Spanish restaurants: El Matador Brisbane city review

Reviewer Tony Harper wanders down Burnett Lane to try Brisbane city’s newest Spanish tapas bar.

El Matador, Burnett Lane, Brisbane city

Once you’ve sat at MoVida, soaked up its charm, eaten and drunk its wares, been swayed by its raucous, uplifting atmosphere, it’s hard to step into another Australian Spanish restaurant without drawing comparison.

But we aren’t in Melbourne, MoVida wouldn’t be the same if it were here, and it’s an unfair comparison to draw.

But it’s hard to ignore. Plus we had Ortiga, the giant-slayer, and we let it go.

However, I shan’t dwell on the past, and surely we have outgrown the baby-sibling, Brisbane/Melbourne thing when it comes to dining, haven’t we?

El Matador is a newcomer to Burnett Lane — that inner-city, bar-and-food-focused laneway that was perhaps our first foray into a Melbourne-like precinct.

El Matador, Burnett Lane, Brisbane city

Wandering along it early on a Saturday afternoon, the Queen St Mall buzzing like an angry wasps’ nest just a few steps away, it is nearly deserted.

Make of that what you will, but I’ve always been keen on the idea that Brisbane diners and drinkers like to see into a place before they commit, which makes laneways and anything other than ground-floor venues slightly tricky.

But it’s 2pm, not midday or 7pm, so I might well be judging on a lull.

Still it’s hard to look at some of the tawdry mall restaurants jam-packed with diners when a minute’s walk away some excellent venues are deserted. Ah well …

Mooloolabah king prawns with pickled chilli, piperade and lemon. Pictures: AAP/Renae Droop

There is plenty to love about El Matador, the most obvious of which is its laneway position: thronging (like Hong Kong) or sparsely populated, there’s a touch of adventure in trundling along an alley to find a restaurant.

And it looks the part — sunken from street level, loads of booths, big, open kitchen and bar. And there’s an eager, engaging edge to the service; it’s a staff that cares about its guests.

There’s also a decent sherry offering — not great for a Spanish joint, but decent — some really good spirits and a long list of wines which are scattered in terms of origin, but touting enough Spanish booze to make it passable.

Seafood paella. Lobster, giant king prawns, mussels, octopus, chorizo in a seafood rice. Picture: AAP/Renae Droop

I opt for a too-old Young Henrys Pale Ale. Manzanilla would have been better.

Cured meats are obviously a thing, and El Matador has plenty on offer — Serrano and Iberico hams, truffled salami from Australian wild boar, sobrasada from the Balearic Islands (wasn’t that where Christopher Skase spent his final years?) and plenty of other goodies.

I’m there for the tapas: quail escabeche ($18), good but not brilliant; three fabulous, giant Mooloolabah king prawns with pickled chilli, piperade and lemon ($39); “classic” tortilla ($14) — which is definitely more “francesa” than classic — omelette rather than a flour or corn-based bread, with chicken-fat potatoes, manchego and onion. Delicious.

And a fabulous, sous-vide hanger steak served simply with salsa verde ($49). It is brilliant.

I’m guessing I missed El Matador at its best, chock full of people and brimming with atmosphere.

Nevertheless I’m a fan.

Perhaps it isn’t the most innovative, imagination-driven Spanish place we’ve seen, but it’s good, and effort has gone into making it tick.

SCORES OUT OF 10

Food: 7

Drinks: 7

Vibe: 7

Service: 8

EL MATADOR

Burnett Lane, city

Ph: 3210 6640

Breakfast, lunch and dinner, Mon-Sat

Chef: Shane Lurie