GIRLS, put on your favourite pair of Manolo Blahnik strappy sandals, grab your partner and step out Spanish style.
From falafel to fettuccine, from French to Finnish, from fresh to fast, food is a fad, subject to the fate of fashion - and following the latest trend allows for fearless fun and fine feasting, flamenco style!
It's sexy, sultry and just a little bit spicy and, according to renowned Brisbane food critic, Jan Power, Spain is the new 'it' place for fabulous and fashionable food, well on its way to being the number one international cuisine in Brisbane.
"Spanish food is the new fashion; it's quite glamorous and it's always been there but now people are discovering it's really worth it," Ms Power said.
"Spanish food is very popular in Brisbane and as we have a similar climate and similar personalities it works because we always need a change in fashion.
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"I'm a total fan of Spain, they do everything well, eating to them is a total social component and something to share."
The Mediterranean diet appears to be in sync with both the Queensland climate and its health conscious, trendy population. The ingredients used in Spanish cooking are known to be fresh, natural and nourishing, with liberal use of herbs, oils and spices delivering scintillating flavours.
Brisbanites are jumping on the Mediterranean bandwagon with nine Spanish restaurants currently operating within a 5 kilometre radius of Brisbane's CBD. Additionally through the popularity of television programs such as Masterchef Australia and My Kitchen Rules, people are becoming more adventurous and trying new delicacies at fine dining eateries and backstreet cafes or even sharing tapas and sangria on their backyard deck.
Cooking classes around Brisbane including Mondo Organics at West End are incorporating classes solely devoted to the craft of learning Spanish cooking, with Chef Paul Horne sharing modern recipes for sophisticated tapas.
Language and Latin dance schools also have more people learning Spanish and the sexy, seductive and sultry moves of the Tango and the Samba. Latin dance teacher Anthea Tert, who's been dancing for 33 years, says the Spanish way of life is taking over as the international flavour in terms of music, culture, food and dance.
"I teach private classes and there has been a huge growth in popularity in the past two years as there are more people wanting to learn just for fun," Mrs Tert said.
"Spanish music is very rich, it makes you feel like dancing and it has a special way of reaching people internally," she said.
Brisbane is following the international rise in popularity of Spanish cuisine. Recent results from the 2010 San Pellegrino's World's Best 50 restaurants, found restaurants in Spain hold four of the top 10 positions worldwide.
Owner of Pintxo Spanish Taperia Tapas Restaurant in Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, Melissa Telecican, attributes Spanish food's popularity with an assortment of various taste sensations and its unique social atmosphere.
"People like having variety and trying lots of different things and as the food comes out gradually on a tapas train it makes it ideal for the individual, couples or larger social groups," Mrs Telecian said.
"We have Spanish tourists drop by for an authentic meal, however, we mainly cater to Brisbane locals, particularly those who have travelled to Spain and are passionate about the food and culture.
"I opened the restaurant after a trip to Spain, realising there were Spanish quarters in both Sydney and Melbourne yet there was a market for Spanish food in Brisbane that had yet to be discovered," Mrs Telecican said.
A patron dining at Pintxo, Jason Quinell, said he would definitely be back.
"It's my first time trying Spanish food and I love it," he said.
As Spanish cuisine is sizzling hot right now, step out before summer ends, sangria in one hand, flamenco fan in the other and adopt a fearless fixation for the 'latest' fashionable food.
