Olé Tapas Bar brings a spicy Spanish flair to Hawthorne’s dining scene
The nightlife in Brisbane’s inner east has received a playful kick in the pants with the arrival of the Olé group’s second location – one that is bringing a bit of warm-blooded revelry and invigorating style. Olé Tapas Bar is livening up tastebuds and evenings with a hot-to-trot menu of shareable Spanish dishes, quenching cocktails and sangria – lots and lots of sangria.
There is something undeniably alluring about the lifestyle of Mediterranean Europe – especially the vibrancy of Spain. With a thirst for the finer things in life – that being food, wine and fun – we could do well to take a few notes with how they run things over there, but in the meantime we’ve thankfully got Olé to show us what’s up. The South Bank mainstay has long been the spot to indulge in a bit of Spanish-inspired dining, and now the tapas and cocktails bar has brought its stylish self to Hawthorne, opening a new hotspot between the Hawthorne Cinema and Downtown Istanbul. Hawthorne’s Olé Tapas Bar imbues the same sense of flair and vivacity of its South Bank sibling, adding splashes of colour to its dining space with detailed murals and mosaic-tiled tables which complements the food and drink offering impeccably.
Anyone who has frequented Olé before knows that tapas and cocktails are key – and if that combo activates your almonds then you are going to get a kick out of Olé Hawthorne’s menu. Olé Hawthorne is plating up a larger selection of small plates that the South Bank spot, with some dishes only available at the Hawthorne location. Meals such as grilled bone marrow, prawns with saffron potatoes, seared scallops and deep-fried crumbed olives are just some of the 19-odd tapas available – and we haven’t even touched on mains! Dry-aged steaks, grilled whole chickens and heavenly paella to share also feature, complemented by a range of jamon, salads and Spanish desserts. As for drinks, the bar staff at Olé Tapas Bar will be quick to tell you there is no better choice than sangria and we tend to agree-a. Red, white or sans alcohol – there’s enough of the sweet nectar to float a boat, so wear a life jacket. If you aren’t a fan of sangria (which okay, we’re just not friends anymore) then there is a sizeable selection of imported Spanish beer and wine, with a greater Spanish reserve wine list to come.
Olé Tapas Bar is now serving lunch and dinner, with breakfast to come shortly. For contact details and opening hours, click over to the Stumble Guide.
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