Enris Restaurant

The Flavours of Latin America

Melbourne boasts an ever-increasing array of Spanish and Latin American restaurants that serve the ‘real’ food of their region. As a keen enthusiast of Latin American cuisine, I stumbled upon Enris restaurant as I was window shopping down Glenferrie Road in Hawthorn one day.

With my mind set on eating paella and churros washed down with sangria, only one of my three wishes was fulfilled at Enris. At 7.30pm on a Saturday night, there was already a table of four sipping on wine. Impressed by the low-lit, mid-sized restaurant of no more than a dozen tables, the atmosphere at Enris was relaxed. However, for a Saturday night when restaurants are expected to be their busiest, one waiter and one chef seemed undeniably understaffed.

Upon perusing the menu, the waiter revealed that paella is only served on Sundays (no exceptions here even for larger groups); cooked vegetables were unavailable but garden salad would be served instead; all meals would be served with fries instead of potatoes, as the menu read; and lastly, there were no churros on the dessert menu. And for those interested in the fish of the day, grilled salmon was served with none other than Asian greens – go figure!

A blackboard of imported tinto (red) and blanco (white) vino from Argentina was reasonably priced, but the drink that caught my attention was the jug of homemade sangria ($22). This was exactly what I ordered in Spain – the staple addition to any meal of the day. A smallish jug of this red wine and fruit concoction arrived, delicious with fruity flavours.

With this restaurant renowned for garlic, steak, dancing on tables and owner/chef Greg Turner mingling with his diners, the only memorable ingredient was the garlic that lingered on my breath.

Credit is due where it is deserved. The chorizo ($10.50) was a homemade sausage full of flavour and made with blended herbs and spices, served with Chimichurri sauce – Argentina’s most traditional sauce made from onions, parsley, oil, vinegar and spices. The Langostinos ($17.50) – a prawn dish cooked in a sizzling cauldron and smothered in Salsa de Ajo - a garlic-based sauce incorporating more garlic, salt, garlic, Tabasco and more garlic - seemed insufficient in size with only 4 prawns per serve.

The Asado de Tiro ($24.75) – beef ribs described on the menu as slow cooked and grilled, the waiter offered a different view, describing the dish as a little chewy, but suggesting that he serve them with two different sauces. Still eager to give it a go, I ordered the beef ribs and found them to be tasty, a little tender and a little chewy, served without the recommended sauces.

Enris is memorable for its waiter with arrogance; a menu that is well overpriced; food that is served without the accompaniments listed on the menu; tasty meats and seafood; and decent sangria! Now for my churros fix at Chocolateria San Churro…