It was with great excitement that we read late last year that David Coomer, one of most highly regarded people in the Perth food industry, would be opening a Spanish restaurant/tapas bar on Stirling Hwy. There is a lack of quality Spanish tapas bars and restaurants in the Perth area and it has been hoped that Coomer's latest venture would provide a welcome boost of quality into the Spanish cuisine scene in Perth. I can say that those expectations have been exceeded.
So only a few weeks after Pata Negra opened the Gourmand, the Indeterminate and the Hutt made the short journey to Pata Negra's door. The interior has a charming retro feel with limited lighting. It was full which was an encouraging sign. We later realised that although much of the restaurant is left for bookings, there are a few tables nearer to the door that are left over for those who haven't booked. This is an excellent idea and a welcome boon for those of us who aren't very organised when it comes to selecting restaurants.
Food
The menu is split into themes. Tapas at the top, then Jamon (hams), the Sea, the Earth, the Land, the Dairy and Pastry. The menu, is commendably restrained and excellently thought out.
We started with a couple of the smaller tapas. The wood roasted babaganouge had all the beautiful smoky flavours of the roasted eggplant which were lifted by the garlic and oils, creating a stunning dip. This was served with wood-fired mountain bread. This dish made full use of the woodfired oven left over from the previous pizza tenants of this location. A few of the dishes on Pata Negra's menu utilise the wood fired oven to delicious effect.
The other tapas was a small wafer with a tomato salsa topped with an anchovy. This simple tapas had a lovely balance of texture and flavour as well as letting the superb ingredients speak for themselves.
After the tapas, we treated ourselves by ordering the jamon iberico de bellota. Although not cheap ($30.00 for 30g), it does deserve its reputation as one of the best cured meats in existance. The flavour is subtle yet so rich and delicious. The jamon really does melt in the mouth. This is one extravegance very much worth having.
To accompany all of this lovely food, we had ordered a bottle of cider from Pata Negra's eclectic wine list. The only disappointment was that there was only one choice of cider available. It is the opinion of this unlearned Hedonist that cider is actually a beautiful accompaniment to many Spanish tapas as the lighter fruit flavours can help cut through some of the stronger flavours that often characterise tapas. Having said that, the cider was excellent and teamed extremely well with the dishes ordered.
After much deliberating we settled on for our larger dishes, the Fabada; Chicken Livers with caramalised onion and a seared Tuna with Romesco sauce and a preserved lemon salad.
Arriving first were the chicken livers. This dish was very strong and had some delicious gamey flavours. In my opinion, chicken liver, if not accompanied by something lighter or sweeter can overpower the palate. The accompaniment of the caramalised onion gave a good balance to the dish, however we would have preferred more caramalised onion as we ran out before completing the livers.
The Fabada arrived next in a beautiful small cazuela dish. We were first struck by the aromas of this dish. The smoky, spiced chorizo and slow cooked ham hock had us salivating before even looking at the dish. I cannot think of a more perfect winter's dish than this. The beautiful duck, chorizo and ham flavours were absorbed by the lentils to make a dish that is hearty and would enliven the unhappiest soul. There is simply no fault to this dish, it is perfectly cooked and flavoured.
Lastly we were served the seared tuna and romesco sauce. After the previous two stronger dishes, this was a lovely way to finish. The tuna had been seared perfectly having the smoky charred flavours on the outside but leaving it tender and flavoursome on the inside. Combined with the sharp and smooth romesco sauce and fresh preserved lemon salad, this was a masturfully created and executed meal.
To our great regret, the hedonists were feeling very satisfied after our meals and had no room for dessert. It would have been more of a tribute to the hedonistic spirit that we kept on eating until we required a wheelbarrow to be moved. However, this wouldn't have done justice to the food to eat too much. It would have merely spoilt the joyous feeling from the great food.
Service
The service was genuine and very friendly. The Gourmand was also impressed with the food knowledge of the waitstaff. The Gourmand fell slightly in love with one waitress who he was able to talk to about the virtues of cider.
One disappointment with the staff is that after we had ordered our larger dishes, we received them on their own. Although this was not a problem, after each dish had been eaten, and while we were still waiting for our other mains, we were approached a number of times by staff asking whether we wanted to order more.
Value
Considering the quality of the food available, the value is superb. It was only just over $50.00 a head for two courses and a bottle of cider.
Highlights: Almost everything. Pata Negra has the ability to be one of the top restaurants in Perth. For a new restaurant to be executing dishes with such flawless skill bodes well for the future.
Lowlights: Possibly the overattentive service. However I am clutching at straws to say even that. The real lowlight is that the Hedonists have probably visited the best restaurant on Stirling Highway at only the second attempt. We may review it twice to see if it's still brilliant.
Rating:
Food: 9.5/10
Service: 4/5
Value: 4.5/5
Atmosphere: 4.5/5
Total: 22.5/25
Details: Pata Negra is located at 26 Stirling Hwy, Nedlands. Ph: 9389 5517. Bookings are strongly recommended.
I cannot recommend highly enough to go to Pata Negra. As much as I would love for there to always be tables, I'd be happier for everyone else to love it too. This is an enjoyable restaurant celebrating a wonderful cuisine in a really great way.
