Ortiga

In the 2011 edition of the Queensland Food and Wine Guide, there was just a single restaurant given their coveted three star rating – Ortiga in Fortitude Valley.  Owned by Simon Hill, who ran the acclaimed Isis restaurant for twelve years, Ortiga is a Spanish restaurant that houses both a tapas bar on its ground floor as well as a more formal dining area on the floor below.  From its forty page wine selection to its display of cured meats, including jamon that is valued at over $1,000 a kilo, this is a place that is serious about their enjoyment of good food and drink.  The head chef Pablo Tordesillas honed his craft at Michelin star rated restaurants Fulham Road in London and Jean Luc Figueras in Barcelona.

We were invited to Ortiga by our good friends Rich and Jill who were celebrating Jill’s birthday.  I loved the location of our table which was right next to the open kitchen.  It meant we could witness the preperation of the food first hand and were teased before each course of tapas with the amazing aroma of what was to come.  It was an incredible night of food and drink.

Jen with the birthday girl Jill

To start the evening, a pair of croquetas

Coffin Bay oysters

Jamón Ibérico de Bellota Puro

Huevo, champiñones y tomillo

Pescado azul ‘a la plancha’ – grilled ‘blue fish’ with encurtidos; Pulpo a la Gallega – Galician braised octopus with potato and pimentón

Ajo blanco with smoked eel and grapes

Carrilleras de ternera al PX – beef cheeks braised in Pedro Ximénez with seasonal baby root vegetables

Duck, brussel sprouts, caramelized onion

Cochinillo – slow cooked suckling pig with spiced chickpea puree and lemon

Chocolate donut, creamed rice and apple

The view next to our table

I’ll wait to give it a bit of time and perspective but I think this was probably my favourite meal that I’ve had in Brisbane.  All eight courses were pretty much perfect.