A Review of Movida in Singapore: Bringing the OG of Spanish Tapas in Melbourne
- Ava Lyn
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Movida Singapore
252 North Bridge Road
#03-43 Raffles City
Singapore 179103
Movida is the OG of Spanish Tapas in Melbourne and Chef Frank Camorra is the person behind this. Movida Singapore opened in 2024 as part of the Surrey Hills group on Level 3 in Raffles City alongside Bon Broth as well as Mensho Tokyo. I can't believe it has taken us a whole year before visiting! Movida Melbourne brings back special memories for me as it was where I had celebrated major life milestones like my 18th birthday and subsequently graduation and beyond. So needless to say, I had high expectations of Movida Singapore.
As compared to Movida Melbourne, Movida Singapore is in a much more spacious location. No graffiti and tight laneways, Movida Singapore is modern and reminds us of a nice Spanish bodega with brick walls and walls of alcohol. On the topic of alcohol, happy hour at Movida runs from 5-7 pm everyday and has a very nice selection of beers, sangria, wines as well as mocktails and is definitely a fantastic way to start your evening.
Today, we had:
Tabla de Embutidos - Spanish Iberico Small Goods: Lomo, Chorizo, Salsichon, Tete de Moine, Picos and Pickles
Croquetta -Special of the day with truffle mushrooms
Bomba - Catalan Potato Bomb Filled with Chorizo Topped with Mojo Picon Canary Island Dressing
Anchoa - Cantabrian Artisan Anchovy with Smoked Tomato Sorbet
Tartar - David Blackmore 9+ Wagyu Tartare with Creme Fraiche on Almond Cracker
Pulpo - Spanish Octopus Cooked over Coals with Pork Sobrasada Sauce and Potato
Carrillera De Buey - Slow Braised Angus Beef Cheek in Pedro Ximenez Sweet Wine and Cauliflower Puree
I was surprised to see that the menu at Movida Singapore is largely identical to Movida Melbourne. But honestly, if it works, why reinvent the wheel. So let's just say it was a trip down memory lane. The reason why Chef Frank Camorra is such a big name, is that he brought Spanish Tapas to Melbourne, when Spanish cuisine was really underrepresented in Australia. This was back in 2003 and he introduced Melbournians to the concept of shared plates and bar side dining, which was something so different at that time. Spanish Tapas places are littered all around Melbourne now, but Chef Frank Camorra was really the person who spear headed this. The food is great and I do hope that being under the Surrey Hills umbrella will help Movida Singapore gain some traction it deserves.
What to eat here?
The Anchoa is a must have in my opinion. Crispy crostini topped with a premium Cantabrian anchovy and a smoked tomato sorbet. It has the perfect combination of salty, sweet, crunch and a cold hit. It's perfection. I also love the Bomba. Patatas anything is delicious, but when you have a savoury hit of chorizon and spice, I could have a mouthful of these little morsels. The pulpo is also deliciously soft, fragrant, charcoal hit and worth trying.
Booking
There are tables a week out, but I highly recommend booking. We walked in at 6pm on a Friday night and were almost turned away because they were filling up. Whilst not completely full, it is not a very big restaurant. Reservations are via Sevenrooms which is very convenient.
Accessibility
Movida Singapore is located at Level 3 in Raffles City within the cluster of Surrey Hills establishments, including Mensho Tokyo (another fantastic concept) and Bon Broth. Getting to Movida is ultra convenient, just take any bus that goes to Raffles City or stop at Raffles City MRT and head up into Raffles City.
The Damage
Total Damage for the night was 205 SGD (tax inclusive) with 2 happy hour drinks. At just under 100 SGD per person for just the meal, with high quality ingredients, it is very good value.
Would we recommend?
Yes! It is an authentic scaled up version of Spanish Tapas. The food is high quality and of good value. We think Movida is a better option compared to several other tapas establishments around town.
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