From the son and daughter of the owners of Chianti Classico comes Bar Torino, a new vermouth and tapas bar which is located right next door to the successful and acclaimed establishment. Bringing the best of both Italian and Spanish cuisine, the menu offers a selection of snacks, cured meats, tapas dishes, larger dishes, sweets and cheeses.

The interior is stylish and contemporary with stone benchtops and low hanging light fittings. The exposed brickwork gives the place a bit of a warehouse feel, while ornaments such as the chalkboard from the Napoleon era are some of the things to be marvelled at.

To start off, I had the housemade squid ink bread with crispy calamari, wasabi mayo and pickled chilli. Cooking things with squid ink seems to be all the rage at the moment, and the bread in this dish is no different. Just like normal bread, the crust was firm and the middle, soft and spongy. The calamari was tender and succulent, and was complimented well by the sweet tangy wasabi mayonnaise. The chilli didn’t pack too much heat, but all in all, it was a very well executed dish.

The Tortilla was a Spanish style potato and onion omelette. The layers of potato were firm but soft, and the sweetness of the onion gave the dish plenty of depth. Held together by the light and fluffy egg, this was both hearty and delicious.

The final dish was the Cigar which was pastry filled with veal and tuna mayonnaise. The pastry was firm and crunchy, and inside was a silky smooth velvety mayonnaise. While the menu indicates there is veal and tuna inside, one certainly can’t tell. Having said that, the dish was delicious none the less.

The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the service was very good. The dishes arrived promptly, drinks were constantly refilled and plates were cleared as I finished. The atmosphere was relaxed and the pricing was reasonable. The tapas dishes start at $4 and the larger plates at $15.

Carrying on the tradition of success of Chianti Classico, this fusion of Spanish and Italian cuisines in the form of tapas is destined to be a success in its own right.

WHERE: 158 Hutt St, Adelaide