Movida Bar De Tapas - Review

Duck liver parfait with a Pedro Ximenez Foam served with a crispy toast.  A glass of very forgiving Gewurztraminer.  Movida Bar de Tapas on Hozier Lane is the obscenely popular heart of Tapas in Melbourne - I am happy to test it out.  More dishes crowd up our bar level table wedged between the kitchen pass and the bar where spots turnover every thirty to forty five minutes.

The low lighting and high ceilings partnered with the distinctly gritty lane scenery out the warehouse style windows create a quasi bohemian setting.  The menu is split into single tapas serves and sharing plates, specials are recited with a little difficulty which I think is splendid as it means only one thing that they are todays specials and not the monthly chalk board stalwart.  The saturday lunch time throng is pushing through the door and I feel extremely lucky to have been sat, fed and wined with such attentive efficiency.  We concur on our order over another glass of white and our list seems to be growing: Jamon of course, Braised beef cheek with a superbly creamy cauli puree, portobello mushrooms in a punchy sauce, roast garlic, tomato and herb breads which seem to be our palette cleanser, two roast quail breast with braised quail flesh, croutons, and grapes.

The food in general is very enjoyable and a touch daring that you would feel enriched by the endeavor but not so much challenged by any stretch.  The real draw card is the popularity of the venue and its detractor is the heaving populous standing at the door waiting for more.  Seven days a week lunch and dinner, not many venues can do this and do it so very successfully.  The tuning is near perfect on this purring machine, not even a drip of oil could slip this engineered status symbol up.

Giles