I love the concept of tapas and share plates, and when done well, they form the makings of a great night out, along with a couple of cocktails of course! I was recently contacted by Chris from Emmilou Tapas Bar in Surry Hills to see if I would like to come down for dinner. I couldn’t answer yes fast enough – not only had Emmilou been on my list of restaurants to visit for some time, but I had also just read Shez’s glowing review earlier the same day and was very excited about it.

Chris welcomed us with a smile and showed us to the bar where we were shown a very comprehensive and exciting cocktail list – just what we needed to start our Friday night. Steph picked one of Emmilou’s signature drinks – the Jamaican Julep with rum, passionfruit, fresh mint and hints of apricots while I decided on the exotic Bah-teeh-dah with Cachaca, citrus, passionfruit, apple and vanilla sugar, which was refreshing with a great blend of flavours.

We were shown to our table outside, unfortunately it was quite dark, hence the quality of the photos. We started with seared scallops and whitebait beignets served with smoked pepper oil and squid ink aioli, an interesting dish in terms of flavour. Next up was the Jamon – delicious melt-in-your-mouth Serrano ham with sourdough and olive oil. It was great to nibble while sipping a cocktail and soaking up the atmosphere.

The sardines on toast with sweet chilli salsa was a great play on flavours, and one that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. It was also beautifully presented, and all round a very successful dish.

The duck liver parfait is a signature dish at Emmilou and we were very happy to get to try it. It was served with crunchy sourdough toast and fried beetroot. It was very moreish and delicious.

When we were asked if there were any dishes we would like to try in particular, I was talked into the wagyu beef brisket, but unfortunately I didn’t read the whole description which included salsa verde and an almond sauce so when it arrived, Steph couldn’t try it due to her nut allergy. Sorry Steph! I loved it though, it was a delicious meld of flavours, and I only wish I could have managed to eat the whole thing, but I struggled just to eat my half. I always forget that tapas are deceptively filling.

The staff at Emmilou were attentive and friendly, with water glasses constantly being topped up throughout the evening and great recommendations from the menu. We were amazed at how busy it became as the night went on, with people stopping in for just a quick cocktail or a full meal. We barely made a dent in the menu, so I would definitely come back to try some other dishes (and cocktails). Thanks again to Chris and the team for having us down!

Emmilou Tapas Bar – 413 Bourke St, Surry Hills.
9360 6991 www.emmilou.com.au

Spicy Icecream dined courtesy of Emmilou Tapas Bar.