Duende

Ph: 9228 0123; 662 Newcastle St, Leederville 6007 www.duendetapasbar.com.au

Spanish, $$
Open Fri noon-midnight Dinner Mon-Thu 6pm-11pm Sat 6pm-midnight; Licensed; AE DC MC V EFT
Chef (Justin Peters, 2007-10-29) Owner

Mietta's Review
Another trendy offering from Nic Trimboli who, still hugging the shores of the Mediterranean, has moved to Spain. It offers tapas, of course, which in 06 were $8-$17 and also a regular menu (mains $18-$26). Now that Eminem has closed this smart modern place is though of as the cherry on top of funky Leederville. It's not a cheap experience but the food is fine, the wine list interesting and the service OK. On busy nights the noise level is high.

Other published opinions

Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2009 "Tapas at this casual corner bar could be sweetcorn and manchego fritters, smoked duck prosciutto or pork loin with muscatels and candied fennel seed"

Gourmet Traveller 2009 Australian Restaurant Guide "In a city that hasn't been friendly to Spanish restaurants, Duende is a survivor. Such is the relevance of tapas in mod Oz dining. Justin Peters sends them out in traditional style, with little adornment"

Gourmet Traveller 2008 Australian Restaurant Guide "Duende is the very model of a modern tapas bar with brilliant food, fascinating wines, great ambience and efficient, smart service"

Gourmet Traveller 2007 Australian Restaurant Guide "This modern, light-filled establishment is one of the few Spanish restaurants in Australia where we'd like to eat. Forget fat-soaked potatoes and soggy whitebait tedium: bundles of sauteed mushroom slices wrapped in jamon and sprinkled with golden fried almond flakes are the go here, as is good chorizo braised with white beans or simply a bowl of broccolini done right with a squeeze of lemon."

Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide "Duende does smart tapa-based food with considerable flair and drama, and delivers a major bonus: the kitchen stays open until midnight - a rarity in Perth"

Gourmet Traveller 2005 Australian Restaurant Guide "Enter this light-filled wedge ofa place and you'll never regret it. Bite-size plinths of Spanish black pudding are topped with a slick of carrot essence, escabeche of Fremantle sardines are in luscious sweet/sour caramelised tomato"

The Sunday Times, food & wine, 7/12/03, Gail Williams, 4/5 stars,'In terms of intimacy, service and atmosphere, Duende falls somewhere between those two extremes of fine and casual dining...the quality is there, right down to homemade bread'