Review

Chic Inner-City Fusion

The Perth Voice - 4th December 2010 - Kate Bastians

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone not wearing smart business dress in this chic inner-city tapas bar.

The intimate, suave venue was packed out with the corporate crowd for after-work drinks on the Wednesday I visited.

The service is flawless and the chivalrous bartender politely kept up a conversation while hawkishly scanning the room to ensure things were running smoothly.

He was happy to display his sublime knowledge of the wine list, which stay true to its roots with many varieties on offer from Spain and Portugal.

The tapas menu is a fusion of contemporary flavours and traditional Spanish cuisine.

We sampled the crispy Cajun calamari ($15), warm and soft on the inside with a crispy veneer – the flavour was explosive, even more so when dunked in the chimichurri aioli which had a bold, curried flavour.

We tried the snapper ($8), one of the specials that day. It was a decent price for the size but unfortunately bland, not much better than your average fish and chips, and overly unctuous.

The winner was the dorper lamb rump ($26), a plum, juicy, tender offering of high quality meat that hit the spot.

Served with piperade and a smear of basil-infused pea puree it was presented beautifully.

This noshery isn’t cheap but it certainly has style and much of the produce seems to be sourced locally – seared scallops from Fremantle and Margaret River wagyu.

The wine list is extensive with many Australian options too.

The dessert menu looks mouth-watering, such as the summer berry clafoutis, banister downs and double cream.

And the slick bar is well-stocked and reasonably priced.

The top-notch noshery would be ideal for an intimate work function or party.