Pablo Pablo

PABLO PABLO HAS PERMANENTLY CLOSED.

Pablo Pablo is a gorgeous dusky Euro style Latin eatery and wine bar found tucked away in a side street of Palm Beach.

This culinary gem is well worth a trip from other Gold Coast neighbourhoods or even Brisbane just to sample its superb lunch and dinner offerings.

Creativity rules in the kitchen where the chef (ex-Bistro Moncur, Sydney) whips up an amazing and delectable array of Tapas and Porciones (mid-size share) plates that derive from Latin traditions and are given a contemporary twist.

Highly recommended is the Chef’s Platter to start – a divine compilation of Truffle Salami, Jamon Serrano, Bocialo (cured pork cheek), chilli marinated olives, picked vegetables, rustic fresh bread with press olive oil and squid in its own ink in a can (the latter is hand-packed). And when it comes to individual tapas, the Cangrejo Con Chorizo (Spanner crab on charred chorizo with fennel cream and lime is a must-try.

Porciones (larger plates designed to share) feature local’s fave Escalopes del mar (seared scallops with raisin caramel, fried chilli salsa and pomegranate dressing) and the melt-in-the mouth 8 hour braised lamb shoulder with almond crust and carrot and sherry puree or char grilled chicken Portuguese style with tomato, roast capsicum and preserved lemon.

Meanwhile look out for specials like roast goat leg with mole sauce or artichokes with truffle dressing.

Afterwards, for dessert it’s hard to go past the  (Spanish style crème brulee) with pistachio biscotti or churros and hot chocolate.

The drinks list is in perfect sync with the food menu and boasts a dedicated Spanish wine list complete with translations and, if that’s not enough, a charming in-house sommelier to assist. Along with the comprehensive array of red, white and sparkling wines are cava/sherry, Latin or local craft beers, Sangria (white, red or rose), Martinis, Margaritas, home-made lemonade and Spanish coffee.

Need to know: On Sundays paella rules between 1-3 at Pablo Pablos’ special paella sessions. If uncertain as to what to order any other time, the banquets are unbeatable value.

Tip: No trip to Pablo Pablo is complete without a visit to the upstairs amenities, fronted by vintage Spanish posters and a pair of lamp lit antique arm chairs in the foyer.