested i have some taro chips with chili salt whilst i waited and that a lager would go well to accompany them. Obviously some great minds work at Easy Tiger cos i was thinking the same thing. I went with a large Singha beer. The taro chips had a good hit of chili, were crisp and delicious and very addictive. I went back for seconds after being shown to my seat inside.
I was seated inside near the front at a low table with leather couches and candlelight. Having looked online before leaving and having looked at the menu whilst waiting i had already decided on my dishes when the wait staff came around but let the waiter tell me about the specials and recommendations in case he swayed me from my original choices. I decided on 2 small snack dishes, one main with a side and desert.
The first snack was a double serve (2) of Ma Hor. A mixture of prawn, pork and chicken mince combined with peanuts and cooked in palm sugar and then rested on a small disk of watermelon. Perfect execution, great balance of flavours with the meaty and nutty flavours balanced by the fresh sweet watermelon. A winner and a great start.
The next snack was a dish of classic Thai fish cakes with sweet chili sauce. Great, bold flavours and a slight kick of chili and were good. Maybe i shouldn't have expected more than what was stated but given the inventiveness of the menu, i was expecting a twist or something extra. But a solid dish.
The next was a main of stir fried duck with snake beans, hand main egg noodles & chili oil. Big bold flavours with a substantial hit of chili it was a superb dish and was perfectly accompanied by a side of big fluffy, perfectly cooked rice. I also went with a further side of a 'son in law egg'. Runny yolk in the centre of a slightly crisp outside batter. Excellent side dish and well cooked.
To accompany the main course i went with a moorooduc estate pinot gris which was ok but nothing special but was reasonably priced and part of a smaller (2 page) but intriguing wine, beer and cocktail list.
I then went on to desert and the desert that first attracted me to going to this restaurant. The waitress didn't even need to hand me the menu as i had known for months if i went to Easy Tiger, this would be my desert. The desert was the chocolate and pandanus dumplings, melon and salted coconut cream. The dumplings were green in colour and great in flavour and filled with a rich decadent dark chocolate. There was also small round melon balls and a layer of coconut cream that had only a slight salting. The dumplings were the standout and i would have preferred more of these than the melon but only because the chocolate was so good. Excellent dish and due to a slight delay (the waitress didn't immediately put the order in but corrected it before i noticed the time delay or even thought that it was delayed) this dish was give for free.
Definitely worthy of the hat that was recently bestowed and loved the style and atmosphere of the place. Amazing food, excellent friendly service and very decent value (snacks, 2 entrees, main and side and desert with a giant beer and a glass of wine for well under $100 - although the desert was free and would have pushed it close to $100). Would definitely go back with a group of friends to show off a very cool, hip and quality restaurant.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Newmarket Hotel
28th July 2012
In between looking for houses i decided to head out for lunch in St. Kilda. After thinking about heading back to some old favourites in St. Kilda (Circa, Golden Fields), i decided to head somewhere new and headed to Newmarket Hotel.
A mix of pub and fine dining with lots of glass, wood and high ceilings and open space and was a very excellent setting for both a fine lunch or a relaxing daytime drink with friends (potentially both). I decided on a selection of dishes.
First up was a special for the day which was a calamari and chorizo sopes. A crisp shelled taco bowl filled with tender pieces of calamari and rich, fatty chorizo and combined with some fresh salad ingredients it was a decent start.
Next up was a soft taco filled with beef cheek that was well counterbalanced with spicy jalapeno and fresh salad. Very decent food and good balance of flavours.
That was followed by a selection of dishes that came out together. The first was potato bravas - crisp potatoes topped with a chipotle sauce and an aioli. Potatoes were soft in the middle and a little crisp on the outside.
One of the other items to come out was corn on the cob smothered in chili flakes and a tarragon creme fraiche. A little spicy but offset by the cool creme fraiche and the corn was well cooked. This was my favourite dish.
The last of the savoury dishes was a flat bread topped with chorizo, calamari and padron peppers. Very good flavour combos and quality bread and substantial portions.
After the savoury courses, i went with a desert of a Latin style chocolate pot with Dulce de leche. Nice flavours and quality cooking but very simple and nothing outstanding.
Decent quality but nothing spectacular or noteworthy about any of the dishes. The service was very good and the atmosphere was very lively and fun. However with 2 drinks the above dishes ran up over $100 so decent but not great value and whilst an acceptable place to go for drink or lunch or dinner there are better restaurants serving better quality food for cheaper.
In between looking for houses i decided to head out for lunch in St. Kilda. After thinking about heading back to some old favourites in St. Kilda (Circa, Golden Fields), i decided to head somewhere new and headed to Newmarket Hotel.
A mix of pub and fine dining with lots of glass, wood and high ceilings and open space and was a very excellent setting for both a fine lunch or a relaxing daytime drink with friends (potentially both). I decided on a selection of dishes.
First up was a special for the day which was a calamari and chorizo sopes. A crisp shelled taco bowl filled with tender pieces of calamari and rich, fatty chorizo and combined with some fresh salad ingredients it was a decent start.
Next up was a soft taco filled with beef cheek that was well counterbalanced with spicy jalapeno and fresh salad. Very decent food and good balance of flavours.
That was followed by a selection of dishes that came out together. The first was potato bravas - crisp potatoes topped with a chipotle sauce and an aioli. Potatoes were soft in the middle and a little crisp on the outside.
One of the other items to come out was corn on the cob smothered in chili flakes and a tarragon creme fraiche. A little spicy but offset by the cool creme fraiche and the corn was well cooked. This was my favourite dish.
The last of the savoury dishes was a flat bread topped with chorizo, calamari and padron peppers. Very good flavour combos and quality bread and substantial portions.
After the savoury courses, i went with a desert of a Latin style chocolate pot with Dulce de leche. Nice flavours and quality cooking but very simple and nothing outstanding.
Decent quality but nothing spectacular or noteworthy about any of the dishes. The service was very good and the atmosphere was very lively and fun. However with 2 drinks the above dishes ran up over $100 so decent but not great value and whilst an acceptable place to go for drink or lunch or dinner there are better restaurants serving better quality food for cheaper.
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