Cristina De Leon Tolentino
+5
Friendly prompt service and amazing food! A bit of a wait with paella but so well worth it! Had tapas while waiting, specially loved the ham croquettes and asparagus with jamon serrano. We had vegetarian paella and it was perfecto!!! Churros and Pedro Ximenez dessert wine to finish and that summarizes a perfect Melbourne evening with family, even my 3 year old was happy! Will definitely be back!
We are there for lunch. Beautiful attentive staff and service. The olives and pork belly were a great start to our skis lunch. Followed by duck and the white bean, speck and chorizo stew was incredible. We enjoyed the red wine list with our meal. We will be back.
Had a great meal and service here the waiter in the blue vest was very accommodating and friendly. The croquettes are amazing along with all the other dishes
We celebrated our xmas party set menu was amazing. I will be coming back to try your seafood paella....sangria half a litre to myself was magnificent....staff very friendly we all enjoyed it and catered for our needs....well done
The staff are extremely helpful and the food is excellent can't fault this little hidden Gem.
Lovely atmosphere, great service and excellent food. Tried 2 of the sangria's and loved them both. Would definatley recommend to friends and will be back the next time I visit Melbourne!
Fantastic tapas. One of the best outside of Spain. Wanted to come this past weekend but was closed
I looooove how cozy and romantic the atmosphere is here with its Spanish style decor.
Highly recommend the tartar. Beef was fresh and the home made Tabasco complimented it beautifully.
Super friendly and attentive staff! Will definitely return to try the mains.
Portello Rosso
Sensational Spanish Tapas and Paella
This wonderful restaurant is slightly hidden in Warburton Lane so make certain you don’t walk past.
Also we were lucky to get in without a booking so don’t miss out and call them first.
We shared a squid ink sea food Paella as it had to be cooked for a minimum of two people and we were both delighted at the choice.
Slightly noisy but that’s not unusual when you eat in Spain so it actually added to the authenticity.
I strongly recommend this restaurant.
Had the best dinner here on Saturday night! Love how Portello is hidden down a lane in the cbd - you'd never know it was there. The design of the place is great, kind of cosy but we had plenty of space and it's nice sitting upstairs.
The highlight for me would definitely be the outstanding service. Our waiter was one of the friendliest I've ever come across in a restaurant in Melbourne. He checked in with us seeing if we liked the food, and even gave us a little box of chocolates at the end which was such a nice gesture and they're delicious too.
My partner and I opted to do the $55 per person selection. It was great value and we liked most dishes. We really enjoyed the fried potatoes and the croqueta. The beef tartare portion size was too big - it gets too much to palate. The baked cheesecake for dessert was divine!
Overall, Portello Rosso is a delightful Spanish tapas bar that shouldn't be missed!
This place is a lovely little gem in the alleyways.
I took my gf for her birthday here.
The tapas did not disappoint and we had some sangaria too. However we don’t really drink and the sangaria made was extremely strong.
The main dish for the even which was the paella was sensational and the desserts that followed were amazing.
Ambience= 7/10 A bit too dark for my liking
Service 6/10 Good but can be better
Speed= 8/10 Very good
Food= 9/10 Divine food
Price= 7/10 Worth a try once but won’t be back in all honesty.
A regular haunt for me whether I’m with friends, colleagues or clients. Great tapas, fantastic wine and beer, superb atmosphere. A nice piece of the Mediterranean tucked away in he CBD
Unlike most, I don't have much to say about the tapas. Me and my wife went primarily for one thing: the paella.
Best paella in Melbourne! (Well there could be better but this is our pick)
Sangria was a bit meh though
Went there for my partners Birthday. We had a lot of fun there. Al the waitresses are really friendly. The food was very very good. We had a really good wine from Spain. Highly recommended
Excellent spot, lovely atmosphere. I went with my wife for lunch and we were lucky to be seated on the chefs tasting table. We got a few complimentary small dishes on the house so tried a few things. Something simple like the bread was also finger licking good-crispy, burnt flavour with a garlic rub. To finish off the meal were one of the best churros we had (the custard was made from vanilla beans and tasted great)
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First of all I want to thank the staff of Portello Rosso for providing exceptional service to us on my friend’s birthday. Thank you especially to the chef who supplied vegan sorbet to my friend because she couldn’t eat our non vegan birthday cakes. This meant a lot to us because she said not to worry about getting a vegan cake because they are difficult to find and she wanted a cake for our friend’s birthday so thank you for including her in this way 😊
Also thank you for the waitress for letting me sample the wine because she advised it was dry, I ended up liking it but thanks for the pre-warning.
Also we appreciate that the staff promptly re-made the potatoes which had been covered with non vegan aioli, thank you!
