MoVida, Melbourne

Clockwise from top-left: one red wine out of an exhaustive wine list, metal art on a backing wall, scoffing down one of my favourites, Hosier Lane

My last night in Melbourne and I had my beady eyes set on Barcelona-born Chef Frank Camorra whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Taste of Melbourne. After all, this was my last supper and it just had to be a good one! And what better choice than Spanish - one cuisine that I have a massive love affair with.

Adorable isn't he? And a damn nice bloke too. But sorry Frank, for now I'm more interested in your food! For what seemed like eternity, I've been subject to rumblings and chinese whispers across the border of a certain laneway bodega that was getting Melbourne all awash with excitement with its innovative but authentic tapas.

San Jacobo de cordonice ($8 ea) - Hunter Valley quail, partially boned, crumbed and filled with jamon and mahon cheese
Queso Manchego ($4.50 ea) - imported aged Manchego sheep's milk cheese and quince paste

I heard it all: best tapas in Australia (In fact Australian Gourmet Traveller has dubbed it the best Spanish restaurant in Australia), better than Sydney (of course that had to come out!) and a far cry from the pedestrian garlic-prawn tapas bars of old. Missing out on my inaugural MoVida experience was too painful to imagine so I made sure to book for a Sunday night dinner two months in advance.

Complementary bread starter and olive oil

And no wonder you needed to book early - MoVida as a venue was smaller than I thought but then again, it was all about cosiness and warmth. No reservation? Then you still might be able to grab a spot at the bar instead of a table - such is the way in Spain. But I loved the whole back alley vibe - the cool grafitti art out the front door, the shabby chic light fittings. Us Sydneysiders are such a sucker for laneway venues!

Hosier Lane grafitti art

Joining us tonight were Laurent Garnier and The Piano Man whom, despite living in Melbourne, were also MoVida virgins. On the menu there are a selection of 'tapas', which are individual pieces for one and 'racion', larger serving sizes to share amongst 2 or 3 people (or 1 very greedy girl). We didn't know where to start so our cool, laidback waiter suggested to a pick a tapas or two per person and a couple of racions to start and go from there.

Bar area - perfect for a quick drink and a few tapas!

Anchoa ($4.50 ea) - A hand filleted Cantabrian anchovy on a crouton with tomato sorbet

One of my favourite tapas thanks to an undying love for salty fish. And that tomato sorbet! I was not ashamed to lick my plate.

Croqueta ($3.50 ea) - Croquette filled with Leek and mahon cheese

I loved how the filling was smooth and creamy rather than filled with chunks of vegetables as I've tasted in other bodegas. And have I ever told you of my current obsession with leeks?

Costilla con sobrasada ($7.50 ea) - roast lamb cutlet encased in a Catalan pork and paprika pate

I didn't taste this but the dreamy nodding of the recipient's head says it all really.

Bistec tartar de wagyu ($18) - spicy steak tartare of raw, grass fed wagyu beef

Hands down, the best dish of the night and the best tartare I've ever tasted in my life. And check out the adorable quail egg yolk!

Cecina ($19.50) - air cured wagyu beef thinkly sliced with truffle foam and poached egg

Wow, the sensation in my mouth, the flavour, the richness! This was indulgent eating and though the taste was out of this world, the richness of the poached egg and fatty wagyu slowly descended into overwhelming. It's definitely a plate I needed to share but one I had to order!.

James Iberico jamon de Jabugo (20gm - $20) - fully acorn fed, 3 years naturally cured

Words cannot describe just how much I love Jamon. That is all.

Caballa ahumado ($18.50) - Tom Cooper's smoked mackerel with pine nut gazpacho sorbet

Again my love for salty fish is satisfied for the second time tonight. Normally mackerel can be quite overpowering in its salty, ultra fishy flavour but this smoked variety was subtle and utterly delicious. Oh the pine nut sorbet... cue round 2 of plate licking.

Carillera de buey ($18.50) - slowly braised beef cheek in Pedro Ximenez on cauliflower purée

By this stage the boys were reaching their limits but I (the only lass) had room for more. And lucky for me because I had this all to my greedy self. I might run out of superlatives for this dish but oh. My. God. The texture, the tenderness - it just broke apart under the slightest weight of my fork. Not to mention that Pedro Ximenez is the drink of the gods. Oh the sweet, rich, raisiny flavour of the PX - I wanted to make love to this cheek. Sweet sweet love. See that first photo of me? That was me in my own little PX world of bliss.

Setas asado con jerez ($11) - oven roasted portabello mushrooms finished with sherry vinegar

I thought it was a little too tangy with the vinegar but was still the perfect vege accompaniment to that amazing beef cheek (oh sweet, sweet love).

I wasn't quite done with the tapas but seeing as the other three men were officially full (weaklings!), we immediately eyed off the desserts. Look at this blackboard. Is it any wonder that this is one of the first things we saw when we walked in?

I've officially run out of superlatives and frankly, all this talk has got me curled up in the corner in a foetal position because I'm now missing and craving tapas. Let's just say that each dessert deserves its own set of praises - the oozy ganache in the fondant, the moreish pestinos and the creamy flan and the two autumn inspired tarts - simply sublime.

Tarta de membrille ($12.50) - pear and almond tart with goat cheese and ice cream

Basque Tart - quince and chestnut with goats cheese

Flan con pestinos ($10) - crème caramel served with spiced sherry pastries

Hot chocolate ganache pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and nougat ($12.50) - check out the ooze!

Best tapas? That remains inconclusive of course, as more bodegas needs to be visited and plenty more tapas needs to be eaten! However for once a restaurant has lived up to its massive hype and really, who am I to argue with Gourmet Traveller? I'm sure my groans and voracious plate lickage spoke more than mere words ever shall. Frank Camorra is adorable, but his tapas, are even hotter.

MoVida bar de tapas y restaurante
1 Hosier Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000

Bookings essential: (03) 9663 3038