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2014-05-01
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After happy hour cocktails at Solas, we crossed to the other side of Wyndham Street to sample the highly recommended tapas at Zafran where we were met by the friendliest and perkiest restaurant receptionist I've ever met to date. Although we didn't have a booking, we were immediately escorted to the basement where we were given the choice of taking a table or eating at the bar. We opted for bar seats since they had an open kitchen and there's just something very homey and cozy about being able t
Their main menu is divided into two parts - Golden Oldies and Spring Remixes. Golden Oldies encompass the more traditional Spanish cuisines, while Spring Remixes are the more modern variants of older classics. We were recommended to order from both sets so as to sample both old school and new world tastes.
We started off with some garlic chili prawns which were cooked to perfection. These came with a platter of bread that we delightfully dipped into the garlic and chili-infused olive oil "sauce".
Then came our cheese platter, which was prepared by the chef himself.
It consisted of red wine goat's, which is identifiable by its distinct red rim; Idiazabal, which is made from unpasturized sheep milk; Mahon cheese, which was kinda crumbly (and I did not especially enjoy); and rosemary Manchego, which was my favourite of them all.
As with any cheese platter, these came with an assortment of nuts, crackers and thin fruit slices.After our cheese platter came our tuna tataki, which again, was prepared by chef himself. The tuna was fresh, tender and perfectly seared on the edges. I have no idea what the green and pinkish, orangey thin films of dressing were, but the whole thing was just delectable.
Then came our Dancing Queen - slightly salty squid with sweet caramelized onions that blended perfectly in every bite.
And lastly (for our main tapas), we had the Ajoarriero (again, prepared by chef himself). This is chopped cod fish topped with slow-cooked egg topped with potato and olive cappuccino. To eat, just plunge your spoon all the way to the bottom of the cup to break the egg and let the runny yolk mix in with the lot. Yummy.
For dessert, we had the cheesecake with mixed berries and ice cream. Every spoonful was an assortment of textures and tastes - the luscious chewiness of the cheesecake cubes with the sourness of the berries mixed with the sweetness and smoothness of the ice cream; every spoonful was exquisite.
And just when we thought things couldn't get any better, the awesome manager, James, came over with another plate of dessert - fried milk. And this one was on the house. (Thank you, manager James, for the free extra dessert!) Basic comfort food yet utterly divine.
Since it was Good Friday when we went, we didn't order any meat (in observance of Lent) so we will definitely be going back to also try the highly recommended suckling pig and Wagyu beef cheeks.Affordable, gratifying Spanish tapas in the heart of party land, Zafran is a wonderful find indeed.
Other Info. :
Apparently, the main entrance isn't the one along Wyndham Street opposite Solas but in the alley right next to Tivo.
(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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