Movida Sydney, Surry Hills

Those who know me will know that one of the cuisines I've had a soft spot since this blog's beginnings has been Spanish food. I could go for pintxos and tapas any day now. So it's no surprise that I've been dreaming on having a lovely Spanish feast at Movida Sydney ever since I heard that owner, Frank Camorra first announced its opening in Surry Hills a few years ago. Although it has been a while since it first opened, it was still quite busy especially later in the week. Since this visit occurred on a Wednesday evening, CC and I managed to snag a table without any trouble. 

Sangria ($26.00 for small jug)

This visit happened just after I started my new job in Pyrmont so this calls for a celebration. And sangria as always. We decided to get a jug to share between the to of us. Definitely one of the better sangria drinks I've had. Wasn't too strong but certainly fresh and fruity.

Bread and Spanish olive oil

We started off with a good serving of sourdough bread. While CC didn't eat much of the bread (saving her stomach for the other dishes), I was happy enough to divulge into the fluffy bread and dip it into the olive oil. So simple yet so addictive. My waistline will hate me for this. Usually it's complimentary but at the time, they were doing the Bread for Change initiative where the bread was charged for an extra $1.00.  

Anchoa ($4.80 each)

The Artisan Cantabrian Anchovy with Smoked Tomato Sorbet was one that I've been keen to try before coming to the restaurant and is also one of Movida's signature dishes. We didn't think it would work well together but it actually did. Who would think that a dollop of chilled, savoury tomato sorbet spread across the salty anchovy and cracker would make quite a pair?

Mejillones con Esparragos ($22.50)

The Steamed Mussels with Iberico Jamon and Asparagus was one of the specials available on the night we were there. CC was especially keen on trying this from the moment she spotted this on the specials menu. The mussells were well-steamed and the jamon had a warm, juicy texture. Again this was a delicious dish that we both enjoyed. 

Pastel de Codorniz ($12.50)

While I wasn't too excited about ordering this dish at first (CC was keen though), I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The crumbled Quail and Morcilla tasted succulent with the crispy puff pastry. Enjoyed mixing it up with the dark and tangy Agridulce sauce.

Cecina ($25.50)

Of course the dish that you MUST try has gotta be the Cecina also known as the Air cured Wagyu Beef with Truffle Foam and Poached Egg. So much cured meat and eggy goodness. The waitress told us that we needed to fold the wagyu beef and then mix it up together (or something along those lines...) so we were a bit puzzled when it came down to handling it. Was quite messy but it tasted so good with all those layers of beef and the creaminess from the truffle foam and the gooey poached egg. For a person who is generally not a fan of creamy stuff, this is too good to ignore.

Croqueta de Puchero - 2 pieces ($8.50)

At this point, we were surprisingly keen for another savoury dish so we went with the Croqueta of Pork Belly, Beef and Chicken. While I do love croquettes, I have been disappointed with my share of croquettes in the past especially those that were overly buttery and creamy. While it was still slightly creamy, there was that meaty flavour matched with the crunchy batter that got us addicted for more and more! Definitely the best croquette dish I've had in a looong time!

Churros con Chocolate ($14.50)

We were slightly getting full by this point but that didn't stop us for getting dessert. Can you believe that we nearly forgot about getting the churros?! Sure enough, we were glad to skip Messina and stick with getting dessert here because they were worth it. The churros were light, soft and fluffy while being slightly crispy even when dipped into the sweet, rich and warm chocolate. CC said she liked these churros more than El Loco, which is a big call because that has been our fave churros joint until now.

We were satisfied and full (but not to the point of food coma) from the dishes we've had that night. The waitress who served us was attentive, not to mention quirky and rrandom which gave us a good laugh. The prices are expensive though but the food was worth it and there are a good selection of larger dishes that will fill you up if you are not keen to share dishes. Would recommend this as a restaurant for special occasions due to the pricing of the dishes. Despite that, I'm still looking forward to returning to try the many other dishes especially those from the "Embutidos" or Cured meats menu whether it's in Sydney or one of the many branches back in Melbourne.

Movida Sydney
50 Holt Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 8964 7642
http://movida.com.au/sydney/
Mon-Sat: 12:00pm - late