Climb the stairs – between downtown office towers and the Supreme Court – and suddenly you’re in an olive grove. The scent of bay leaves drifts across terrace tables, while inside, there’s a happy buzz throughout the big, open venue – proof it’s grown into one of the CBD’s most convivial spaces. From the long bar to the timber-tabled dining room, there’s a hum of hospitality. Attentive staff decode the menu’s tapas and raciones into bite-sized, bigger and shareable items, and pour wines from the Spanish-leaning list. Many diners are drawn to the MoVida greatest hits: pretty bites like anchovy on a croûton with tomato sorbet, a soft calamari-filled bocadillo, or beef cheek sticky with Pedro Ximénez; others seek out rustic crowd-pleasers such as arroz caldoso, a glorious goop of nutty bomba rice, smoked tomato sauce, mussels, calamari and crab. Vanilla and lemon soft-serve with strawberries is as sweet a surprise as finding this little slice of Spain among the skyscrapers.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Food: ★
Wine: ★ ★
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
