30 before 30: #19 - splurge on a fancy meal out

I did something very cruel to one of my oldest, dearest friends last month - I was the decoy for her surprise 30th birthday party. The ruse to lure her into a bar where at least 30 of her friends were lying in wait involved the promise of tapas (oh yes, clearly I chose my friends based on their love of food from a very young age!). More specifically, these tapas had to be from none other than MoVida Bar de Tapas. Upon realising that there would be no tapas at her surprise party, I was quick to reassure her that a girly date at MoVida would, in fact, be her birthday present from me (albeit at a later date). Dare I say it, her relief was palpable!

More than a month after the big day, we set out to enjoy our much anticipated meal. Being a hot night, we both settled on beers - Alhumbra Negra for me (one of the most delicious cerzevas I have ever tried!) and Moritz lager for her. We requested a banquet style dining experience to minimise decision making on our parts.

Two dishes stood out as particular highlights for me - jamones, served with pan Catalan (i.e. beautiful aged ham, served with toasted bread, rubbed with garlic, tomato and drizzled with olive oil); and "Cecina" (air-dried wagyu beef with a poached egg and truffle foam). Both dishes took me straight back to Spain in terms of their flavours.

Unfortunately, my excitement at being transported back to Europe, coupled with the dim lighting in the restaurant meant that these outstanding dishes weren't captured on film. Here are a couple of grainy photos I did manage.

We finished our meal at MoVida with a serving of churros and a cheese platter. To say we were stuffed is probably an understatement.

It is clear to see why MoVida has a near cult-like following in Melbourne. The atmosphere is buzzing and the food is simply excellent.