Our favourite meal was the field mushroom croquette! Absolutely beautiful! The mussels and baby squid were also highlights.
Least favourite was the zucchini flower with crab (needed seasoning) and the pork belly (way too salty!). The scallops were also a bit too small.
We would definitely want to return for paella night!
Great Restaurant Mentions
+5
Hidden alley way gem! Some of the best tapas I’ve eaten in Melbourne. Love love love this restaurant! If it wasn’t so busy, I’d probably come here more often! I always over order here because I want to try everything but I’m always walking out happy and fully satisfied!
Food is good and the service is good as well. A bit hard to order because the menu is not in English and there is no pictures for the food. Very nice restaurant.
We wanted to eat paella but actually it’s only on weekdays (tue-thurs) that was sad part but thats my fault I didn’t check the menu properly when I booked a table.
Menu items are not a lot but overall most of them were tasty but not big wow.
We ordered small size of cured meats, 2 piece of pork belly, 2 piece of salt cod, saganaki,fish of the day from main and broccolini as side, baked choc mousse and cream caramel as dessert of the day.
With couple wines and total less than $200 for 2 ppl. We got quite full when we left.
Desserts were a little sad, cream caramel used too much orange citrusy flavour and I cannot taste any creamy part, and baked chocolate mousse was over cooked and it was just chocolate cake so didn’t meet my expectation. And desserts are very important for me to end my dinner so i can’t give 5 stars.... sorry.
Customer service was great, we sat on the corner but always water topped up, drinks never left empty and it was busy Saturday dinner.
A hidden Gem! Definitely one of my regular spots for Melbourne, as all good finds, tucked away in Warburton Lane off Lt Bourke Street. This place is semi-intimate with a fantastic flavoursome ambiance. The place only fits about 70 people which I love, you feel like you’re in bubble of foodies who love the Spanish cuisine. The lamb ribs, croquettes and pork belly are a must. Great options to share dishes amongst a group or order individually. Good wine selection, delicious Sangria and a great after drinks piano bar is just upstairs.
Came here for dinner with work colleagues. Food was fantastic as well as the service. Loved it! Just too pricey so only for once in a blue moon kinda thing for me.
It’s hard work choosing a parent-friendly restaurant when yours are a) hyper critical Asian parents who think they can make whatever it is they’re eating at a restaurant themselves and b) averse to not being able to hear themselves above the din of people, which means most Melbourne restaurants are out of limits. Thankfully I’d taken them once to Portello Rosso, a Spanish restaurant tucked away in an alleyway off Little Bourke Street, and they had approved, so it was where we went to celebrate Papa WFYB’s birthday.
The food was SO good!!! Servings sizes are on the small side so do order a few mains to share if you are in a group.
Also do great churros :)
Beautiful atmosphere and very friendly staff. My favourite would have to be the grilled lamb chops, they were so succulent. But I'll definitely be coming back to try other dishes, so who knows?
As an avid tapas and all things spanish lover, I can honestly say that Portello Rosso once again you have knocked my socks off.
The beef cheek was literally melt in your mouth to die for. The saganaki was hands down one of the best I have tried. Stand out of the night was most definitely the pork belly!!
Bring back the al la carte paella but guys!
We have been here several times and they are always awesome. Scrumptious tapas and plates of all denominations arrive as described. Make sure you order your Paella early as they make from scratch each time. If you want any intimacy, table-wise make sure you tell them when you book or you may share a communal table with others. All great except the beer prices, yikes!
What an amazing little gem this is! Stumbled into this place by accident and what a surprise, it was wonderful. As a lover of all things tapas, this did not disappoint, we actually opted for a full tapas/smaller plates/sides order rather than bigger meals because we wanted to try EVERYTHING! Best ones we had were the panza de cerdo, saganaki, and gambas. Must come back for the paella. Delicious food and beautiful restaurant.
OMG.. the food.. try as much as you can.. often you are met with bold flavours, then soothed by melt in your mouth moments. The servings are of a good size.
Also, this place is classic Melbourne. To be found down an alley way. Allow a coupl of minutes to be unsure which lane it is. But it's pretty easy to find.
We have only been here once and had really enjoyed the food and service.
I can’t even remember which tapas we had. Everything was delicious.
It’s one of the restaurants whereby we said we’ll be back. But it’s really funny.... Each time I think of Spanish, I go into auto pilot mode for Mo Vida Next Door (cos it opens late) or El Burro (closer to home). But this is just as yummy. Just haven’t had the chance to re visit.
I am in love with this place. All the drinks and food were divine. My favourite was definitely the succulent lamb ribs. Staff were very accommodating and so we’ll definitely be back to try the paella.
