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I want crispy rabbit with alioli
The English want to watch football. The Spanish bullfighting. They scream and shout at each other. Hair is pulled. Somebody spits in another’s face.
The police arrive wearing their funny hats and, worrringly, with machine guns.
Such are the memories of some pretty dreadful tapas and raciones in Spain, Benidorm to be precise.
Much of the same rubbish has now come to Australia, although thankfully we don’t have to sit through the “Full English Breakfast” the morning after.
Ever since Movida became popular any bod who’s heard of Chorizo thinks they could open a tapas bar.
They can’t. Or at least if they do I often end up leaving the food and getting plastered on tinto, which is usually delicious despite coming from Alicante, up the road from Benidorm.
I’m banned from mentioning many of these places for undisclosed reasons but that needn’t get in the way of the rest of this story.
I want to tell you about one tapas place that is worth visiting, Anada on Gertrude Street.
The pedigree of the owners include Movida and Moro in London. If you haven’t heard of the Moro’s two Sams, what personality they lacked at last year’s Food festival their food makes up for. Their cookbooks - The Moro Cookbook and Casa Moro - are among the best I own, far better than The River Cafe (where one of Anada’s owner’s worked).
What Anada brings to Spanish food from the Moorish end of Spain, attention for detail and innovation.
The tapas - small plates as they are defined - are tiny but only cost from $2.50 for a crouton topped with Syrian lentils to $6 for some olives that are handpicked, no doubt by virgins.
I thought the boquerones, white anchovies, speared together with palm heart and pickled chilli was an especially refreshing innovation on a warm night and worth every one of the three single dollars it cost.
The raciones are cheaper than a starter in most restaurants. I dare not compare the $15 crisp fried rabbit with alioli (that’s Spanish for a sort of Aioli which in turn is French for a sort of garlic mayonaisse) to KFC. But it did remind the Martini Monster of goujons. It doesn’t actually matter because they were tasty and moist.
It is here the Moorish influences show. The slow roasted beetroots ($6.50) are served with Nigella seeds and labneh (strained yoghurt).
The kebabs, served with labneh, are very good although we thought the grilled lamb, although tasty, was a touch fatty.
I lost track of how many individual plates we ordered but it was pretty good value. For four or more you can order ten for $44.
Perhaps the best thing about Anada was recognising a friendly face.
“It’s the cheese guy,” the Martini Monster declares. That would be Ryan who we first met at The Commoner and is a cheese expert who takes her bawdy language in his stride.
Whenever he comes near our table “The monster” launches into what I pick as a dissertation on Chaucer, in particular the Nun’s Priest’s Tale. Her special interest is in Chauntecleer - a big cock that “fethered Pertelote twenty time”. At least that’s the story I’m sticking to.
Popularity: 47% [?]
March 15th, 2008 at 10:08 am
I think these guys have done a great job. Its the closest thing I’ve seen to a real tapas joint. The only problem now is that it can be bloody hard to get into!
March 19th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Dave, they have and it is great. It will probably get harder especially once the reviews start coming in.
March 20th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Went there yesterday as a walk-in at 6.00pm. Told all tables booked but we could have stools. Went to leave and suddenly a table was available. All other walk-ins were given stools down the back. Left just before 8 with all their tables still empty. Food OK but not stunning. Coffee was appalling,expresso over filled and lacking proper crema.
Not professional, just think they are
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:14 pm
well, anada’s an exact replica of movida, isn’t it? from the food right down to the plates they use. i found it quite disappointing, if i wanted to eat movida’s food why wouldn’t i just go to movida and save myself the bother of going to gertrude st?
that said, the food wasn’t bad, just completely unoriginal. the retaurant didn’t, and would never, have the buzz and the atmosphere that movida has, not until they at least attempt to stand on their own feet when it comes to menu writing time. oh, and more competent floor staff.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Warren,
They are not amateurs and the food is better than most places laying claim to tapas.
