Hot damn I went did on this one !…read more So I couldn't take any good pictures cuz I have an iPhone and the light was real low. I really need to get a better camera for this stuff, but I did almost try one of everything on the menu and some dishes that weren't on the menu. Oooh specials ! First off I have to say our server was hands down the best server I've every had. I'm pretty sure his name was Matt , and that's what it says on the receipt so I'm going with Matt. He is the perfect example of a professional server. Thank you Matt for your amazing service ! So this is tapas, high end tapas, well thought out, premium ingredients, with a touch molecule gastronomy. All the dishes I had were well plated, and well presented, and all were delicious. My favorites of the evening are as follows: "Carrillera de Buey" ( beef cheek and cauliflower purée ) intense ! Super rich and earthy, the "Chocos" ( cuttlefish ) perfection! love the ink "Calabacin" ( charred zucchini ), zucchini can go wrong real fast and this was cook perfectly, al dente yes ! Definitely take a look at the menu to see all the other descriptions and ingredients of the dishes I mentioned above, way too many to type. I really wanted to try the "Bocadillo" ( fried pig's ear sandwich ) but it wasn't on the menu, no worries still had lots of great food in a great environment. For dessert I had the "Cigarillo" it's like a chocolate ice cream cigar dipped in chocolate and then rolled on crushed pistachios! Wow yum ! Thanks !

One of best spanish bars I have been to. Not cheap though. very busy too so book ahead.read more

Not for the faint of heart. Very unique dishes and ingredients…read more Good service as the small plates and dishes roll out as they are prepared so it provides a nice flow of food. Favorites were the braised beef, scallops, and pork belly. Not bad were the croquettes and tuna tartare. Not my type of food, doesn't mean it's bad, was the duck liver pate. Too rich but my workers inhaled it.

We ordered several dishes. The great thing with tapas, is the variety and it's easy to manage. We…read moreordered Puerros-Leeks, Beat salad (Remolacia) and baby chicken dish (Capon Spatchcock). Excellent. Come here for sure if you are at the NGV. It's just across the street - very close for an outstanding meal. For dessert, pass up the chocolate for the citrus custurd - very tasty!

Looking for some yummy Spanish food? This was a wonderful experience had by all. Excellent…read moreservice - super friendly, fun and very fast. Start with a mixture of tapas followed by paella to share. Highlights include Sangria, chicken wings, lamb skewers, stuffed calamari and Paella Mixta. Weekends have 2 dinner seating times - 6.15pm and 8.15pm. Bookings required as it is very popular. A very welcome addition to the Thornbury restaurant scene! Get on it!

It's Friday night we are on the edge of Hipsterville. We're hungry. The idea of tapas seemed…read moreappealing. So we walked in. At first the slightly flustered staff said there was no tables. We asked for the window seat. They said of course and we sat down. We ordered the Chorizo Sang Cahi Bow and Croquetttes for entree, both tasty dishes hot and severed promptly. Good given it was a Friday night and more so as they were very busy. For mains I had Calamari, and my wife the Meatballs. As well as some deep fried potatoes. The calamari was huge, good, the meatballs hot but a bit dry. Overall it was a pleasant enough experience.

Came for happy hour and dinner was also great too!…read more Started with margaritas and we all ordered a variety of food. I had the dip appetizer, few people ordered birria tacos and beef tacos and one person ordered a burrito and the nachos. The happy hour prices were great and the drinks were too. The classic margarita was really good! The chip dip appetizer was also delicious and filling. Everyone enjoyed their food and we enjoyed sitting out on the lane and people watching.

The customer service here is simply unmatched! Our server was wonderful and very attentive. The…read morefood was great, the burrito was very unique but tasted great, I initially thought they accidentally gave me an enchilada! The stuffed jalapeños were better than expected and very nice. The churros were soooo yummy. I definitely recommend you come here! The food and atmosphere are great.

Just off Little Bourke St on level 1 is a little Latin American bar called Vamos. Dimly lit with…read moresome cosy little fairy-light nooks, coming here early on a Thursday night for a knock-off drink provided a nice casual spot to catch up for a drink. Service is great, the staff were really lovely and helpful. Many of the staff here also teach Spanish at the local language school where I study, which certainly speaks to their passion for bringing their local flavour to Melbourne. The menu is Latin American inspired small plates, so we ordered a couple of bites from the bar snacks portion to share as a group - beef shin empanadas, guacamole and chips, and polenta chips. All were tasty, the guac and chips were spot on and I particularly like the polenta chips as they were quite thin and crunchy rather than the chunky-burn-your-mouth out trying to eat it type. I'd come back and give dinner a go. I wasn't drinking so can't comment much on the booze available, but I did see that they do have happy hour specials going and mulled wine for winter. Probably somewhere I'd come more for a beer or margarita than a wine. They have a lot of shows and events here, their web site features a lot of fun Latin-American inspired music acts from mariachi bands to flamenco and Brazilian performers if you're looking for something more upbeat. If a boozy rowdy night is your style, I'd plan ahead for when something is happening or go on a Saturday night. If you're after a more chilled out spot to catch up with some friends, early weeknights are a good time to go.