This place looks awesome on the inside and the staff are really hospitable. The entrees we ordered were lovely however nothing really stood out UNTILL..... the seafood paella was seriously the best paella I’ve ever had (and I’ve been to Spain twice). It is quite overpriced however entirely worth it, I was honestly blown away. Still thinking about it.
This is our first time trying a Tapas place. Hidden at a quiet corner, this tiny restaurant has a cosy ambience and great music. We were greeted warmly by the staff and they helped us out with the menu as we couldn’t decide what to order. Between the two of us, we started off with a chargrilled chorizo for appetizer, followed by grilled king prawns, bbq lamb ribs and patatas bravas. The servings were reasonably huge and absolutely delicious. The chorizo was amazingly savoury, ribs were juicy and tender and potatoes were crispy and flavourful. I wasn’t a big fan of the prawns as it was over grilled and has a very heavy charcoal taste. We paired our meal with some red sangria. Overall, this was a wonderful experience for us and we definitely wouldn’t mind coming back again.
nice place～
the waitess is so nice!!!!!!!!!!!!
We also enjoy the time we spent at there.
Will be there again once we have another chance!!!!
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This place has all the markings of a great Spanish tapa restaurant - slightly hidden away, cosy and welcoming decor, warm lighting and a fairly decent choice of items on their menu.
Greeted and served by friendly waitstaff, we eagerly opted for the chef selection menu as it covered most of the foods that people have raved about.
Now, you can't go wrong with warm olives, bread, a good olive oil and jamon. And they certainly were great starters for the night. 😋
Then we tried the tortilla clasica. It kind of tasted like an overcooked egg frittata. The onion relish it was served with was the flavour saver here.
The zucchini and corn fritters were crispy and the mint and garlic yoghurt was the perfect accompaniment to them
We argued over the blue cheese and mushroom croquettes. One felt the blue cheese was overpowering, I thought it could use a little more. One stayed on the fence and declined to comment. We settled by agreeing to disagree. 😂
Crispy pork belly on a bed of pureed almond and garlic. It sounded and looked amazing, but was a little dry and the crackling a tad too salty. This and the patatas bravas had us reaching for water several times throughout our meal.
The pickled coleslaw packed a punch and was a wonderful palate cleanser to the fatty and overly "lamby" lamb ribs (I don't know how else to describe this). The meat did however glide off the bone and was super tender. 👌
The churros were a nice end to the evening, with the girls stating how much they liked the crunchy outer texture and slightly doughy soft centre as well as the white chocolate dipping sauce.
Given all the great reviews here it was slightly disappointing that we didn't have the same dining experience.
We did enjoy the atmosphere, and the staff were friendly though.
Perhaps we just came on an off day!
My friend decided to have her birthday dinner here and booked a reservation for 7pax. Since there was a group of us, we decided to go for the chef selection menu to simplify our order process. We also decided to have a paella mixta on top of that. All the dishes were really tasty..love the lamb ribs!! The chef tasting menu was really filling and we definitely could have done without the paella. However, it was a good thing we could takeaway all our leftovers. Overall, the dining experience here was really enjoyable.
We booked dinner for 2 at 9.00 pm on White Night Melbourne. We arrived on time and our table was immediately available. The staff welcomed us warmly and service was very friendly and efficient throughout our meal.
The Pork Belly was tasty but a little dry, saved by the excellent almond and garlic purée. The lamb ribs were wonderful, enhanced by the chef’s “secret sauce” - its sweetness due to the use of Coca Cola according to our server.
The seafood paella was very tasty and the serving for 2 more generous than indicated by our server. However, the rice was a little undercooked and chewy. There was little saffron taste and it was definitely not spicy despite the chef’s warning. Despite being undercooked some of the rice was burnt, stuck to the surface of the pan. Overall disappointing for the $74 price paid.
Between the 2 of us we drank 4 wines by the glass - 2 red and 2 white - all were very good and complemented the food.
Was taken to this place for Valentine’s Day :). Upon first impression, I thought this place looked very nice and romantic :). We ordered the chef selection for that day.
In terms of the food, we thought it was alright. We especially enjoyed the meat side of the menu. However, i wasn’t a big fan of the salad.
Lovely tapas restaurant with lovely staff and service. I has the Calamar which was grilled with a beautiful aioli. The Paella was delicious. Even the olives before our meal were nicely seasoned.
