*May 26 2023 update: Introducing La Boqueria! In a boozy collab with gin heroes Patient Wolf, Sorolla is treating its guests to an authentic four-course Spanish tapas menu paired with bottomless bespoke signature G&Ts every Saturday night until June 17. Make a booking here.
Housed within the AC Hotel and perched seven floors above the streets of Melbourne is Sorolla, a 70-seater Spanish restaurant helmed by chef Ryan Flaherty (Stokehouse, Reserve). But your Spanish journey begins before even stepping inside the restaurant – the entryway is bordered by Bar Triana, a long freestanding bar offering a signature cocktail designed to mimic a Spanish flag.
After letting the peach and raspberry number whet your appetite, you're now ready for Spanish fare paired with stunning views of Melbourne's bright city lights. The menu here takes direct inspiration from Flaherty's time living and working in Spain. He spent time in San Sebastian and also worked a stint at the now-shut El Bulli, which received three Michelin stars during its tenure and also topped the World's 50 Best Restaurants list a whopping five times.
From the tapas section, stand-outs include the generous serving of fried baby squid with pickle mayo and lemon and the grilled tiger prawn skewers coated in savoury Sazon seasoning and chunks of garlic. For mains, take your pick from grilled sugarloaf cabbage with miso and macadamia, striploin with dutch carrots and mojo verde sauce, pan-seared snapper with charred greens and fennel or barbecue chicken to share between two. Finish things off with crème brûlée’s Spanish sister, a burnt orange créme Catalan topped with grilled macadamia.
