01 Mar

In a great location on the corner of Acland and Carlisle St right opposite Lunar Park, is St Kilda's newest Latin restaurant and bar. A group of long-time friends, self-named The Cartel, are seasoned hospitality vetereans with a love of tequila, innovative cocktails and tapas, this time trying their hand at a new venture of their own as a team. The Cartel includes Russell McKenzie, Brad Jones, Mat Carpenter, and Azza Mondo. Executive chef Lachy Cashman, also a member of the cartel, oversees the kitchen which pumps out...

22:02 / Bar/Pub / Food / Pablo Honey / Spanish / St Kilda / Tapas
04 Dec

So what exactly is a chato? Took me a while to figure it out, but it's a small glass of wine - a perfect size for wine flights or simply for enjoying with a couple of snacks. Madrid-born chef Maria Echevarria-Lang and her partner Jenny Echevarria-Lang, have opened Chato in the up-and-coming Thornbury with a view to serve tasty food along with good drink in a stylish yet casual eatery. The fit-out displays Spanish rusticism with tiles, exposed brick, rustic timbers and colourful Spanish-inspired wall tiles. Codornices al chocolate, which...

20:38 / Chato / Food / Restaurants / Spanish / Thornbury
18 Apr

It was my first time venturing into Maling Rd, even though I've driven past on Canterbury Rd so many times. I was surprised to find such a quaint shopping village inside! Bambaleros is a Mexican/Spanish cafe that offers brunch with a twist and also have their own coffee roaster. I chose the Flamenco Eggs - Spanish baked eggs, packed with a mild Chorizo, roast capsicum, tomato and topped with spiced breadcrumbs served with garlic infused sour dough. The menu description didn't mention its cheese topping, and I was surprised...

14:43 / Bambaleros / Cafe / Canterbury / Food / Latin American / Mexican / Spanish
03 Oct

After facing a ridiculously long wait at another no-bookings restaurant, we decided to change our dinner venue to MoVida Next Door, MoVida's little bar companion. After a wait of just over an hour, we settled down to try out some of their tapas and raciones. The seafood is displayed at counters near the door and is cooked to order. Most of the seafood menu options were listed on the board above the bar, presumably because their offerings are dependent on market availability. [caption id="attachment_6511" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Grilled Lamb Cutlet...

22:21 / Food / Melbourne CBD / MoVida Next Door / Restaurants / Spanish
15 Aug

With a fortnightly rotating menu featuring a different cuisine each time, Crabapple Kitchen's Friday Night Flights have been something I've been wanting to try for a looong time. Sadly, after I missed out on Valencia in March, which included both paella AND arroz negra, I've been waiting for another Spanish flight and there happened to be one scheduled (a few weeks) after my birthday! The multi-course dinner is $45 and the beverage package (a cocktail and two glasses of wine) can be added on for another $35. Their...

11:57 / Crabapple Kitchen / Food / Hawthorn / Restaurants / Spanish
error: