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FIRST TASTE: The Little Soho’s Spanish Tapeo Menu

We’re often on the hunt for a nice restaurant that’s relaxed and funky but most importantly puts on great food and drinks. Somewhere that’s easy enough you can meet friends after work for dinner or take a first date when you want to impress them but still play it cool. One of our favourites is this hidden gem, The Little Soho which opened about a year or so ago now for light brunches and dinner. They’ve recently decided to scrap their breakfast menu (despite having some of THE best homemade blueberry muffins we’ve tried) to focus on what they’re clearly passionate about – Spanish tapas.

Nestled amongst a leafy part of Flinders Street, just minutes from the East End, this was the perfect dinner spot to meet friends after work in the city. There was thankfully ample parking and it was nice to feel like we weren’t right in the middle of the CBD’s hustle and bustle but still close enough that if we wanted to walk over to our Fringe show we could. And although she [Little Soho] be small, she be mighty – the seemingly tiny restaurant felt anything but as we sat there in the sun drenched room with a cool summer’s breeze floating through air. We were pleasantly surprised at how open and spacious the restaurant felt with our table of 10, without losing any of that intimacy we were after.

The Little Soho’s new focus on evening dining promises to tackle uncharted and exciting territory, addressing the shared food passions of Spain and Adelaide. At the heart of this, quality South Australian produce – the best in the world as Head Chef Ales says, which will be sourced fresh and direct from producers wherever possible. “The only thing that won’t be local is the smoked paprika,” jokes Ales. “The quality of ingredients here is the same as in Spain, so I see no reason to import anything.”

Step one: order their homemade Sangria jug. It’d be a sin to have authentic Spanish tapas without this.

First up on the menu, we tried the Spiced Cauliflower Croquetas which were unbelievably good. These are a must-try. The filling was this creamy, flavoursome mash-like goodness, packed in a crunchy coating and the tangy cress & sour cream sauce helped to balance out the richness of the dish. We also had the ‘Cogollos’ Grilled Cos lettuce, a light and simple dish but certainly not one to be overlooked. We don’t know what they did to this lettuce but, wow! If only we could get our salads to taste half as good…

Spiced Cauliflower Croquetas

 

Goolwa Pipis

Grilled Sardines

Head Chef Alfonso Ales is seafood obsessed and it has paid off . “The Pipis are incredible and they’re everywhere,” says an excited Ales. “Spencer Gulf Prawns, 3 Hat Restaurants buy those, and the Kingfish, the Port Lincoln Calamari. It’s an abundance of opportunity to make the most of. These are beautiful ingredients and Spanish food really cherishes those flavours”. We tried the Smoked Port Lincoln Sardine with grilled peaches, almond ajoblanco (a cold Spanish style soup which they drizzled very lightly over the dish) and dried black olives; Goolwa Pipis with smoked leek, crispy pancetta and sourdough bread; and the Mixed Local Seafood ‘Paella’. The dishes were flavoursome and the seafood was super fresh. If you’re not a massive seafood person, definitely opt for the BBQ KI Pork which is tender and juicy.

BBQ KI Pork

We should mention a huge pull for The Little Soho’s shared style of dining is that they offer up decent portions. Each dish had the perfect size and amount of food that meant everyone was satisfied with each course. There was no awkward who gets that odd leftover piece.

The Little Soho is located at 247 Flinders Street. Jump onto their Facebook to see more of their dinner creations.

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