Review

Tapping into tapas power by Peter Kerr

The West Australian - FRESH/ Dining Out

A funky bar in West Perth is proving a hot spot to indulge in a taste of the latest culinary craze

Tapas bars are so hot right now. It seems everyone wants to own one. David Coomer, of Star Anise, and Gogo Govardhan, of GoGo's curry house fame, are the latest, each reportedly wanting to set up Spanish shop in the Mt Lawley/ North Perth area.

But a great one is already doing a fine trade: Amphoras Bar, just east of Subiaco.

How fine was illustrated by a nearly full restaurant in the middle of not-exactly-pumping West Perth on a recent cold Saturday footy night.

Maybe it was because news had got around that Michelle Forbes, formally of the Spanish-themed Pony Club, was now cheffing at this funky place.

Her tapas-style entrees and small starters were superb.

Marinated olives ($5.50), chorizo with caramelized onion and goat's cheese ($9), white anchovy fillets with crostini ($9) and manchego, Persian fetta and red pepper risotto balls with a spicy tomato relish ($16.50) - for example.

The chorizo and anchovies were imported from Spain; the sausage just cooked and still moist - unlike so many tough salami-esque variants around town - while the anchovy fillets were de-salted in a fresh lime and verjus marinade and served with slender toasts. And the five spice rice balls were cradled in an eggshell-thin crust and sat atop a dense “chocolatey” spice tomato relish.

Mains didn't quite hit the highs of the tapas or dessert (more about that later), but were mostly well cooked, looked great and offered value for money.

But they could do with slightly better punctuation.

I thought I was ordering “pomegranate yoghurt” with my Catalan fish stew with pomegranate yoghurt and pistachio couscous ($27.50), Yet it turns out a missing comma meant “pomegranate and yoghurt” instead. While I love the flavour of pomegranate flesh, I found having to pick out the small gritty seeds a drag.

Confit duck breast, rendered potatoes, cherries and a witlof and radicchio salad ($29) was very flavoursome but again slightly missing in execution; the duck a little dry and not falling off the bone as you would expect.

But then came sweets.

If I was running a competition for best dessert I have eaten this year, Forbes' crema Catalana ($12.50) would win hands down.

A classic Spanish variant of France's ubiquitous créme brulee came infused with a light orange flavour and the requisite translucent top of burnt sugar. It was a knockout and proof that the simple things in a kitchen are often the best.

Likewise warm churros (long doughnuts) with chocolate Kahlua sauce ($12.50) were excellent and set off a feeding frenzy at our table to see who could eat the most of the moreish cinnamon-dusted delights.

It was all washed down with a Marques de Velilla Joven ($48), a Spanish tempranillo/merlot blend from the bar's solid wine list.

And service was relaxed and fun.

Just like Amphoras.