Spanish wine tasting on Thursday night with friends. $35 for 5 diff wines and 5 tapas sharing…read moreplatters. Great experience tapas had nice flavours and wines well Rose was our favourite! Was quite loud though could hardly hear my friends. Presenter was knowledgeable with his wines Good evening!!

My colleague and I stopped here for a late lunch as we were intrigued by their paella lunch…read morespecial. Unfortunately we were told the $20 meal deal was only good through 12:30pm. Since we had our minds set on the paella, we each ordered one anyway. I got the daily special with sausage, scallops and pumpkin while she opted for the lamb. Having sampled both, I can say with certainty that they know their paella! The lamb paella was tender and flavourful, a good sign that the meat had been simmering to soften and flavour it, along with the rice. The scallop paella was just delightful, having the right blend of spices, a bit of surf and turf to flavour the rice, along with well blended pumpkin. It was hearty and filling. Both dishes were served on small paella pans and were well presented. In addition, the sangrias we sipped were fruity and refreshing. The staff was friendly, checking in on us more than once, topping off our water and clearing our table. It's true we beat the lunch rush so enjoyed the extra attention. This is one place where coming later still ensures you get a delicious meal, as the paella is a great dish that soaks in more flavour the longer on the grill. Come here for a fantastic lunch or sample their happy hour menu from 3-6pm. With a great location and tasty dishes, it is simply delicious.

Having already savoured the delights of the paella at the South Melbourne Markets location, I was a…read moretad excited to have Simply Spanish open up in my local food forecourt at work. Since opening I have been for a set menu lunch with workmates and a couple of lunches by myself, not to mention a couple of happy hours on Thursday and Friday evenings. All food has been wonderfully satisfying and very affordable for tapas offerings. Their sangria is to die for and I can't go past the deep fried goats cheese croquette. Go there and you won't be disappointed!

- fabulous and creative and pretty drinks - I love the booth…read moreseating the booths are a little tight the booths are little ways from the action, but good for intimacy and talking - best music in Curtin house

Anything that requires you to walk up more than three flights of stairs (perhaps while slightly…read moreintoxicated) had better be good. Fortunately the kids at Mesa Verde know this and are well on their way to being a venue that rewards drinkers and diners for climbing six flights of stairs within Curtain House. My real reason for coming here was to sample the cocktails. With over 200 tequilas and some of Melbourne's best bartenders behind the bar, I was pretty confident that I'd get a killer cocktail (or three) that would bring my Friday to a close with the ceremony and respect that it deserved. And right I was. Josh (previously of Eau De Vie) first made me a "P.G" featuring Tequila silver, muddled sugar snap peas, green tea syrup and lemon. A genius combination - the starchiness from the peas working well with the flavour of green tea and the tequila lifting it all together to provide a refreshing start to the evening. Mesa Verde have hopes for an extensive salt collection and the P.G featured a green tea salt that worked with the cocktail rather than against it, as it the case I find with a lot of salt rimmed drinks. Later in the evening I tried an experimental drink that featured a smoked salt rim and garnish of acidulated and salted apple slices. Brilliant. And a perfect match to the pulled pork taco I was eating at the time. The cocktails are considered and balanced and I'm eager to try more. As for the food... well, time will tell if this can get to the same heights of the cocktails. I ordered a prawn cocktail that took forever to arrive and eventually I was told it had run out and "would I like the civeche instead?". Sure thing. A small portion with chunky fish and jicama and radish slices, the flavours could have been pushed to an extra level. It was pleasant enough but would I order it again in its current format? No. Next, a pulled pork taco. The tortilla was fresh and hot, the pork filling moist with terrific flavour, but a chunky garnish with some zing would work well here. Jalapenos, pineapple or even some of the sliced apple that I had at the time with the cocktail I was drinking would provide textural contrast and pull it together. If Mesa Verde can work cohesively across the floor, bar and kitchen and tighten up the flavours on the dining menu, I think it will kick some serious ass and I may just become its number one fan.

Service was not great .food was good but there was a live worm on the lettuce! Freaked out one of…read moreour guest

From California visiting and they have a wide variety of food. I ordered a michelada, as it was the…read moreonly place I noticed had them and wanted to try give it 4/10. Pad thai was really good and reminded me of a place here back home. Server was friendly and was able to ask for recommendations. Lots of seating and specialty cocktails which I unfortunately didn't try because I went to the rooftop bar upstairs afterwards.