Scott, have you actually been to Movida? Movida has different food and is a lot more expensive. The reason for going to Anada is a well-priced local drop-in. But if you’ve the money to eat at Movida all the time then good for you.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:43 am
If your staff cannot make coffee when you hire them and you do not train them to do so properly, you are not professional. Amazingly simple- basic skills. I was appalled, the working barrista I was dining with was appalled. Neither of else will be recommending the place. The best you can say about the food is that it is competent.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Warren, maybe they hired their barista from Tre Bicchieri. What specifically was wrong with the coffee? I’m sure they’l end up reading this and the feedback would be appreciated. I’m amazed how many restaurants forget the coffee and use run of the mill beans (I’m thinking Lavazza and Vittoria).
March 25th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Sadly I too have suffered the bad coffee and rude service at Tre Bicchieri. but that was six months ago and I haven’t been back. That is the whole point. Professionals get all things right including floor service and the coffee and that turns walk-ins into regulars. We walked into an empty restaurant and were told only stools down the rear were available. We declined and suddenly a table was available. If you or your staff are in the habit of telling stupid lies to customers you are doomed.
In my experience professionals starting a new place always ensure their window tables are used first, because it is amazingly good advertising to the passing trade. Pointing all your early evening walk-ins to your stools down the back-moronic but common with amateurs because they ignore the bleddin’ obvious.
Coffee (2 expressos)was not made at optimum temp and consequently devoid of flavour and lacked a proper crema. As for a rich golden brown crema!! Also an expresso is not a short black despite what some of the people manning the machines think.
The current TV success of Gordon Ramsey and its Aussie clone is based is based on a very simple premise. It is easy to find restaurants run by amateurs who delude themselves that they know what they are doing.
March 25th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Curious if either Warren or Scott have any connections with existing hospitality operators, either locally or in the city? Your criticisms seem rather harsh considering how long Anada’s been open, are there vested interests at work here?
All places make the odd f’up, even with the basics, no-one’s 100% perfect, despite best efforts. I think you could at least try for a second time (assuming your comments above relate to a first time visit?) and maybe reserve your blistering judgement until then? I think comments like “It is easy to find restaurants run by…” are completely unnecessary….so much so that I can’t even bring myself to quote it in full.
March 25th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Good point Davy. I was wondering that myself.
March 26th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Pardon? Someone disagrees with you and their motives must be suspect!. No I do not have any connection with “existing hospitality operators,either locally or in the city ”
Maybe you and Davy could adorn yourselves with some nice brown shirts, goose-step up and down outside Anada, and strictly punish any diner who diverges from the annointed party line.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Warren,
Funny response but it was a valid question. The vitriol seemed a little on the bitter side so I was trying to establish if the motive may have been more than just an (overly) critical punter. I still stand by my general view though and I don’t think my comment/query above was unreasonable. Knowing how hard it is to open and run a place (and being an actual “amateur”, unlike the guys running Anada)….of course there’s a place for criticism, constructive criticism but I still think you overstepped the mark.
Personally I’m far too unfit to be goose-stepping anywhere….although the mental image is quite amusing. Anyway I’m peddling restraint and reason, not fascism.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Warren, I think it was not just the vitriol but the fact we have no idea who you are. Click on Davy, Dave or Ed and it leads to our blogs/websites. You hit the nail on one thing at least, my fascist connections…
March 26th, 2008 at 11:05 am
i do not have any connections with “existing hospitality operators, either locally or in the city” either. i’ve been to movida on a number of different occasions, and have recently been to anada. just noticed a few things that were exactly the same, worded slightly differently, on the menu.
it doesn’t even matter, i’m not trying to start a debate, just said what i thought.
March 27th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Feel compelled to take up for warren- I would be willing to give anada another shot, but I was similarly unimpressed with my first visit:
Was greeted by a very fusty manager/waiter/owner (? don’t know which) who announced it would be 15 minutes before they could take our order. We were shown to a table, and then a waiter took our order immediately. Not bad service, per se, but bizarre nonetheless.
