The Loft is located above Duxton in O’Connor and encompasses everything you would imagine in a ‘loft’. It is cozy, quaint and warm and just happens to serve delicious cocktails and mouth-watering tapas.
The cuisine can be best described as Southern Mediterranean and each tapas plate is like a little piece of heaven. The interior is a dark wood, and while it is modern chic, it also has a rustic vibe about it.
After we are warmly greeted and seated, we order cocktails; the Coco Loco and The Tranquilo. The Coco Loco is served in a coconut (just as the name suggests) and The Tranquilo is served in an old looking vintage jar – very cool. The coconut is full of a mixture of white rum, coconut liqueur, ice, fresh limes and mint. The Tranquilo is summertime drinking in a jar – tequila, grapefruit juice, fresh mint and lime, squeezed, muddled and shaken.
We were served our first tapas plate, which is more like a ‘nibblie’ – sweet potato crisps with rosemary and sea salt. The sweet potato crisps were brightly coloured orange and glistened with salty oil. They are literally ‘finger licking good’ and are the perfect appetizer.
The wine for the night is Radio Boka Temprinillo which is a drop from Valencia in Spain and is to die for. It is fruity and light and is easy to drink.
The next dish to arrive is the squid with mint, chilli sea salt and lemon aioli. The squid has a light, crispy batter and the insides are moist, piping hot and have me licking my lips. The lemon aioli is the perfect accompaniment and serves as a powerful dipping sauce.
The next dish in line is the fresh fig salad with prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, rocket and apple balsamic dressing. This salad is light but the flavours definitely pack a punch. The mozzarella is like little pillows of dairy and is a nice contrast between the crunch of the rocket. The fig provides a sweet component and the prosciutto is the salty member of the family.
The final tapas dish to arrive is the slow-roasted spiced lamb shoulder with humus and quinoa tabouli. The lamb is tender and you can tell it has been cooked for hours. The humus is fresh and tastes like real chickpeas, which is refreshing. A deliciously moist dish, this would have to be my favourite.
Just when we think we can’t eat another thing, a cheese board is placed down in front of us and really, it would have been rude to decline. The board has three selections of cheese for the evening; brie, gorgonzola and vintage cheddar, all different and tasty in their own ways. The cheeses are accompanied by bread sticks, water crackers, strawberries, prosciutto, smoked turkey and baby gherkins. It is a great platter to order if you are having a glass (or bottle) of wine and want to nibble on something over a couple of hours or so.
All in all, dining at The Loft was a wonderful experience. The staff was helpful and friendly and the food and drink is worth every penny. I will definitely be returning.
