Restaurant Review: MoVida Bar de Tapas VS MoVida Aqui and Terraza

MoVida Bar de Tapas
Location: 1 Hosier Ln, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 3038
Link: movida.com.au
Cuisine: Spanish, Tapas
Overall Impression: 8/10

MoVida Aqui
Location: Level 1, 500 Bourke St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 3038
Link: movida.com.au/aqui.html
Cuisine: Spanish, Tapas
Overall Impression: 8/10

When I think of Spanish cuisine, I always think of tapas – little bowls of appetisers or snacks that come in many varieties, both hot and cold.

I enjoy the concept of having tapas for dinner. You get to taste a whole bunch of little dishes so your taste buds will be spoilt with the variation in flavours and there is something just so casual and fun about it. Being familiar with the 2 hat Movida bar de Tapas, we decided to have dinner at their 1 hat sister restaurant, Movida Aqui.  The main difference between the two is that Movida Aqui has a much more relaxed and casual setting. Having said that, the quality of the food served at both venues is remarkably of a similar standard. So, don’t expect a duller version of the menu from Movida bar de Tapas at Movida Aqui! In fact, the menus are very much alike, to say the least. But then again, so is the price tag.

Surprisingly, the broccoli dish we ordered out of a sense of guilt (trying to meet our 5 serves of vegies a day target) was the biggest crowd pleaser. If only broccoli tasted as amazing in “real” life.

The following are the lovely dishes we were privileged to indulge in:

Menestra De Broccoli $11.50

Organic broccoli braised with Iberico jamon, tomato and garlic

Fabada $23.50

Butifarra $19.50

House-made Catalan pork and pepper sausage with chickpeas and house made morcilla

Sardine special $16.50

Sardines on white bean puree with tomato and olive oil

Bomba $4.50 each

Catalan Potato bomb filled with chorizo

Bocadillo de calamares $7.00 each

Calamari sandwich with Basque guindilla and mayonnaise

Romesco con Conejo $23.50

Postre Para Compartir $30.00

Share plate of flan, churros, sopa inglesa, chocolate marque and olive oil sorbet

I highly recommend this dessert platter. It is a great way to eat through their dessert selections!

Each dish was beautifully flavoured, down-to-earth and uncomplicated, reflecting the heart of Spanish cuisine.

Move aside, Movida bar de Tapas, Movida Aqui is “aqui” (English: Here)!