My partner lived in Spain for half year and that’s the reason why I really want to try Spanish cuisine once. Probably that’s the way to pretend living in the same time and same place with her once. This restaurant has a relatively superior reputation on Zomato, so we chose it to be the place to celebrate my lunar birthday. We ordered a paella mixta for two ppl, lamb ribs, and two tapas – scallop and pork belly. All tasted really amazing, esp the scallop, just cooked with juicy and a little bit crispy taste (highly recommended!!!!). The almond garlic puree under the pork belly reduced the greasy taste of the pork and enhance our appetite. The paella was too much for two people, lol. I think it will be better to serve 4 ppls. I also liked the churro with chocolate, I have a sweet tooth:)))))))
One of the best Spanish tapas restaurants in town! Got there slightly earlier than our reservation time so we were directed to their bar next door Murmur with live music while waiting which is very enjoyable. Food wise, we chose the 65 dollars chef tasting menu and their paella mixta to share among the 7 of us! Their paella and lamb ribs are so flavoursome and definitely to die for!
So full!!! We ordered the banquet and I like the pork belly the most. The skin is crispy and the meat is soft. But it is bit salty. The paella is just normal. I like the service here. The food comes quick.
I’ve been there years ago and revisited it recently again. The standard is still great. We had very good food and wine. One of the best Spanish in town. Highly recommend it!
just amazing! Our fav in the cbd. A real romantic ambience, great food and fabulous drinks. Must try the pork belly (partner said it’s to die for!) and the tomato bread with garlic is amazing and the fritters are also great alongside the bbq corn! The cider is a dry cider but amazing to drink with this sort of food! We will be back next time!
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I was excited about coming here with the Meetup group tonight and have some Spanish Tapas. Portillo Rossi is down a dingy looking laneway in the city. There was about 8 of us and we ordered some seafood paella and a carne paella and quite a few tapas dishes. A few of us at the table were worried that it would be too much food but it turned out to be just enough.
Some of the tapas dishes were the highlight for me. Being at a tapas restaurant I had to order the patatas bravas and these were probably the best version of this dish that I’ve had. The potatoes were beautifully flavoured with paprika and the sauce and they were nice and crispy. I normally don’t go for muscles but the muscles here were delicious l, they were cooked in a nice tomatoey broth. The lamb ribs were fall off the bone perfection and the duck was nice. I was disappointed that the calamari was such a small serve, it looked like a decent amount but there were noodles underneath but it tasted nice.
I wasn’t very impressed with the paella, the rice itself was flavoursome but I found the prawns 🍤 in the seafood paella were over cooked and grainy and the poussin in the carne paella didn’t taste fresh.
The people working here were professional and polite but there was no warmth. I was going to have sangria to share with a friend but we were put off by the price, it was about $27 for half a litre and $50 for 1 litre. I might come back here but I’d like to try other tapas places first.
Portello Rosso is one of the Melbourne CBD's most popular and well regarded Spanish restaurants. Their menu focuses on their range of small dishes which are great for sharing, but also offers some slightly larger dishes as well. As a specialty, Portello Rosso also offers a variety of amazing paella, as well as a selection of Spanish and Australian wines.
A Spanish hideout in the CBD
Decor is good, we sat upstairs which I think was a good spot, those tables downstairs looked a bit tight for space.
Friendly staff and good service.
Great cocktails, I really enjoyed the tiger mojito and the martini, they also have a list of spanish beers.
Starters were ok, was let down by the wagyu beef dish, which was basically a glorified meat pie.
Mains: lamb ribs delicious and succulent, sea food paella is a must.
Had 4 tapas.
Scallop，small size but cooked good.
Croqueta-ham hock，is that a flour ball？
Tortilla，likes a egg pie mixed with potato
Forgot the last one…
Duck breast，has some cured vegetables at the bottom，average meat
Let's keep it short and simple! This place gives you the feeling that you are in Spain from decor to seating and location. Sangria was magnificent, I was not impressed by Gamba prawn slightly over cooked. Mussels, Lamb ribs and Pork belly were sensational highly recommended. Salad was average. Will go again.
I went here with a group of friends and had the veggie paella and a few tapas with some wine. All the food was delicious, the staff were sweet and very knowledgeable and the whole atmosphere of the place was lovely.
I'm really looking forward to coming back here.
The staff were very friendly and the food was delicious but alittle small for the price I think. Went for lunch with 5 other people and we ordered 5 dishes from the large dish section. They came out quickly but was not enough food to come close to filling me up. You would definitely have to order a few more dishes to fill you up, had to go grab some more food an hour later.
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1) Ambience and Interior - the interior was really cute and it gave off really good vibes. I would say it's a great place to catch up with friends for some drinks and have a few dishes to share.
