Niña — Restaurant in Adelaide

My girlfriend and I came here on a Saturday night, and the first thing I thought when I was looking down through the glass into the place from street level as we walked to the door was that it felt like this really tightly contained party was going on inside and only those who were already in there were in on it. We had barely set foot inside the restaurant before the hospitality started. We were welcomed immediately and walked around the high table seating to our places at the bar, squarely in front of the kitchen, and just like that, we were involved.

The gentleman who served us at the bar on the night fielded all questions we threw at him regarding the menu and still had time to make wine recommendations in between. He put our orders through, and away we went, with the assurance we could order more food at any time along the way and we just had to let him know. When he wasn't serving the both of us, he was cracking open bottles of wine for others and sending orders behind him to the kitchen. He did not stop moving all night, but he was on top of things at all times and always had a smile on his face.

So did everyone else, actually. All night, all the staff were in party mode, genuinely happy to be there creating experiences for all the patrons. There was 90s dance and hip hop piping through the speakers most of the night, and chef Leonardo Loureiro was singing along and having the time of his life while plating food and never missing a beat, both literally and figuratively. That cat was cool as a cucumber all night through the service, and the fact that we could only spot two other chefs in the kitchen with him all night, sending plates to the whole restaurant, speaks volumes to their talent, composure, prep work and organisation.

We need to talk about the kitchen. I love sitting near the kitchen. The engine room. You can get a real sense of what a restaurant is like by being near the kitchen and seeing the operations unfold. Our seats at the bar afforded us a view of stainless steel surfaces and compact, efficient arrangements. Not a square inch of space was being underutilised in this place. Chef Loureiro was plating the dishes at a section of a cold prep bench seemingly not much larger than most people's chopping boards. Small things like this made it that much more astounding to me that all the food going out to a packed house on the night was coming from such a small, industrious space, both of which are good adjectives for the restaurant as a whole.

It's the small footprint that makes use of all its spaces to feel larger than it is, whether you're at the bar, or sitting at a shared table, or on the benches along the glass frontage, and at each one you would get a slightly different dining experience. You might be forgiven in a way for thinking the place has been here for years under different stewardship and now belongs to people who have made it their own, utilising the area for what it is, but no; it's brand new, unique, and uses its size to its advantage to make it the busy, raved-about restaurant it is. The atmosphere here is special, and looking around at all the other customers on the night, they know it, too.

All this, and the food hasn't even had a look in yet. I'll make it easy, because the food speaks for itself--sings, even. Get whatever else you want, but you must have these three dishes, non-negotiable. The patatas bravas, the brussels sprouts, and the basque cheesecake. The basque was the whole reason I wanted to go here in the first place after seeing the restaurant in Broadsheet. I've had bad, and I've had good, but the smile that the first mouthful of this basque put on my face is exactly what good food should do, and if all the restaurant did was serve basque cheesecake, I would've more than got my...

I’ve known chef Leo since he started ‘Basque by Leo’. When he announced his new restaurant, I couldn’t be more happier because his basque cheesecake is the best thing ever so I was super excited to see what his food would be like.

Last night, my sister and I finally visited Nina. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. We started off with a couple of cocktails which were really good, my sister wanted to try the sangria but they usually serve it in the jug but the bartender was kind enough to give us a single serve. Thank you for accommodating our request.

Now onto the food, we had the charred carrot dip, chicken pintxo skewers, the patata bravas, the brussel sprouts (I’ve never had brussel sprouts before and now I can’t have it any other way) and the half chicken. It was an absolute flavour explosion! Everything was so fresh and delicious. It is a bit pricey but if the food is that good, honestly take all my money haha. And of course we had to finish off with the basque cheesecake (still the best) and we also tried the dulce de leche creme catalana, it’s like a crème brûlée but better!🫣 Overall vibes of this place were immaculate! I’ll be back for sure!

Congratulations Leo, Brenda and the entire team on this incredible establishment, wishing you all many more years...

The ambiance and plating at Nina are refined, and the service was polite, but the overall execution of the dishes did not meet expectations—especially considering the price point. Here’s a breakdown of what I ordered: Hokkaido Scallop, yuzu-chilli butter, jamon: The scallop itself was fine, but the addition of jamon felt unnecessary and overwhelmed the delicate seafood flavor.

Tuna Escabeche Tostada, Avocado, Guindilla: Very average—nothing particularly memorable.

Txangurro Crab, Saffron, Chilli, Nori: The bread component was well done, but the sauce was overpowering and masked the natural sweetness of the crab.

Jamon Flatbread, Mozzarella, Hot Honey, Espelette: The flatbread was well made, but the mozzarella wasn’t melted, making it hard to combine with the bread. The espelette looked nice but didn’t add any flavor.

Cauliflower: Surprisingly the most balanced and enjoyable dish of the night.

MS3+ Flank Steak: Served cold. After notifying the staff, it was reheated—but that turned the medium-rare steak into well-done, ruining the texture and flavor. Lost all interest in trying dessert after that.

If you have high expectations when it comes to food, Nina may not be the best choice. At this price point, there are definitely better options...