Calida Argentinian

The culinary traditions of Argentina are celebrated at Calida, a fiery 180-seat steakhouse concept nestled in the heart of South Bank. The latest concept from Alemre Hospitality Group (Ole Restaurant, Vici Italian and Downtown Istalbul), Calida has seen the team transform a 210-sqm corner space on Grey Street into a striking dining destination – one boasting a dark, moody and modern fit-out envisioned by Collectivus and built by UNITA. The space features an aesthetic rawness, with exposed brick, burnished-metal accents and charcoal tones softened by warm leathers, ambient lighting, Argentinian textiles and a large ficus in the middle of the space. The restaurant’s commitment to quality has been reflected in its menu, which features the finest cuts of grain-fed beef (supplied by S. Kidman & Co) prepared with authentic cooking techniques and presented with modern flourishes. Alemre Hospitality Group’s executive chef Adam Starr is overseeing the offering, which starts with the likes of char-grilled semi-cured pork sausage, marinated lamb-rump skewers with tomatillo salsa, hand-cut beef fillet tartare, pork chop on the bone with roasted-carrot puree and slow-cooked whole lamb shoulder. Calida’s custom Parilla grill will also be utilised to cook a five-strong selection of steaks, each served with house-made chimichurri sauce and Australian red gum smoked salt.