El Rincon, literally translating to "the corner", in reference to the location of the restaurant by Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market, is a small Spanish restaurant, cafe and bar which has recently opened in the CBD.
As well as boasting one of the largest collections of sherry in Melbourne, the restaurant is uniquely Spanish in regards to the different aspects of the restaurant, ranging from not only their food, but also their decor and even the tiles.
The chef and owner of El Rincon comes from the southern part of Spain which is close to the border of Gibraltar, which is where a lot of his traditional recipes draw inspiration from. On the night I was dining here however, El Rincon had a guest chef from San Sebastián, which is not only known as the gastronomic capital of Spain, but of the entire culinary world.
Selection of wines and sherry
Running Bull Sangria
El Rincon is the home of Running Bull Sangria, which is an alcoholic drink of Spanish origin. Found only at El Rincon at the Queen Victoria Markets, the sangria is made from a traditional family recipe and is absolutely lovely and refreshing.
Salmorejo and Ana's Tortilla
Salmorejo and Ana's tortilla are two dishes that are usually served separately. The soft tortilla made with eggs, potatoes and onions was a delightfully light dish, which was a nice way to start off the tapas.
Salmorejo is a dish which originates from Andalucia in the south of Spain, very close to where the chef and owner of El Rincon comes from. The base of the dish is tomato and bread, which is also used as a base in other Spanish dishes. The dish itself was seasoned well and expertly made use of contrasting textures to give a very pleasant mouth-feel.
Salmorejo is a dish which originates from Andalucia in the south of Spain, very close to where the chef and owner of El Rincon comes from. The base of the dish is tomato and bread, which is also used as a base in other Spanish dishes. The dish itself was seasoned well and expertly made use of contrasting textures to give a very pleasant mouth-feel.
Spanish croquettes with Jamón serrano and chorizo
The Spanish croquettes contained both Jamón Serrano and chorizo, which I thought would be very salty. Although the first bite was indeed quite salty, it was quickly counterbalanced by the rest of the dish, which left a delicious and complex flavour, as well as lovely texture.
Sardinas fritas
As the dish arrived, the Sardinas fritas was described to me by our host as an almost out of body experience. With a sense of excitement, as well as a beautiful dish placed in front of me I could not resist. As I took my first bite I was suddenly filled with satisfaction and realised what she had meant. The dish itself was a perfectly fried sardine which had been stuffed with potatoes, marinated capsicum and bacalao, which is known as a type of dried and salted cod. The combination of a lovely crisp coating with the tender fish and potato was elevated with the salty distribution of the cod. The sauce brought everything together and the addition a fried, crispy and slightly fishy treat was a good finisher. A truly ethereal experience.
Albondigas
The Albondigas was the last savoury item we tried. Unfortunately for the Spanish meatballs, the preceding dishes all had depth and character to them, which made them special experiences. Although the meatballs were cooked nicely, the flavour was slightly one dimensional. By no means a bad dish, however it was eclipsed as the mediocre dish in a lineup of great dishes.
Spanish flan
To finish of the meal we were served their Spanish flan. Although the dish was not particularly complex or special in many ways, the light sweetness was a great finisher for the meal.
El Rincon is a great place to visit at any time of the day. The atmosphere was absolutely lovely and the unique Spanish flavour made me imagine spending an entire morning here with nothing but a coffee and a book to read. Whether you have just finished shopping at the Queen Victoria Markets or have a Spanish tapas craving, El Rincon has something for everybody and I would definitely recommend everybody try it at least once.
We were invited and dined courtesy of El Rincon.
El Rincon is a great place to visit at any time of the day. The atmosphere was absolutely lovely and the unique Spanish flavour made me imagine spending an entire morning here with nothing but a coffee and a book to read. Whether you have just finished shopping at the Queen Victoria Markets or have a Spanish tapas craving, El Rincon has something for everybody and I would definitely recommend everybody try it at least once.
We were invited and dined courtesy of El Rincon.
Food Rating 8.5/10
Overall Rating 8.5/10