Tapeo, Redfern

Summer vacation means a lot of spare time for dinners with friends. We decided to head out to Tapeo, a small tapas bar with a great reputation. Located at an intersection in the heart of Redfern, it seems to be at a centre of local activity. There’s bar window seating outside and although it’s not kitchen window seating, it’s a nice vantage point. Sadly, it was taken by the time we had gotten there. Nevertheless, we settled in for some conversation and dinner.

Tomato, eggplant, and mozzarella bake ($9)

There was a collective “ooh” when this came out because we thought it looked so delicious and cheesy. Hot layers of tomato and eggplant covered in mozzarella is a winning combination and a great start to dinner.

Grilled haloumi and basil ($12)

Haloumi is a “squeaky”, semi-hard cheese which isn’t pungent or overwhelming. It’s also one of my favourite cheeses. The slices of grilled haloumi come out with a few leaves of basil, a lemon wedge, and a drizzle of olive oil; so simple!

Seared tuna with salsa ($14)

I was expecting tuna with a soft, translucent centre so the appearance of more well-done pieces were a little disappointment. It wasn’t that it was bad, it just wasn’t what I had expected. Chopped tomatoes always add a welcoming freshness.

Crispy chicken salad with pink lady apple and blue cheese ($17)

After three rounds of tapas, it felt good to chow down on a comparatively never ending dish. Anyone who dislikes the strong, sharp flavour of blue cheese needs to steer very far away from this salad as it’s pretty tough to get any piece that hasn’t been touched by the cheese. Crispy chicken is also always enjoyable.

Crème brûlée with passion fruit sorbet and honey comb crunch ($12)

I take great delight in cracking the sugary top on crème brûlées and it’s always fun when you dig to the bottom of it to find a tasty surprise, which in this case, was some passionfruit. After the first spoonful of sorbet, both of us agreed that it tasted like the frozen juice cups which were always sold in primary school canteens.

Attentive service and nice food makes for a good ol’ time. If you really want to sit inside, you’d be best off making a booking. We left Tapeo feeling a little more rotund that usual and despite the fact that it was a gloomy and rainy day, the food managed to cheer us up.

Tapeo
80-82 Redfern St
Redfern NSW
Website