Parlar

26 May 2022, 8pm

If you find yourself feeling a bit bougie one of these unseasonably chilly nights, make like us and book in dinner at Potts Point’s chic newbie, Parlar. Just as the name suggests (meaning “to chatter” in Spanish), it’ll give you something to talk about.

With a mouth-watering Catalan-inspired menu and its well-established sister Franca just down the road, on arrival, we felt as much in good hands as we were for a treat. We were seated a little late for our 8pm Thursday reservation, a product of the restaurant’s clear popularity with every two people leaving instantly replaced by three more. As we waited, we peered through the sheer ceiling-to-floor curtain, yearning towards its inviting yellow glow.

And indeed – once inside – the Alexander Calder tapestries, Giallo Sienna marble tables, and coffee-coloured leather booths fostered a luxe cosiness, as did the staff who welcomed us like old friends and swiftly suggested their favourite cocktails (I had The Flirt, a sour sweet delight of white peach, berries, rose extract and bubbles, followed by a Catalan Sour, a spicy but refreshing surprise of gin, elderflower, cucumber, lemon and apple jalapeno syrup).

Foodwise, we took next to no convincing to happily follow the recommendations of our waiter. We started with a few tapas: one each of the Olasagasti Anchovy Churro with Crème Fraiche Allioli (no way we were sharing the anchovy snack), and just one of the Pan Tomate and Morcilla Sandwich with Cornichons. These were some seriously fancy morsels, beautifully presented and showcasing very special ingredients.

The anchovy churro was naturally a decadent bite, but we’re not sure the pairing quite worked as hoped. We’re accustomed to somewhat saltier anchovies, so found them overshadowed by the sweet churro and tart cream.

The morcilla sandwich, on the other hand, fulfilled all our salty dreams and more. After an initial crunch, the fried bread like magic melted on the tongue, paving way for the intensely smoky meat and sharp cornichons expertly placed to cut through the richness.

Last but far from least, the pan tomate. Parlar’s iteration of Spain’s breakfast staple was pleasingly unique, with a subtle spice throughout that worked really well with the juicy fresh tomatoes and squish of bread.

Next, we shared the Kingfish, Sturgeon Caviar, smoked tomato oil and orange. After some initial uncertainty around the fish butchery, the interesting flavours won me over (the same unfortunately couldn’t be said for the other of us). Make sure to lap up plenty of tomato oil, which pumped up the seasoning and offered a lovely mouthfeel. Finish every last bump of caviar as well, which not only introduced the fishy salty pop I expected, but also a deep umami. It could have done without the fresh orange, but the charred segments literally made this dish for me, bringing a smoky sourness that elevated the subtle fish.

Onto mains, we chose the crowd favourites – Fideua Marinera and Wagyu flank steak with eggplant, Guindilla and Pedro Ximenez.

Fideua is paella’s pasta-based sibling, and based on that description, we’re sure you won’t be surprised to learn it was delicious. It had a bit of everything – smokiness from a no doubt cacophony of spices, the zingy freshness of lime, sweetness from an abundance of shellfish, and that perfectly balanced richness that only a tomato-based sauce can achieve. It was texturally diverse too, with the noodles soft inside but nice and crispy on the exterior. In all this, we were reminded of good old-fashioned tinned spaghetti (the ultimate compliment, we assure you).

The steak was wonderfully cooked, on the rare side of medium-rare, just as we’d asked. Together, it was a very balanced dish – the super spicy peppers were pickled slightly to create an uplifting tang, the jus was spiked with enough booze to cut through its general sweetness, and the slight bitterness of the eggplant (here in purée form) brought the dish back to earth.

On the side, we ordered the Patatas Bravas Gratin. The unapologetic combo of carbs and cheese was obviously dreamy, but the potatoes were a touch undercooked, and we missed the crunch of the original dish.

We ended the meal with the much-anticipated Crema Catalana with caramelised white chocolate, and give major props to the chef for this showstopping final dish, which looked spectacular against the similarly hued table. While it was joyous to crack, we felt that the flavours in the chocolate had been tempered to a degree and so left us a little disappointed. Underneath it, though, was a truly exceptional dessert. The crackled burnt topping was delightful as always, and the crème was delectably smooth and perfumed with vanilla bean and what we thought tasted like orange blossom.

Lasting impressions, you ask?

Parlar is not exactly your budget-friendly tapas fare – but then, it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s as lavish as it comes, from the opulent décor to the smattering of caviar here, there and everywhere.

We left with a hint of smoke on our palette, a sting of chilli on our lips, and a hell of a dent in our wallet – but hey – anywhere that leaves you warm and fuzzy in this weather is priceless, right?