Tapas at Movida Aqui

Thought I would have a few quick snacks at Movida for lunch, so called up for a booking and was told that they were fully booked in both the original Movida location and the new location on Bourke street. However, the Bourke street location was bigger and thus had a bigger non-reserved area. Was the food the same in Movida Aqui as the original, I asked. Yes, she said, plus the new place does more. In fact, the head chef was at Aqui.

Movida is one of those places which is so casual. So casually brilliant that is. This is what Tapas should be (take note all restaurants who claim to serve Tapas). Two hated tapas at wonderfully affordable prices. We ended up ordering more than we could eat, but as usual it was oh so yummy.

The new place is bigger, but sitting in the non-reserved area overlooking the small plaza and Little Bourke street, I and my lunch companion felt comfortable, cosy and happy.

1. Pescadillo (White bait fried in semolina) – comes out quickly. Delicious enough that you can’t stop snacking on it served with perfect aioli. As my lunch companion said – it’s like eating chips but much more tasting and probably more healthy! ($14)
2.  Erizo de mar (Live Sea Urchin with quail egg and caviar on brik pastry toast) – Wow! Sweet, savoury, salty, spongy, crunchy, popping, liquid. What did this dish not have?! Tiny, but amazing. Almost was tempted to order another 10 of these!! ($8). 9/10. I am tempted to give it a 10/10!  
3. Butifarra (Housemade Catalan pork and pepper sausage with braised black beans, piquillo peppers) – Succulently delicious peppery sausage whose heat was somewhat balanced by the black beans. The piquillo peppers did little. Just a yummy dish! 7.5/10
4. Pedriz (Pot roasted partridge with braised cabbage and pomegranate) – This should be come out before the big peppery flavours of the above. This is a delicate dish which - once our palates adjusted – was succulent and delicious. The pomegranate really pulled the dish together yet contrasted it with the popping texture. The meat however was a little fidgety. 6.5-7/10
5. Conjeo Agridulce (Andalucian braised rabbit leg in a sweet and sour sauce with almonds and raisins) – I was pretty full by now, but the flavours of this dish were beautiful and delicate. I felt that some parts of the rabbit were a little dry and overcooked. Sweetness of the raisons went very well with the sauce & meat. Almost added nice texture, but I would have liked to see smaller slivers and maybe slightly less cooked. 5.5-6/10

A great meal with a couple of glasses of nice of light-ish Mencia all done in just over an hour. If you are in Melbourne and need a quick lunch, go in, just order a few of bigger plates. You probably need less than us for two, considering we didn’t eat much of the very nice bread too.