Peasant

LOCATION
In the Paddington Barracks, off Petrie Terrace.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
There's a fine line to be walked, transporting a specific cuisine to a distant land. On the one side lies authenticity, that holy grail of complete cultural immersion. On the other is innovation, adapting your material to suit its new home. Neither one should be taken too far; authenticity can easily become stereotype, while too much innovation loses sights of its cultural heritage.

Peasant, located alongside its sister restaurant Libertine, errs on the side of convention, but served with enough wry humour to stay well clear of any feeling of kitsch. The wine lists provide a perfect example; a thoughtful selection of Spanish, Portuguese and Argentinian vintages is accompanied by humorous explanations of just what these unfamiliar wines are. The reds section boasts that of Australian wines, “there is a lot of rubbish on the market, however through endless research and drinking countless bottles, we’ve found some of the best available in this country.”

The décor is similarly well-judged; rustic in feel, yet not to the point of parody. The wooden walls glow with mellow class, and a huge painted mural provides light eye-relief rather than heavy-handed Iberianism.

All of which provides a fantastically unpretentious setting for some genuinely authentic Hispanic dining. Tapas and share plates are the name of the game. The Peasant signature dish is a great place to start: piles of Iberico, Serrano & Marcon ham. Also highly recommended are the salt cod fritters with aïoli. Those looking for a heartier dish would do well to check out the pork ribs with sherry, garlic and parsley, which drips with rich Mediterranean aroma.

Aran Ward Sell