Perth Voice Interactive

YOU wouldn’t be surprised to see the cosy Spanish Flavours in the back blocks of Madrid, where owner Rosa hails from. Thankfully for us she moved some time ago to Mt Hawthorn.

The decor is Spanish kitsch with plenty of terracotta, wrought iron and pots of red (but artificial) geraniums.

The feeling is one of home-spun warmth, made all the more so when Rosa wanders out from behind her pots and pans to chat with customers.

The pocket-sized cook had been front of house, until her chef quit suddenly a couple of months ago.

Since then Rosa has been happy to turn out the sort of Spanish cuisine she makes for her own family.

“The chef, he makes restaurant food, I make like home,” she tells the Voice.

There are plenty of mains for those wanting a substantial lunch, including paella ($27): clearly authentic, with the menu warning it takes at least 40 minutes.

As tempted as we were for the saffron-infused Spanish staple, the restaurant’s extensive tapas menu was perfect for a girl’s lunch out.

“The chef, he makes restaurant food, I make like home,”

First to arrive was the esparagos and manchego cheese ($12.95).

There was some unladylike jockeying for the asparagus spears, cooked to perfection, warm and still crunchy, with a piquant zing.

A slab of Spanish omelette ($12.80) replaced the empty dish, the subtle flavours of potato, onion and egg sitting prettily on the tongue.

Like a fiery flamenco dancer the chorizo ($13.95) arrived with a shout, the hot sausage in a rich tomato sauce a winner with the meat eaters.

With a stamp of high heels and a snap of the fingers a serve of patatas bravas ($11.90) sashayed to the table. It would only have been better if it had slapped us across the face and strutted off, although the chilli-tomato sauce covering the tender, crispy potato wedges did prove a bit much for one of us. Leaving all the more for the rest!

The stand-out was the calamares a la Romana ($17.90), the squid tender and the golden batter they were dressed in crisp.

I can’t say anyone was still hungry but I can say we didn’t bat an eye at the idea of a crema Catalan ($9).

The Spanish custard was sealed in its rustic pottery dish by a crust of caramelised sugar. The burnt caramel was perfectly matched by the thin, lemon-infused custard inside.

A round of coffees ended a delightful lunch, the cappuccino and flat white artistically decorated by the barista.

Barriga ilena, corazon contento, translates as a full belly and a happy heart, and the old Spanish saying about the recuperative powers a good meal were never more true we thought, braving the rain to head home.

by JENNY D’ANGER

Spanish Flavours
413 Oxford Street,
Mt Hawthorn
9444 6183 | BYO
open Tues– Sat 9am–5pm,
Wed–Sat 6–10pm