Sometimes we are so wrapped up with eating at the latest, hottest restaurants that we forget about the great places we ate at last year. Or the year before. Our must-visit list is filled with just-opened dining rooms and cocktail bars.
With that in mind I decided it was time to book into a restaurant I’d not visited for a while…. and settled on MoVida Next Door.
The original MoVida in Hosier Lane was a hit when it opened under chef Frank Camorra in 2003. Outstanding Spanish food in a graffiti art laneway location was a winning combination. The group soon expanded with more venues, including MoVida Next Door.
I was lucky to eat at these restaurants quite a few times and was as taken with MoVida as other food lovers, reviewers and chefs. But honestly it’s probably been five years since I’ve eaten there, which is way too long.
Heading into MoVida Next Door I wondered… can it still be as good as I remembered?
We kicked off with natural oysters. Super fresh, served with their liquor intact and lemon on the side. A delicious hit of the sea in each shell. Probably the best I’ve had in a very long time. In a word, superb.
Then it was tapas time and I couldn’t pass up their uber-famous Cantabrian artisan anchovy with smoked tomato sorbet. These are a flavour bomb of smoky tomato and salty fish on a crispy crunchy cruton. Try and stop at one!
Equally impressive is the jamon serrano wrapped kingfish, grilled until the ham is crisp and served with a green mojo sauce. Kingfish is rarely served cooked in Melbourne restaurants these days (as its so outstanding raw). Great to be reminded how well it cooks up.
Sticking with the seafood theme I opted for the Lakes Entrance cuttlefish. This was deliciously tender and piping hot from the pan on a chickpea salad. Can’t remember the last time I had cuttlefish this good.
Also outstanding was an heirloom tomato salad. Loved how each tomato had been peeled which allows the flavour of the tarragon dressing to gently infuse into the tomato flesh. A ripper.
Spanish food needs a Spanish drinks list and here its a beauty. Terrific paploma cocktail and sangria. A couple of Spanish beers and an extensive wine list that will satisfy all tastes.
MoVida and its siblings began almost two decades ago and have proven themselves to be foundational restaurants of the Melbourne food scene.
They serve up fresh, full flavoured food that’s well crafted, innovative and consistently good. MoVida is a top example of Melbourne hospitality. Time to get it onto your must-visit restaurants list!