2) Flavour - we ordered a few dishes from the Mediano section (sharing dishes). First up we had the crab salad which was a refreshing start to the course but it was mediocre when compared to the rest of the night. Next up was the lamb ribs. These are a must!! The ribs were so soft and full of flavour, the meat literally fell off the bone when you bit onto it. It was the highlight of the night and I would come back just for them. Next was the pan fried duck breast. These were also a favourite as the flavour of the orange really shined through and was the flavour combo was refreshing and tangy. Lastly we ordered one of the seafood and meat paella. The portion size is quite large so definitely get it if you're going with a large group as we had three people and only just finished it. They are quite generous with the seafood and it was a great finish to the course.
3) Presentation - the presentation of the dishes were quite rustic and modern. The duck breast was definitely beautifully presented.
4) Value - the price range is quite reasonable and definitely worth it with the quality that we received that night (amazing lamb ribs!!) The only downside would be that you must get 2 paella servings per order so it may not be great for a date as the portion would be too much.
Overall, the lamb ribs are definitely a must get! It's a cute and chill joint to catch up with some friends but will probably pass on the salad and paella next time round.
Eating: 3.5/5
Paella is strongly recommended. One of my friend is allergic to seafood , so we order the other one. To my surprise, it's by far the best paella in Melbourne that I have ever try. The seasonings and herbs is so on point, and meat served in it is still tender. Unlike the other spanish places, the paella is freshly made therefore without that greasy and sticky texture. Will come back for the paella.
Lamb rib is well-seasoned and tender, and pork-belly is crispy, worth a try.
I would say it is better than a lot of overrated restaurants where you have to wait for two hours. Good atmosphere for small group of friends gathering.
Always fun to wander down a Melbourne lane looking for a new adventure. started with some tapas and at the wait staffs recommendation we ordered 2 serves of the seafood paella for 3 of us. Perfect size and full of fresh tasty seafood. I could eat the bbq sweetcorn every day. The chorizo and prawns was a small serve but very tasty.
Portello Rosso is an amazing restaurant. The food was delicious, the decor was fresh and the staff were friendly. The dishes that stood out for me were the meat dishes. For starter, I ordered the pork belly, which was amazing, so amazing I forgot to take a photo! The ribs were cooked perfectly and the meat fell off the bone. We thought it was odd how there wasn't more meat dishes on the menu. The service was also a little slow and this is why I gave 4.5, instead of 5. Overall, I loved this place. I will definitely be going back and I will be recommending this place to my friends.
First of all, I can't thank the staff enough for being so accommodating on time when half of the guests were stuck on trains due to signal issues. They allowed us to stay at least 30 more minutes being a Saturday night of all times! 11/10 for services
The food was simply finger licking good. From the Parma ham to the lamb ribs (which was the highlight of the night) each course had a lovely combination of flavour and presentation. Some of the chefs selection was mediocre like the crispy pork belly but it wasn't even close to bad. They also have a full bar available which produces AMAZING cocktails. 9.5/10 for food
Overall it was a fantastic evening out for a birthday celebration and we even got free churros!! Left a nice tip for the servers and will definitely come back and recommend it to friends.
GRACIAS!!
Saturday night dinner to celebrate my 31st birthday. The staff were very accommodating with our booking. Portello Rosso has a great feel. The wine and food is delicious. Best pork belly I have ever eaten! Service was friendly and fast. Will be back for sure. Great tapas bar 👍🏻
I had a great time. Great starts and the pork belly was sensational! The paella too was sensational from memory. I would go back for sure as I haven't been in ages. Nicely situated on a side street in the heart of the CBD, I would recommend this as a place to go for some Spanish and Latin cuisine!
Even though the food was pretty decent, was pretty disappointed with the portions of the food even though it was stated as mains (for communal sharing). Personally, I wouldn't recommend this place if you're on a tight budget! Nonetheless, great service and food.
Really yummy food with amazing service in a cute atmosphere. Service was amazing. We had some tapas and paella. Churros to finish. Would definitely come back
Have been looking for a good tapas bar for quite a while now and i think i have found the one. The food we received was worth every $$ and will definitely we coming back for more. Asked the waitress for an idea of what wine to have and she came up clutch with a great choice. Topped it off with some of the fluffiest churros ive ever had.
When you walk in, you're greeted with mouth watering aromas that make you excited to eat the food! Absolutely incredible food! A little expensive but totally worth it! The food is so fresh and just melts in your mouth! Will certainly be returning!
Paella was the best I have ever had. Amazing. Ate till I burst the food was so good. Beautiful environment, fantastic service and a great atmosphere.
Pretty good experience with my friend Jimmy. Lamb rib has too much oil but it can be understood. We share an egg cake together. Not many people during Sunday nights.
