We didn’t visit here just because the chef is named Lennox, rather because it was on our must visit list for a while now. We finally had a child free evening and we were lucky to secure a table as a walk in. Chef and owner Lennox Hastie of Firedoor has opened this second venue in Surry Hills called Gildas, and the San Sebastian inspired wine bar and tapas restaurant is all class. We began with drinks; a champagne, Sherry (which is their signature offering) and a kafea cocktail; spiced rum, vanilla and coffee.. We enjoyed these while perusing the menu.

The menu is all things Spanish since Hastie gained knowledge and experience from working in Spain and there’s plenty of pintxos, of the basque tradition or small snacks / tapas as you might call them; like peppers, cornichons, and small toast pieces with sardines. Dishes are small, so please note to order enough if you’re hungry.

We started with the Pan de pimenton, or a smoked paprika bread with smoked butter. This has to be one of the favourite breads I’ve eaten. Such a nice flavour / warm and soft inside with a crusty exterior. The butter was beautiful creamy.

We opted to share a few plates. Quite small but big on taste. Firstly, the roasted cauliflower dish came with smoked eggplant, bits of almonds and aged sheep’s cheese was a nice start. We followed this up with a beautiful grilled octopus, mixed with soft stewed chickpeas and pimenton.

Our favourite was the oyster mushrooms, nice and soft, topped with smoked egg yolk and buckwheat. Whatever they seasoned it with was delicious.

Kurt opted to add one of their specials, the sardine on house pan bread since he saw some other diners with it. He really enjoyed it and was glad to have something extra to eat.

Staff were certainly knowledgeable, yet I wouldn’t say the most attentive. We had to try hard to get their attention for the second drink, and again for the bill but they were friendly.

Drink wise, there’s an extensive wine list, and plenty of Sherry options on offer. The venue also has cocktails and aperitif.

A nice trendy little spot with unique Spanish offerings that you don’t see much around Sydney.

Gildas
48 Albion St, Surry Hills, NSW
gildas.com.au
@gildas_surryhills