A heritage-listed bakery is now home to an expansive South American restaurant.
Call a restaurant Evita and you know it’s bound to be Argentinian. The nickname of the one-time president’s legendary wife is there, subtly signed over the entrance to a new Fortitude Valley restaurant occupying a heritage-listed building in a very busy section of St Paul’s Tce near Brunswick St.
Built around 1930 as a bakery for the McDonald brothers, the family name remains on the white facade, and the original oven is still in situ, a centrepiece for this expansive journey to South America.
Evita – with about 130 seats across a bar area and a roomy dining room, and with more seats in an upstairs private dining space “inspired by the moody bar culture of Buenos Aires” – is not starting small. A venture by the Salt Meats Cheese Group and Icatha Hospitality, the interior is a cooling combination of white painted brick walls, timber floors, tiles, a bar made from repurposed rustic railway sleepers and marble-topped tables or larger white wooden versions for groups.
Overexcited about seeing a drinks list with pisco sours, which were a favourite on a trip to Chile a couple of years ago, we order a classic ($22), and, after recommendations from two staff, a jalapeno and mango version ($26), which arrives with a daisy floating on top and an an odd flavour that is definitely an acquired taste.
Empanadas “la Patagonia”, which have a chorizo filling, are reasonable renditions ($19 for three), with chimichurri sauce for dipping. The bone marrow ($24) that’s also served with chimichurri, and toast on which to spread it, is also fine, if not as soft and wobbly as it could be.
Butterflied lamb leg ($39) arrives chopped into chunks and unattractively piled on a platter with just a few roast cherry tomatoes for company. It would take a hard-core carnivore to find it appealing. There’s quite a bit of fat and like the 300g sirloin ($42) it’s well-rested but to the point of being just warm. Again, the steak comes with chimichurri, drizzled along its length.
The fries ($14) are spot on, salty, full of crunch and rustic appearance. The music is fairly loud and service is hypervigilant from one of the hosts, who is also directing a couple of inexperienced staff. One gives us another serviette and plate when we are already fully kitted out.
Wines by the glass are selected from a choice of 15 and poured at the bar, while the fairly lengthy bottle list includes a line-up of Argentinian reds.
A creme caramel ($12) with coconut flakes on top is a delicious finale and makes up for the alfajores, the South American favourite “sandwich cookie”, which disappointingly manages to be both moist and crumbly at the same time, with a firm dulce de leche filling ($4.50). I visited the second week after opening so hope remains that the experience will pick up. As it is, when a pisco sour, chips and a creme caramel are the standouts at a protein-strong South American restaurant, there’s plenty of room to improve.
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