This place is lovely, I was taken here on a date and I enjoyed my time here and my company. The food is very delicious, and please note, it is tapas so the servings are small and great for sharing. I have a big apatite and I thought we'd over ordered but we didn't. The duck is not as big and filling as I was worried it was going to be. The paella is very tasty. The staff I think need to be more trained on the wine list because even if people are knowledgeable on wine in general, this is Spanish wine so tastes may not be familiar to everyone. All in all, it was lovely and I'll probably be back again to order more next time.
Amazing service, atmosphere and food! Enjoyed many of the entree's and small plates, as well as the paella. Cocktails and drinks menu had variety and all drinks were exceptional. Will definitely come again!
We were seated on the upper floor, which is a narrow dining space best for groups of 2-4. (I found the tables too close to one another.) The ground floor is a lot more spacious and has larger dining tables. We had a range of small and medium tapas. The standout was the mussels with garlic chilli and tomato. The dish was generous, the mussels were incredibly fresh and meaty, and the whole dish was so delicious. I also really like the croquetas, which were so flavoursome. The crispy pork belly didn't have the puffing crispiness I like, as the skin seemed to be battered and fried. It would have still been okay if the skin and puree underneath weren't both so overwhelmingly salty. On the whole, it was a nice meal with good food.
Whilst pricey， the food here was pretty good. We had the paella (amazing)，beef skewer (very good)，croquettes (very good)， patatas bravas (very good) and empanadas ( average). Would i come here again? Not sure， as it was pretty expensive，but not a bad spot for a special occasion.
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It had been a while since I'd treated myself to a more upmarket feed, and I was very happy that I'd made a good, safe choice with Portello Rosso. We sampled a lot of the tapas style menu (which was both a good and bad idea). Most of the food was excellent and the rest was solid. Definitely overfull by the end though. Probably my favourite dish of the night was the grilled king prawns with sweet paprika and salsa verde. One of the finest cooked prawn dishes I've ever eaten, as it was nice and charred to perfection, and the paprika beautifully complimented the extremely tasty prawny flavour. At $6 a pop, I thought they were worth it too (probably only if you take enjoyment from the prawn heads too). The mussels with chili, garlic and tomato were also a winner. They came in a generous portion that was fresh and tasty. Didn't rely on a strong sauce for good flavour like those I have had in the past, but this was really well balanced. The third of the winner dishes for me was the patatas, which are basically crispy potato chips cut nice and compact. The perfect crispiness, brilliantly smooth cooked centre, and the smoked paprika applied in a perfect amount made this dish a delight. The relish and aioli for dipping heightened the experience.
I must say, although it wasn't quite up there with the three above, the empanada de wagyu was a great one for me, though my partner wasn't sold. I admittedly didn't enjoy it as much as I probably could have, since I was getting full by the time I tried it. The pastry was lovely and crispy, while the filling combined nicely with it. The spiced wagyu was tasty and herby, on the dryer side but not in a bad way. Worked nicely together with the sage and pine nut. The cardamom and tomato relish was great and added a sweet component that really helped to make the overall dish.
I thought the crispy pork belly and the zucchini and BBQ sweet corn fritters were good dishes. The pork belly was mostly nice and juicy and had thinner, but also very crispy skin. The almond and garlic purée served with it had a strong but nice flavour. It actually tasted a bit more complex than it sounds. This was quite lovely with the pork. The pork crackle was encrusted with a very generous amount of large salt crystals, which I though was unnecessary and too heavy-handed. The fritters were true fritters made with batter, which is how I prefer it. Really got a sense of BBQ flavour and that of the zucchini in these ones. Best eaten in several bites, spreading the garlic and mint yoghurt more sparingly over these bites. Too much with each bite kills the fritter flavour.
Finally, the slow braised sticky BBQ lamb ribs, croquettes and the BBQ sweet corn were only not bad. Both the lamb and corn were lacking the promised BBQ flavour--particularly the corn. You could barely even tell in both flavour and appearance that it had been BBQ'd, which was strange seeing as Hispanic restaurants are usually able to do this dish at least reasonably well in my experience. However, the cheese and paprika did do something to make it more or less enjoyable and different. As for the lamb, I felt a sauce or more seasoning was needed. The flesh was a bit too dry, and more of a BBQ flavour would have gone a long way to counteract this effect in and of itself. The croquettes just didn't have a strong presence of flavour, didn't jump out at me. I'm not sure if it was down to the combination of the fillings or what. In fairness, I did have some ripper croquettes during 2016, so the bar has been set high.
In the drinks department, we only tried the white granita, which was great. They do a few kinds, all of which have a bit of specialness about them. Portello Rosso's interior is lovely--unassuming from the outside--and creates a nice ambience, though some of the seating arrangements may feel a bit cramped for some. The lady staff member was a little cold at first, but warmed quickly as the evening moved into full swing. Definitely would return here.
