A pretty popular place here in Melbourne is definitely MoVida Bar de Tapas. The name came after the Spanish movement in arts, films, music, and overall fun after dictator Franco died. The place offers traditional Spanish cuisine, in a little bar with graffiti covered façade and funky music since 2003. Apparently the formula worked and Melbourne felt in love with the place, several years later, and additional restaurants under the same concept, the MoVida group keeps busy and happily offering their tapas and raciones.
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| El Lugar |
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| Bar de baraja |
I have to say is one of my favourite places in Melbourne, the food is extremely good, and if you know me you know I'm picky with Spanish cuisine, to the point that I visit Spain a couple times a year to enjoy the food and visit some friends.
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| La Cocina |
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| La vista |
My first visit was a tapas attack, I started with a Mortiz epidor, nice beer with a good punch, but then I went big with the tapas, first Gamba (a pintxo of prawn and romesco), excellent start, modern, light flavour, romesco gave a crunchy texture. I continued with Cordero al Chilindron (roast lamb breast with fino and paprika sauce), good flavours, the paprika played nicely, texture wise not great but almost there. Then Manchego, simple and traditional Manchego cheese with quince paste, it brought me lovely memories of my mom eating cheese and adding quince or as we call it membrillo. Then Codorniz (pressed quail, black pudding or morcilla, apple, and pickled garlic) it was superb, delicate, the quail plays well with the morcilla and the garlic gives an extra punch.
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| Cerveza |
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| Gamba |
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| Codorniz |
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| Cordero |
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| Manchego |
Keep going, my next was Lengua (grilled veal tongue with green pepper sofrito), nice flavour, the green pepper sofrito was the star of the dish. As I was thirsty I ordered a Cascade beer, nothing like the Tasman beer, nice and light to keep going. Patatas con Lomo (confit potato, cured pork loin, and a egg yolk), it was breakfast in a tapa, the salty lomo with the egg yolk and the potato quite nice. Pollo Escabeche al Miguel (spiced chicken on a crisp crouton) was my next selection, nice, lovely spicy punch from the escabeche, definitely the runner up of the day.
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| Mas cerveza |
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| Pollo |
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| Patata yo le diria papa |
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| Lengua |
My second visit, I was more down to earth, I started with two tapas, the Anchoa (Cantabrian anchovy on crouton with smoked tomato sorbet) which was superb the salty anchovy with the refreshing sorbet played great together, then Croqueta de Choco en su tinta (squid ink croquet with cuttlefish), quite good, the battered was perfect, sauce was nice, good balance. Then as a main went for one of the raciones Chorizo (chorizo with chickpea and guindilla peppers), excellent aroma as soon as it arrived, but I think I found a weak spot here, the dish is nice, but the chorizo is a bit bland, chickpea puree doesn’t help, peppers give a bit of a punch but for me wasn't enough the dish didn’t come through. Finally, Churros, good flavour, great cinnamon touch, hot chocolate ok, texture a bit chewy but they were hot a nicely fried, might have been the flour they used.
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| Anchoa |
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| Croqueta |
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| Chorizo |
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| Churros |
Great restaurant, I'm basically running out of tapas, so now to try their sister places if they are half as good as this one they will be awesome. Now you know La MoVida es en Melbourne.
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| Y Ole! |
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| Si lo se |
Franco reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Wink”
Holly: I decided I was going to make you dinner
Jerry: I thought we were going out
Holly: Well, after you scarfed up my mutton I had the irresistible urge to make pork chops for you. I said hello to Franco for you
Jerry: Franco?
Holly: Your butcher, down the street
Jerry: I bet he acted aloof like he didn't know me
Holly: A little
Jerry: That is so Franco
Movida Bar de Tapas
T: +61 3 9663 3038
Spanish Cuisine
Approx Damage: AU$35pp
Neighbourhood: CBD
Melbourne
Twitter: MoVidaMelbourne
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