Paddo loves its corner pubs. When the Light Brigade launched its rooftop, we fell in love with the views, yet the bistro below was a bit like the bridesmaid but never the bride, often the waiting spot or before penthouse action. But that’s all changed as Subida launches with Spanish flair Sydney.
You can tell as you climb the stairs that things have changed in a bold way. Much like the food there is no holding back. When you have something this good why not celebrate? They do, with swirling street art murals of ochres, reds and blacks bringing Catalan to life thanks to artists Brett Chan and Nadia Hernandez.
Head Chef Justin Schott brings his Spanish travels gloriously to life in a menu that honours the diverse regions but knocks out surprises. This is tapas, but not as we have known it before. Anyone who has been to Spain knows they love their bread; it’s the perfect edible mop for every sauce and fruity olive oil. In the northern region of Basque they celebrate it by spearing morsels with a toothpick onto some form of bread base; it’s rarely shared and it’s called ‘pintxos’.
Launch into the menu with a charcoal bun slider hugging an unctuous pork burger topped with pickles and skewered for less escapees. The signature dish has to be the salt cod tortilla; what it lacks in height, it packs in flavour as oozy buttery sauce drips off your fork. Just dive in with a slice of warm baguette.
Move onto the share ‘tapas’ section with perfect balls of manchego croquettes, a plate of charred zucchini flowers lounging on a bed of seaweed rouille and crunch from deconstructed croutons or the grilled tentacles of octopus paired with green tomato. Don’t miss the chorizo – chubby baby sausages of spicy pork and smoked paprika, simply dunk in smoked eggplant and yoghurt and down in one!
There are jugs of Sangria to share, sparkling Segura Viudas Cava, and who can go past the cerveza section with an Estrella – salud! We doubt anyone will be disappointed they can’t get to the roof top, Subida takes Spanish dining to new heights without all the stairs.
Subida
Corner of Oxford St & Jersey Rd, Woollahra NSW 2025
Open from 5.30pm, TUE – SAT
