delicious.100: MoVida is one of Melbourne’s best restaurants.

MoVida is one ONE of the original laneway haunts and still up there with the best. The terracotta and timber fitout might be taverna lo-fi, but flavours pack the punch of Spanish conquistador.

MoVida’s famous anchoa.

ONE of the original laneway haunts and still up there with the best. The terracotta and timber fitout might be taverna lo-fi, but flavours pack the punch of Spanish conquistador.

The anchoa (hand-filleted anchovy with smoked tomato sorbet on crispbread) remains a Melbourne must-eat, while thick-crunch croquettes are the town’s top. Move onto beef cheek, braised to sticky tenderness in pedro ximenez sherry on a bed of cauliflower puree, before going out on churros with chocolate dipping sauce. Or, better still, the flan in all its caramelly glory.

Beef cheek.

Dessert flan.

Bright and breezy staff will help you drink to the region, with Moritz cerveza or tempranillo from Rioja.

This bolthole began the MoVida empire, which today takes in airport and Balinese offshoots. But dance with the one that brought you because whether it’s been five days or five years between visits, eating here is like a big warm hug from an old amigo.

Must eat dish: anchoa

MoVida

1 Hosier Lane, city.

Ph: 9663 3038

movida.com.au

Cuisine: Spanish

Chefs: Frank Camorra, Scott Stevenson

Price: between $41 and $80 a person for two courses, food only

Bookings: yes, for maximum of six

Open: daily noon-late

Instagram: @movidabdt

This restaurant was ranked the 35th best restaurant in Victoria in the 2016 edition of the delicious.100.