After a revisit to Portello Rosso due to a accidental mis-understanding, my partner and I had a great time indulging in the chef's menu, which provides you with a nice selection of their food to sample.
Highlights: the chorizo! We ordered seconds... the pork belly and the lamb ribs are excellent also.
Overall our revisit was a very enjoyable experience, the staff were very friendly, the food was excellent and the atmosphere was very "cruisey".
4/5.
Atmosphere 4/5
Service 5/5
Food 4/5
This is a great place for spanish tapas. Good for catching up with friends or for a dinner date. Very cool vibe and the food is delicious. Although a bit expensive it is worth it. Will definitely come back in the near future.
Came to this lovely place hidden in a lane way in the middle of the CBD last friday night. We were warmly greeted and taken to our seats. The staff were very accommodating as we asked to sit at the corner table rather than the original table we were seated and had
no issues moving across. Cocktails were amazing as we were able to choose from "MURMUR's" cocktail list (the bar located above this restaurant) and not just the standard cocktails on the restaurants menu. Overall the food was very very good. We went solely for tapas. A couple dishes were average, but overall the food was lovely. The wait staff was also very attentive and professional. We had a nice experience at this restaurant!
This is my go to place for Spanish food. The tapas had a lot of variety, some were a little bland but there's was a lot to choose from. The paella was enormous and very filling, there was a generous amount of mean and seafood, and had really good flavours.
The service was also great and attentive.
Almost there with the top Spanish restaurant in town but fall short. Great service and have a very nice ambient feel on the top floor. Medium sized tapas are to die for but unfortunately the paella was a big let down - too salty and overpowering chorizos. Go for the experience at least once though.
Reliable, tasty Spanish. Had croquettes, prawns, lamb ribs, salad, paella and drinks. All tasty dishes. Service is attentive and friendly. Will return.
Little options for drinks if you aren't drinking alcohol 3.5/10
Food overall was 7.5/10 LOVED the croquettes and desserts but wasn't a huge fan of the porkbelly
Empanadas and ribs were good but I've had better at other tapas restaurants
Service was 10/10
Great tapas
Nice food
Make sure that you have booking before you go , the chance to get a descent table is very low
Love the bar on next level
This place was so accommodating - we only had an hour to spare before going to the theatre and they allowed us to prebook paella for 2 (which would normally take 45 min to cook) the night before and then had it on the table as soon as we sat down, which allowed us plenty of time. The paella was absolutely delicious. Restaurant is small and cosy with a great vibe, and staff were reasonably attentive.
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Lane way dining in Melbourne always opens up to new and exciting food. Portello Rosso definitely brings something new and exciting from its location and also having a sister bar right next door - Murmur, however besides that it's...OK and perhaps confused. Red Door translated from Italian, serves up an array of Spanish tapas and Jamón dishes. Expecting Italian dishes from its name but served up Spanish just made me think the food was going to be confused, more in the sense of not knowing how the food should look and taste.
As we were part of a party, we chose the banquet at $70 p/p which started us off on Aceitunas Aliñadas - warm marinated olives as well as Tortilla del día - a spanish style free range egg frittata with sage and onion jam which I would have rather not eaten, really average and needed seasoning. Straight after, Jamón Serrano de Aragón - dry-cured Spanish ham topped with shaved manchego cheese followed by Fritura de Calabacín Y Maiz which was a barbequed sweet corn and zucchini fritters with mint & garlic yoghurt. By this time we were starting to get full when Costillas de Cordero arrived - a slow braised BBQ sticky lamb ribs along with Panceta de Cerdo - slow roasted crispy skin pork belly over almond and garlic purée as well as Patatas Bravas - a crispy potato dusted in sweet smokey paprika and drizzled with spiced tomato sauce & garlic aioli. Oh and almost forgot, Gambas al Ajillo - grilled king prawns drizzled with romesco & aioli. So at this point, pretty full and could do with a nap and then the biggest meal of them all, Paella del Mar - seafood and veges, which wasn't too bad actually except for the fact that there wasn't any sofrito! What on earth!?!? Maybe they tried to make up for the quality of the food by giving us so much of it.
We were only given 2 hours and they really did make us only stay for 2 hours as we had to have dessert at Murmur where they blocked out a couch section for all 17 of us. Dessert was Churros con Chocolate - Spanish donuts with two dipping sauces: dark chocolate & orange blossom and white chocolate, vanilla bean & rosewater which were pretty good! They even hooked us up with a cake too which was I think the best of everything I had (not actually sure they provided it but if they did, it was great - strawberry jam and cream sponge)
A good layout in the restaurant at Portello Rosso though a little cramped which accommodates for high patronage. Overall all it was OK and generally had a great time and was provided a good service. Helped that the staff were friendly too but I do think a trip to Spain to live and taste the culture or a revisit in Spanish flavours and technique for the chef wouldn't go astray. Paella must have sofrito! Just needs a sprinkle of love in the food. By the way, sorry about the photos. Another thing they need to improve on is their lighting as yellow hue isn't the greatest 😋 Till next time, this is Our Foodie Find!
