Adelaide, say ‘hola’ to Niña, a new modern-Spanish restaurant spicing up Adelaide’s culinary scene with its fun and casual dining experience.
Located behind the Sofitel’s new apartment complex on Rosina Street, the restaurant is run by a powerhouse team. Basque by Leo cheesecake shop owner Leonardo Loureiro is back-of-house, there’s front-of-house legend Jessica Purcell, and ‘Freaky Feeds’ Adelaide food blogger Brenda Loveday in social media management.
The venue name ‘Niña’ is a fun play on words: Translating to ‘little girl’ in Spanish, it nods to the intimate 73sqm venue size and, sweetly, to Leo’s daughter named Niña.
“It’s a small space but there’s a really cool vibe about it, it’s chilled out,” Leo says.
The team behind Niña.
Niña exudes a moody, cosy ambiance, perfect for sitting in a corner and having a long conversation over food and drinks, perching on a high-table bar seat or conversing with friends in the booth.
Niña plays the line between a traditional Spanish vibe and keeping things modern. The décor fuses vintage Spanish charm with contemporary chic. Vivid chartreuse hues are splashed across the interiors with pops of other colours and the rendered walls showcase local art.
“The design is cosy, it’s funky, this is definitely not your quiet venue. It’s very lively, we have playlists curated for every day, each time in the day the music will be different. It’s casual, but it is a high level of service,” Leo says.
Contrasting the upscale ambiance of the Sofitel’s upstairs French restaurant Garçon Bleu, Niña has a more relaxed and playful atmosphere with a fun and laidback dining experience.
A menu full of sharing plates bursting with flavours awaits. Leo says although the food is heavily influenced by Spanish ingredients, ingredients from Asia and Brazil are also in the mix.
Leo says one of the menu favourites so far has been the Pedro Ximénez brussel sprouts, a simple dish dressed to perfection with Valdivieso manchego, and the charred octopus with romesco and fennel is a must-try.
On the snack menu, you will find fried stuffed green olives with buffalo curd, Smoky Bay oysters with cava dressing and patata bravas à la Nina, and if you’re after something more substantial, you can order a lamb back strap with anchovy salsa or Angus short ribs with chimichurri and mustard.
On the dessert menu you will find Leo’s renowned Basque cheesecake, which finds its exclusive home at Niña and pairs perfectly with a glass of sherry. The crema catalana, a Spanish twist on creme brûlée, will also no doubt be a hit.
“We use lots of ingredients sourced from small producers in Spain, but the majority of the menu is not things you will have in Spain- the ingredients and flavours are from Spain, but they are are blended into what I want to serve. Our flavours are Niña’s flavours,” Leo says.
South Australian wine dominates the drinks menu along with a small cocktail list- including jugs of sangria- and beers.
“We are trying to have a lot of South Australian wines, but not only the big names, we really want to challenge people to try the small producers of SA. We’ve also got a beautiful international selection from Austria, South Africa, Italian, Spanish, its a very nice list with some very interesting wines that will certainly get people to try new things,” Leo says.
Niña keeps the party going all day and night, offering all day dining, a dinner service, and after-hours drinks and snacks- no matter what time you come in, there will always be food available.
WHAT: Niña Restaurant.
WHERE: 38 Rosina St, Adelaide SA, 5000.
WHEN: Tuesday 4pm-10pm, Wednesday, Thursday 12pm-10pm, Friday 12pm-11pm, Saturday 4pm-11pm.
To view the full menu and book a table, click here.
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