The food we had was pretty bad- the bread they served with our olives was burned black on two crusts. It was really pretty unpleasant, and kind of unbelievable that they would even serve it. The olives were fine.
The “chorizo” they served was an ok sausage, but it was not chorizo. I’ve had good quality dry and fresh chorizo from a range of restaurants and delis, and this was more like the “chorizo flavoured” sausages they sell at coles. The octopus and potato dish was fine, but it was really expensive considering how small it was. I mean we’re talking OCTOPUS and POTATOES. It’s not exactly haute cuisine and I understand its a more casual place, but given that, I think the serve could’ve been a bit less stingy.
So yeah, maybe they had a bad night- very valid- there’s plenty of stuff on the menu I would like to try and I would be willing to give them another go, but what I had was not very encouraging.
BTW- I am neither a blogger, nor someone who is connected to the industry in any way- I don’t quite understand why that’s relevant, but I thought I would declare myself to avoid similar insinuations!! I feel compelled to remind that a blog on the internet is not exactly a private space, and that the whole point is that people (strangers!! who don’t have blogs!!) can read and react to them at will.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Coincidence is a strange thing. Stephen Downes asked me to review Anada with him tonight. They were busy and by the end it was noisy. The coffee was fine. All the dishes were fine, some excellent. I can’t give away too much but certainly there weren’t any of the problems described.
Jessie the dishes are meant to be small and they do seem good value - not cheap eats - but good value although the Octo was a little underseasoned. There are many versions of chorizo too from the hard dry cured to the more sausage you cook type. I wonder if it was a different version to what you are used to.
Jessie I don’t question where you come from as your complaints seem a bit more balanced.
There will be a review in the Herald Sun and John Lethlean has visited several times so no doubt in The Age soon too.
March 28th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Yeah, like I said- I would be willing to give it another shot. But I won’t be getting chorizo- yes the sausage at Anada was different to what I’m used to, as in- it was not as good!!! Know what you’re saying about fresh vs dry chorizo, but I do know the difference, I usually get fresh chorizo from a deli in ascot vale- it is meaty, red and redolent of smoky paprika. Anada’s was grey-brown and the texture of coles foam-tray “gourmet” (over minced under-flavoured). Maybe I have an over-exercised palate and need to be clubbed over the head with the flavour, but I found it a wee bit bland. I would expect them to get that right, but then again - perhaps its like going to Hako and judging it on the quality of the gyoza.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Have got to congratulate you Ed. You have raised name dropping to an artform! John Lethlean and Stephen Downes mentioned in the same post, sort of inferring that the experts are of one mind and the common people should just shut up and eat.
As Jessie points out you dont seem to understand the true nature of a blog-this is not your private space where we come to genuflect at the wisdom of your deliberations.Every post should be judged on their comments and not have their motives queried or their chorizo knowledge denigrated. You might actually end up with a vibrant community discussing food.
March 28th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Jessie, Fair enough. I haven’t been to Hako yet but I’ll avoid the gyoza.
Warren,
the only reason I went there last night is because Stephen, who is a friend and colleague, asked me as he needed a partner and all newspaper reviews are accompanied. The guys at Anada said John had been in several times. And in the postmodern world (now I’m getting really wanky) we live in the people who write the stories are often part of the story itself. And the more opinions the better which is the whole idea of “The wisdom of Crowds”. I have no idea what Lethlean’s review will be like; it could be very bad. I wasn’t denigrating Jessie’s chorizo knowledge but just pointing it out as the chorizo I ate there was pretty good by my book and certainly not like she described. I’m only questioning the negatives as one of the big issues out there is anonymous people or people who don’t use their full names leaving negative (or postive in some instances) comments on forums and blogs. It was a major concern for most of the overseas chefs who visited the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival recently. You should check out this story from yesterday’s media section of the Australian by Simon Canning Nameless blogger bile hurts about the local blog run by Michael Lynch called Campaign Brief. It’s all about anonymous comments and a suicide in the US. My policy is to keep all comments (apart from spam obviously) up and not edit them unlike the overmoderated mainstream media companies. I simply reserve the right to put across my opinion in addition to yours on a my personal blog. Let’s face it is is good to debate and have diverse opinions. Can we agree on that?
