Balcòn By Tapavino: What more could one want…?

Category: Spanish Restaurant/Tapas/Winebar

Food:$7-$35 per dish

Balcòn by Tapavino; Serving great Spanish food and wine. We loved Tapavino and were excited to visit Balcon by Tapavino and it did not disappoint. This restaurant group is creating some of our favourite restaurants and dining experiences. With a new restaurant called ‘Born’ soon to be openened in Barangaroo, which we have added to our list of restaurants yo visit.

Balcòn is situated in the corporate end of town. We were here on a Wednesday night and it was busy. The restaurant is a large space with bar seating, a number of tables inside and outdoor seating on the balcony; hence the name Balcòn. The restaurant has a modern design, the space is dimly lit with a plethora of spanish wine surrounding you in caged storage bays. These bays are lit showcasing the 5000+ Spanish wines available. So you know the drinks menu will have something to your liking. We sampled a lovely Brut and some reds including a pinot and a very nice syrah/shiraz that I will be looking out for.

The drink list is not just restricted to wine they have a nice cocktail list and some very nice beer to choose from including Er Boqueron an intersting Spanish Blonde Ale from Valencia brewed in part with seawater from the Medterreanean, which was refreshind and suprisingly very good.

We entertained by our waiter for the evening Alan who was a great host: formely of The Doyle restaurant group and Quay, soon to be Manager of the new venture ‘Born’. The service was impeccable, relaxed, yet very polished and providing us with food and beverage recommendations that did not disappoint. With so many great options on the menu it was difficult to decide, the guidance was greatly appreciated.

We were here for dinner allowing us to order from different parts of the menu which included tapas(individual portions), Prima(starters), amazing cured meats from the charcuterie and larger portions from land or sea, as well as desserts.

To start, we whet our appetite with some Jamon and cows milk cheese seved with crisp brwad. A great way to start the meal, simple with quality produce. We also shared the stuffed coca flat bread. A tasty crisp flatbread filled with chorizo, egg and greens. We followed this with prawns a la plancha; A delectible Prawn dish perfecly grilled in the Spanish wood fired oven, seasoned with red pepper, lemon and herbs.

After much deliberation and some help from Alan we decided to share the delicious, melt in your mouth slow cooked beef cheek, jarusalem artichoke, beer mustard & smoked paprika. We also went with the shaved cabbage salad with raisin, almond and manchego salad. A generous mountain of texture and flavour definitely recommended.

You can always manage room for desserts on this occasion we shared the balcon mess: a delicious concoction of white choclate and thyme cream, strawberry sauce, meringue and oat croquant. Combing this with a lovely glass of PX.