Restaurant review: Say hola to a little taste of Spain at Saint Malo in Civic

And that's what first hits you as you walk into Saint Malo. Outside may be London Circuit, but inside you feel like you're on some sort of luxurious getaway. Terrazzo floors, architectural archways, and a mix of wood and concrete dining tables - there is no denying that the interiors are beautiful. The restaurant has only been open since August but the interiors have made a splash already. People want to go there because of how good it looks. But, how is the food?

It's at a Friday, post-work dinner when we finally get to see how the food is. Saint Malo advertises itself as a taste of the Mediterranean but one look at the menu and it's easy to see that it's rooted in Spain. We kick the night off with a couple of sangrias - when in Spain, after all - and they offer us a choice of red, white or rosé, which is a nice touch. These lovely fruity concoctions are not overly sweet. It tastes like summer even when it's not.

Food-wise, we start with stracciatella with grilled artichoke hearts, mint, peas and dark rye bread ($27). There are not a lot of places to hide with this dish. But with the smokiness of the artichoke, the fresh and slightly sweeter flavours of the peas and mint, combined with the creaminess of the cheese and rich nuttiness of the bread, it is simple but well balanced.

For the mains we opt for the conejo con arroz ($42), the pulpo ($28) and the patatas bravas ($18) to share. The conejo con arroz (rabbit with rice) is one of the few paellas on offer at Saint Malo - and one I was excited to try. I had been talking to a Spanish friend a few days before and she had said that one of the meats her "abuela", or grandmother, uses in paella is rabbit. Having a chance to taste it was a treat.

The rice base had a sweetness to it from the tomato and capsicums, while the three meats used - rabbit, chorizo and morcilla - created this culinary melody. The morcilla brought the base notes, the blood sausage bringing earthy flavours to the dish. The rabbit - albeit, slightly overcooked - adds the tenor notes, while the chorizo brings in the soprano. As for the crispiness on the bottom, it was lovely and caramelised in parts but I would have liked it to be a bit more even throughout.

The off-putting part of this dish didn't come from the food at all. Our server gave us a microfibre cloth to put under the hot pan to protect the table and when they cleared the dishes, they left the cloth for the remainder of the meal. It was a little thing, but it was just an example of how the waiters seemed a little off point all night. They were never rude or unpleasant, but there were a few other things missed throughout the meal. Hopefully, things will be worked out in the coming months as the restaurant finds its feet.

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The pulpo - grilled octopus, black garlic, kipfler potatoes, capers nduja dressing - was a good option for those who like seafood. The octopus was cooked beautifully and the charcoal gave the ends a nice crunch. Overall it was on the small side - if you had any more than two people it would be hard to divide it and still be satisfied.

My favourite dish of the night was the patatas bravas. Traditionally it's bite-sized roast potatoes topped with a slightly spicy bravas sauce and an alioli - a type of garlic sauce similar to aioli. Saint Malo's version is a little elevated. Using roasted kipfler potatoes, each one is slightly indented and the sauce is placed in each one, making them look like little devilled eggs. They were very moreish and the sauce had the right consistency, meaning that when you sliced into the potato it didn't go everywhere and you could easily take in all of the elements at once.

For dessert, we opt for rosquillas and burnt cheesecake.

Rosquillas are the other Spanish doughnut. Unlike churros, these are deep-fried balls served with dulce de leche and melted chocolate. The dough itself isn't overly sweet, with a sprinkling of sugar the thing that cuts through the dark chocolate. It would have been nice to have some more dulce de leche on the plate, however. It was almost as if it was just a garnish.

The burnt cheesecake was a winner, however. Served with a sweet berry compote and a glass biscuit, it was this great balance of sweet and almost a smokiness. It's one of those dishes that make you feel like you won the menu lottery - when you look at what else is on offer you feel confident that you made the right decision.

And it made for a great ending to what has been a good meal. Saint Malo is a place I will be returning to - perhaps next time with my Spanish friend in tow, to put it to the abuela test.

Address: 21 London Circuit, Canberra

Phone: 6112 8825

Website: saintmalo.com.au

Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, lunch and dinner.

Chef: John Santos

Dietary: Plenty of options.

Noise: May be a problem if you're with a larger group.

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