March 28th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
some interesting points here, however, as a chef and a lover of eating out, food discussion and generally tasty stuff, can people not agree to just having differing opinions. so your favourite chorizo is a not like someone else’s favourite kind of chorizo.? honestly, who gives the slightest fuck???? My crema wasn’t great? grow up and start caring about stuff that actually has an impact on our lives bigger than my coffee wasn’t at the optimum serving temperature. and as for the name dropping…………….who fucking cares……..
March 28th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
David, nice point. I just felt I should defend something that i thought was quite good and nearer a genuine tapas bar than anything I’ve found in Australia.
March 29th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Post script
- wasn’t casting aspersions on Hako’s gyoza- just saying that you wouldn’t go there for the gyoza, you’d order off the specials menu- perhaps I shouldn’t judge anada on their chorizo alone.
- David- I don’t have a problem agreeing to disagree- a forum is just that- a place to air opinions, or if you like- share them. It doesn’t need to be personal and I didn’t take offence at Ed’s chorizo comment (although I chuckled at Warren’s reply to it)and my reply wasn’t intended to be defensive.
- if there’s any place a person should feel comfortable anally dissecting the quality of the crema on their espresso- surely its on a food blog? Get off the high horse.
March 31st, 2008 at 9:27 am
Jessie, I will try the gyoza then. If David wants to discuss something worthy perhaps he should go over to the “Make Poverty History” or Earthhour blog. I’ll be interested to hear what you think if you revisit. Cheers
April 7th, 2008 at 1:57 am
Ed, how does Anada compare to Lola’s Tapas in St Kilda?
April 7th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Ted, Better I think but I haven’t been to Lola’s for a long time. I went a few times after it opened but had a greasy meal with poor service so never went back.
April 7th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Ed, thanks, I was going to book but I’ve heard that the service standards at Lola’s have dropped recently as well.
What would you recommend for a Sat night dinner for 12, about $25 per person? Preferably around the city or St Kilda.
April 7th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Ted, that’s a tough one $25 - is that including drinks? Check out the new group blog http://www.verycheapeats.com where the rule is amealof two courses and a drink should be under $20. If you fancy joining send me a line and get you signed-up.
April 7th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Perhaps Claypots plus drinks depending on what you eat.
April 7th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
$25 excluding drinks (inc would be asking too much me thinks). I had a look at the blog you recommended but nothing piqued my interest. Well, PekoPeko did, but the plan is to go for drinks later without having to drive (hence the preference for a city ot St Kilda location).
April 7th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Ted, Very Cheap Eats is still very young - it’ll get better. Off th etop of my head locally, cheap are The Espy Kitchen or (on Fitzroy) A Taglio (Good pizza), Mikoshi and if you do Yum Cha,Mahjong. I’ve just remembered the place next to Pizza e Birra is cheap. I can’t remember its name though it also does pizza.
April 9th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Why do I never get this kind of debate on my site… I need to swear more… fuck it.
As for the actual criticisms, anyone who spells espresso with a ‘x’ immediately gets discredited in my book (unless of course that’s how they spell it on the menu, which would be unforgivable). Even if they are dining with a “working barista”. Any coffee drinker worth their salt would not be ordering espresso in a tapas restaurant… It’s just not worth the risk.
It’s one of my biggest complaints as a coffee lover is that restaurant coffee is rubbish… but I appreciate the food and the wine, then go home and make one myself.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Nice one Matt. Amazing how even Italian restaurants can get it wrong. Shame the coffee guides only really rank cafes.