Haha casual dinning that cost over $150 for two people! Sarcasm aside I just felt a little disappointed. Tapas was nice and fun to share but oily. Maybe that's how it's suppose to be....don't know never been to Spain. But I would like to one day!
Place is 6/10
Food is 7/10
Service 6/10
Quantity 3/10
Price per meal 4/10
- all in all, nice for a catch up with friends but not great place
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I absolutely loved this place.
We made a reservation for 7 online. It was easy and they confirmed via email and text.
When we arrived they immediately sat us, we weren't cramped which was nice.
The staff was incredibly friendly and very fast service.
We all decided to have the chefs selection and we were all very happy we did. On top of that we ordered Red Wine Sangria and Ginger and Chili Sangria.
Red Wine Sangria: It wasn't anything to sing home about but it was nice.
Ginger and Chili Sangria: DELICIOUS. In my opinion it was the perfect balance of spicy and sweet.
Chefs selection: $65pp
Jamon Serrano de Aragon: Which is cured Spanish ham and cheese with fresh rolls. YUM! I could've eaten that all night.
Aceitunas Alinadas: Warm marinated olives accompanied the cured meats nicely. Dipping the bread in the olive oil was delicious.
Tortilla del dia: Spanish frittata...I'm not big on frittatas in general so this for me personally I wouldn't order this again. However everyone else at the table loved it and thought it was really nice.
Fritura de calabacin y maiz: Corn and zuchinni fritter with mint and garlic yogurt. This was one of my favorites. the fritter itself was full of flavor. I tad salty but the yogurt helped soften that saltiness. The hint of mint was very refreshing.
Croquetas: Cheese Croquettes...this was another table favorite. It was so creamy and crunchy. The tomato relish was nice and sweet.
Brocheta de carne de vacuno: beef skewers with a romesco sauce and spicy coleslaw. The beef had a beautiful grilled flavor and was extremely tender. The sauce was a beautiful orange color and the spicy coleslaw was absolutely delicious. It was crunchy and had a nice kick of heat to it.
Patatas Bravas: "Crispy potatoes dusted in smokey sweet paprika and drizzled with spiced tomato sauce and garlic aioli." I thought these were delicious. They had like a mesquite bbq taste to them which was reminiscent of American BBQ.
Costillas de Cordero: Sticky lamb ribs. The Lamb was beautifully tender and had a wonderful char-grilled taste. The Patatas Bravas were paired with these and the sweet smokey-ness of the potatoes worked complimented the juciness of the Lamb.
Churros con chocolate: Beautifully crispy and sweet. The dark chocolate was very rich and warm (my favorite dip). While the orange blossom white chocolate was the table favorite. It had a beautiful orange flavour that was fragrant and tasted wonderful with the beautiful cinnamon on the Churros. The Churros themselves were crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and we're not overly doused in cinnamon-sugar which would've made it the whole dish too sweet.
Overall we were all very happy to have chosen the chefs selection especially for a fairly large group. We all want to go back and try their paellas next!
DEFINITELY recommend coming here. The ambience is great for dates.
I've been wanting to go here for a while. We were jammed in a corner upstairs which was slightly crampy and didn't reflect the vibe downstairs sadly. However food was great, we repeated dishes as they were so good. The terrine was great and all the meats on the charcuterie board were different and yum. The absolute highlight was the ribs = incredible
Came here tonight for Mothers Day. Service wasn't super attentive to us which was a let down. The tapas "pequenos" and the larger sharing plates "medianos" were super fun and delicious. The Beetroot salad with crispy sweet potato was really yummy as was the braised lamb ribs that fell off the...
Came here for a special occasion and it was definitely the right choice! The ambiance was great and loved the decor too. While the restaurant was busy, the staff was very attentive. We ordered a range of tapas to share, with standouts being the lamb ribs (meat fell off the bone), king prawns, croquettes (crisp but not oily) and pork belly. The potata bravas were very ordinary... Had the white sangria, it was light, fruity and delicious! The price was reasonable for the quality of food and experience.
The restaurant is not that easy to be noticed but really a good choice to eat Spanish food. I think the courses are all authentic, and the paella is really delicious with superb ingredients……tapas ordered are a little oiled, but also taste good~
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