There’s no stopping Surry Hills favourite, Emmilou Tapas Bar. After launching Bar Lou Lou and the summer pop-up, Hollywood and Vine, she’s back in 2014 with new head Chef, Gary Ryley and a revitalised menu.
Emmilou Tapas Bar, Surry Hills
Hailing from London, Gary Ryley has worked for Jamie Oliver at Jamie’s Italian for three and a half years before moving into fine dining and working for Gordon Ramsay. After a stint at the Gilbert Scott, an English brasserie in St Pancras, he relocated to Sydney and worked for Justin North at Quarter 21 and Becasse. Later, he moved to Postales in the CBD before joining Emmilou as head chef early in February 2014.
Gary Ryley at Emmilou
Ryley’s culinary career is punctuated with six months spent on a working holiday in Barcelona and Madrid. In the bustling Spanish cities, he took inspiration from his surrounds with street food and tuck shops aplenty. From cooking live squid in an alleyway with a limited number of ingredients to learning the secrets of a good paella from an elderly Spanish woman, his focus is to make any dish sing with flavour.
Aceitunas
The new menu at Emmilou is totally revamped but regulars will be pleased to know that the signature dish of stuffed zucchinis with goats cheese and truffle honey remains on the menu.
Dishes are divided into Tapas, suitable for a light meal, and Platos, being more substantial and main course portioned dishes which can also be shared.
Calamares Frito
From the Tapas comes Calamares Frito ($14), tender calamari coated in a light, well-seasoned batter and garnished with fried parsley sprigs which add freshness and a lovely texture to the dish. A creamy garlic aioli bursts with flavour and a hint of chilli.
Setas Mixtas
With an earthy aroma, Setas Mixtas ($15) is a combination of oyster, shiitake, Swiss brown and button mushroom with a light and airy garlic and lemon thyme foam that turns into a liquid worthy of dipping your bread into.
Zarzuela
From the Platos, the Zarzuela ($40) is not to be missed. Fragrant and delicious, the seafood chowder with a generous amount of prawns, scallops, mussels, clams and fish is a dish you eat with your eyes first. It comes with a serving of crusty Spanish bread begging to be dunk into the liquid and a couple of spoons if you ask nicely.
Solomillo de Carne
Solomillo de Carne ($38) is another delightful dish. The sirloin steak is tender and pink, with a scattering of sun-dried tomatoes, beneath a bed of Mojo sauce, with parsley, coriander, fennel, fenugreek seeds, cumin, fresh chilli, lime zest and juice, topped with an olive & confit garlic vinaigrette, rocket and thin layers of Manchego cheese. Crispy Patatas Bravas in a rich tomato sauce make it a complete meal.
Vientre de Cerdo
Vientre de Cerdo is a generous slab of slow-cooked pork belly with a side of sofrito and a garlic potato puree ($32). Cooked for 2 to 3 hours, the crispy and well-seasoned crackling hides tender meat and make it a good option to share – but no fighting over the crackling.
Dolce Tarta de Chocolate
If you can fit in one dessert, choose the Dolce Tarta de Chocolate ($15). Made with a light and crunchy base and a dark Belgian chocolate ganache, the sweet Chantille Cream takes the edge off the touch of bitterness in the 70% cocoa chocolate.
Churros
Otherwise, there are the Churros ($15) which are best described as dangerous. Dip the crunchy fingers in the warm chocolate sauce or liquid salted caramel. Or both if you dare. You’ll be asking for a little spoon to finish any left overs in the shot glasses.
Head Chef Gary Ryley
Gary Ryley’s new menu brings fresh ideas and flavours to Emmilou. While the concept of tapas and share plates remains, the portions are larger, the flavours are bolder but the dishes aren’t too heavy. Many options tempt from the Platos menu and if you find yourself checking out your neighbour’s Paella del Mar with envy, you’ll be planning your next dinner date.
Update June 2014 – Emmilou is featured in Gourmantic’s 5th Birthday Progressive Bar & Restaurant Tour.
Emmilou Tapas Bar
413 Bourke Street
Surry Hills Sydney NSW 2010
www.emmilou.com.au
[…] Emmilou sizzles with passion (or is it lust) with hot dishes such as the Zarzuela from new Head Chef Gary Ryley’s […]
What a fabulous read. Looks and sounds scrumptious.
I’ll be sure to come visit the next time I’m in Sydney, I may even bump into someone I know there.
Good luck all and keep up the style.
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