When one door closes, another one opens. We had to say goodbye to Stanbuli when it closed in April, but it’s time to say hello to its replacement, Bar Louise.

Pundits were keen to see what the Porteno team, who were partners in Stanbuli with chef Ibrahim Kasif, would do with the building. Who would the new Enmore Road tenant be?

Turns out, they’re moving in to create their own ‘salon de tapas.’

They’ve kept the kitsch pink exterior of the Marie-Louise salon and Stanbuli’s kitchen grill, but the food focus of the new tapas wine bar will be seafood and vegetables. 

The menu will change daily, depending on what comes into the fish market that day. Considering the pedigree of the team, Bar Louise will be serving up the kind of food you keep going back for.

Expect to see Porteno founders Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz in the kitchen alongside head chef Marcelo Munoz of Bastardo. Continental Deli’s Mikey Nicolean is also involved, taking Continental’s pickling prowess with him so don’t be surprised to see house-cured and preserved seafood on the menu.

P&V’s Melvin Haxaire-Christophe is running the floor to ensure good times abound and Sarah Doyle, Porteno’s princess of all things retro cool, is designing the interiors.

Bar Louise opens Tuesday, September 13 and will trade seven days a week.

Bar Louise
135 Enmore Road, Enmore 
@barlouise_enmore

Related video: Watch episode 7 of Make it delicious. with Porteno co-founder Elvis Abrahanowicz and comedian Merrick Watts