Deux Frères @ Sydney

I came for the Paella, but they were sold out by the time I got my table. But the rest of the tapas were delicious too.

Deux Frères is a wonderful, small Basque tapas restaurant in Sydney’s CBD. Stepping inside Deux Frères you’ll feel as if you’ve just wandered through a maze of cobblestone streets and stumbled into a bar in Donostia-San Sebastián – where making pintxos is an art form, and eating them is a social event.

Bacalao is the Spanish and Filipino term for dried and salted codfish. It’s a preserved fish with a firm texture and salty flavour, widely used in various cuisines, particularly in Portuguese cuisine, with over 1000 recipes for salt cod dishes.

Pintxo is a small snack, similar to tapas, typically eaten in bars, traditional in northern Spain and especially popular in the Basque country. They are traditionally served on skewers or toothpicks and often enjoyed with drinks in bars, functioning as appetisers before a meal or as a social snack. The name “pintxo” comes from the Spanish word “pinchar,” meaning “to prick” or “to pierce,” referring to the skewers often used to hold the ingredients together. 

Boquerones, Olive Oil & Vinegar w/ Marinated Anchovies

Boquerones are fresh anchovy fillets that have been marinated in vinegar, typically white wine vinegar, and then preserved in olive oil. Unlike traditional anchovies, which are cured in salt, boquerones are marinated to achieve a milder, tangier flavour. It came in two versions, with pickled peppers, and without peppers

Artisan Loaf Served w/ Whipped Espelette Butter

I couldn’t leave the tasty olive oil alone and asked for some bread. To my horror, a slice of bread here costed AUD 4, but it did come with some really delicious whipped espelette butter. And the bread was cold too. Disappointing.

Brioche, Foie Gras, Onion Jam and Tomato, Serrano Ham

Another popular pintxo are these slice of open-faced sandwiches with savoury toppings. I ordered the brioche with a thick slice of foie gras on a bed of onion jam, and baguette with crushed tomatoes and Serrano ham. Finished each of these in two bites, very satisfying.

La Boqueria

The Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, usually simply referred to as La Boqueria, is a large public market in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona. And it is famous for the numerous pintxo bar and Iberico ham shops. There are many ham on offer, and we ordered the 36 months Ibérico de Cebo Jamon sliced to order. The ham was moist and tasty, but the slicing was not very professional.

House Croquetas Served w/ Shaved Ossau Iraty, Sauce Gribiche

Ossau-Iraty is a French cheese made from sheep’s milk, made in the Ossau valley in Béarn and the Iraty mountains in the Basque Country, which is reflected in its name. It’s known for its smooth, creamy texture and nutty, slightly sweet flavour with hints of hazelnut and olive. The croquettes were crusted mashed potatoes filled with bacalao and confit duck, served on a bed of Sauce Gribiche.

A delicious selection of fresh, homemade tapas ready to be enjoyed in a warm and friendly atmosphere. We loved everything we ordered. Tapas were delivered quickly.

Deux Prères Pintxos & Bar
6 Loftus Lane, Sydney 2000 (Reservations)

Visited May 2025