Simply Spanish (Queen Victoria Market)
513 Elizabeth Street, CBD
03 9328 3001
Spanish
$$
Food
- Provincial Big Pan Paella
- Chicken Croquette
- Prosciutto and Cheese Croquette
The Good
We thoroughly enjoyed the Prosciutto and Cheese Croquettes. With a lightly crumbed outer, the incredibly crispy skin enclosed a soft and gooey inner. With a pleasant pork aroma permeating throughout, the cheese was aptly melted and provided a creamy and flavoursome complement to the pork.
The Provincial Big Pan Paella was also enjoyable. With the rice cooked to just the right softness, it inhibited loads of flavour from the surrounding ingredients. The chicken pieces were tender and meaty, while an abundance of nicely charred chorizo provided occasional bursts of savoury goodness. Unfortunately, the weakest point of the dish would be the mussel sitting on top, which was slightly chewy and not particularly fresh.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
The Minced Chicken Croquette had an equally beautiful outer, though it was far too salty within. The chicken was also far too finely grounded which made for a poor texture and made for a less than palatable croquette.
The Verdict
Having finally tried all three Simply Spanish locations in and around Melbourne, our favourite remains to be the store at South Melbourne Market. While this visit was for the most part enjoyable and the dishes were tasty, it was by no means spectacular in any way.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Sure. But next time, I’m definitely heading back to South Melbourne.