25 May 2009
Pat Nourse
Lower ground floor, GPO Building, Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
+612 9229 7744.
OK, it’s not technically in a hotel, but Postales is the newest delivery at the GPO centre’s glam foodarama, which sits pretty much directly underneath the Westin. It takes its name from the Spanish word for postcards, and that’s pretty much what you get here: glimpses and flashes of Spain. Chefs Iwao Yamanishi and Ben Pichon aren’t Spanish, but they’re channelling their inner tapeadors (the folk who wander from tapas bar to tapas bar) in presenting a range of small dishes feisty with the sweetness of saffron and punch of smoked paprika. There’s jamón, octopus and fried potatoes in good measure. Grilled chorizo is paired with garlic confit, the meatballs are made with hare and the salt cod croquetas arrive with aïoli for dipping. There are main-sized courses for those who have no truck with tapas: pan-fried cod fillet crusted with olive and tomato, say, or the (dinner-only) paella for two.
Open: lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat. Licensed. Mains $29-$34.
Source: Qantas The Australian Way June 2009