Parlar

Soft mood lighting, golden-hued marble tables, plush velvet chairs and Alexander Calder tapestries make for an impressive introduction at Parlar. This fine-diner in Potts Point aims to share the cuisine of Catalonia in Spain’s north-east, through the use of Australian ingredients prepared with techniques from the Iberian Peninsula.

The menu by head chef Jose Saulog – spent two years at the Michelin-starred Lakeside in Hamburg and also heads up the kitchen at sibling restaurant Franca – is based on sharing and tapas. You might find bacalao (salted cod) croquettes topped with caviar; Wagyu flank steak drizzled with Pedro Ximénez sherry; and a Josper-grilled Catalan-style seafood platter. There are also cava-dressed side salads, and a take on a sausage and egg muffin with chorizo and manchego.

Like the food, the cocktail list puts a boozy Catalonian spin on classics and champions the fortified wines so popular in the region, such as vermouth and sherry. There are also Spanish wines – particularly tempranillo – plus bottles from the Mediterranean coastlines of France and Italy, as well as Australian options.

The name Parlar, meaning “to chatter” in Spanish, is a double entendre for the English “parlour”, hinting at the kind of experience owner Andrew Becher hopes to create here. The vibe, like at Franca next door, is louche but luxurious. And the interiors feel warm, inviting and intimate. With only 55 seats, this is predominantly a bookings-only affair.