B
eforeUnaMásopeneda yearago,JordanToft
wouldvisualisewhatwastobecomeofthesmall,
sectioned-offspacesittingonthemiddlefloorof
Sydney’sCoogeePavilion.“I alwayssawthisspace
asthatplacewhereyouwalkoffthebeachwithyourlinen
shirtonandthetopbuttonundone;you’vegotthetotebag
withyourthingsinit,yourslide-onshoes,andyoukindof
justslideonintoUnaMás,”saysToft,therestaurant’s
executivechef.“I couldimaginethetablewitha bitoffood
onit,andthatbottlesittingtherewitha littlebitof
perspirationdrippingfromit;thosewhispersofsmoke
comingfromthekitchenandthegrillingontheJosper.
That’showI sawit.That’showI feltit.”
Now,thatvisionhascometolife.Thebuzzyeastern
suburbstapas-stylebaris anodetotheMediterranean,and
thecasualelegancethatgoeswithit.Dishesaresmall,simple
andreminiscentoftomato-toppedpintxosinSanSebastián,
seafood-drivenmezeinGreece,andvibrantCatalan-style
snacksfoundonthebackstreetsofBarcelona.
“Themenuis derivedfroma lotofdifferentseaside
locations,andwasinspiredbythetoneofthefoodrather
thananyspecificdishes,”saysToft.
HeadchefAndrewWandless,whomovedfromBert’sin
NewportwhenUnaMásopened,workedwithTofttocreate
a beautifullyfresh,seasonalmenu,unboundbyregion.He
describesthefoodascleanandproduce-focused,while
keepinginlinewiththeunderlyingMediterraneantheme.
“There’sa coupleofdishesthathavefourelements,but
it’sgenerallythree,soalltheingredientsreallysingontheir
own,”hesays.“They’reallquitelightandbright,withlittle
tonodairy.”
Forthisissue,thechefssharesixoftheirfavouriteplates
fromthemenu.Fuelledbyoliveoilandmodestlyprepared,
eachdishshowcasesunfussy,coastalcreativityinsnack-sized
form.UnaMásmeansonemoreinSpanishand,at Merivale’s
halcyonhotspot,it’sboththequestionandtheanswer.
130a Beach St, Coogee, NSW, merivale.com/venues/una-mas/Above:ExecutivechefJordanToft(right)
andheadchefAndrewWandless.PREVIOUS
PAGELinentableclothfromInBed(used
throughout). All other props stylist’s own.80 GOURMET TRAVELLER
PHOTOGRAPHY STEVEN WOODBURN (INTERIOR).