THE Spanish Flamenco likely has its roots in the Flemish word for "flame".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And like a delicate flame trapped in a dust devil, flamenco dancer Tatiana Bistrin whirled and twirled in time with a deftly handled Spanish guitar, to the delight of assembled diners.
The Good Food Ballarat Festival became a Good Food fiesta at Cafe Meigas on Thursday evening.
There was raciones and pintxos; cerveza and sangria; and, as midnight approached, new amigos and enamorados.
"We had nearly 50 people. There was a lot of food, a lot of drink, and a lot of people who didn't know each other sat at the table and at the end of the night it was like one big family," Cafe Meigas owner Yamelly Perez said.
"It was amazing."
Raciones represent full sized meals in Spain. Ms Perez said there was a wide variety - all very authentic - including: mussels, sardines, meatballs, chorizos and Spanish omelette.
Pintxos, meanwhile, represents smaller, bite-sized serves, particularly popular in northern Spain.
In all, about 17 meal courses were counted, if anyone was indeed counting late into the night.
Chef Jose Fernandez is from Galicia, on the northwestern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, while two of the waiters are from Malaga on the Mediterranean coast.
Good Food Ballarat is presented by The Courier and sponsored by Ballarat Regional Tourism.
The festival moves to the Land of the Rising Sun on Friday evening.
