Sipping the Witches Brew

·:*¨༺ ♱ Through a narrow cobblestone path, the rosy outline of an angel directions us to enter into the basement depths. Enshrouded in lulling shadows cast from the candlelight, gothic arches built by soot coloured bricks flicker in a bated breath. Floor to ceiling fixtures are a testament to the eerie, where wood pillars stand stoic, belying the frail hues of withered stems … ♱ ༻¨*:·

At Letra House, it is no surprise that the wine list is expertly handled and all available by the glass; the venue itself exudes the atmosphere of cellar itself, complete with a semi-open kitchen and the most temptingly morbid dining fit-out. On recommendation, I choose to open my heart to red wine and opt for a juicy, beginner-friendly 2024 William Downie Cathedral pinot noir. And the plates of Catalan tapas and snack bites arrive in succession.

Starting bright, raw red carid prawn tostadas are crunched through in no time. Creamy in texture, with a slight sting from the sweet paprika, the prawns are a must-order. About four of them are laid out like tiles, lightly dressed with herbs and a gentle pickling cure. It is as succulent as it is fleeting. Next, are donuts. In true Letra fashion, the dollar sized bites are topped with a single curled anchovy and are filled with a savoury Manchego cheese custard. For the anti-dessert girls, think of this as a brinier, sexier profiterole.  

For our second round, a steaming croquette of Tathra place duck is split through the middle. It reveals an interior like a geode, molten with béchamel sauce. Hot, hot, hot on the tongue, but the juggling game is great. Our only mistake was ordering one to share instead of a piece each for next time. Maybe two each next next time. As a finale to the tapas, the octopus sobrasada pintxo (pronounced pincho) bids us adieu. The sobrasada spice mix is incredible, with just enough heat to coax into downing the glass of pinot. However, the temperature of the cooked octopus could be tweaked to better highlight the maximum potential from the charcoal.

As little bits go, share plates come. With the soccarat, Catalan regionality is strongly at play. This iteration has traditional favourite seafood bits and bobs, pippies and firefly squid. Essentially, soccarat is the Spanish sister in the family of scorched rice dishes, with others being tahdig, nurungji and concón. A definitive standout, spoonfuls of the evenly charred, thin layer of rice were nutty, smoky, and creamy all in one. The abundant scatter of chives added a particular herbaceous note—a welcomed complexity that paired extraordinarily well with the amicable litres of melted better. To cut through the richness, a side of beans and roasted peach tossed in ajo blanco does the trick. Garlicky, cool and just a little sweet.

Evidenced by our empty glasses, these dishes are a master curation of flavours that pair with the commands of differing wines. Dessert—a snug plate of baked custard, plum compote and icy coffee and rum granita—takes centre stage. The custard is creamy, the granita is bold and bitter, and the plum is bloody and ripe and perfect.

Dishes disappear into a mere scrape on the plate, but the spell of Letra House lingers, ephemeral and dark — the food here feels less like sustenance and more like an experience.