31 October 2025
By James Mullan
After two decades in the hospitality industry working in prestigious venues across Sydney and an eight-year stint as an expat in Hong Kong, James Pollard has brought a vibrant taste of South America to Crows Nest with his new restaurant, Los Bravos at 59 Willoughby Rd.
Pollard’s journey in hospitality began in the late nineties, leading him to Hong Kong in 2008 as a training consultant. “My job was just a training consultant, so I would go into bars and restaurants that we’re trying to teach local staff in Hong Kong about the service and front of house detail that we have in western style dining and bars and restaurants,” Pollard explained. He returned to Australia in 2013 due to a family illness and soon after, partnered with an old colleague to open his first restaurant, Kaya, a Japanese Izakaya in Oxford Street. After selling Kaya, Pollard managed the Garfish group in Crows Nest and Manly before the pandemic hit.
The inspiration for Los Bravos stemmed from a six-month trip to Peru with a Peruvian colleague. “I traveled a little in Chile and Argentina. Then I settled in Peru where I really learned the higher level of culinary cuisine and bar operators that there are in Lima,” Pollard recounted. He was particularly captivated by the Peruvian concept of “Ana,” which he describes as “the life and the soul of a restaurant or a bar.”
Los Bravos, which translates to “the brave ones,” opened its doors four weeks ago in a space that had been vacant for years. Pollard hasn’t just worked in the area but is a local, having grown up in Cammeray “I’m very familiar with this area for my entire life,” he stated, highlighting Crows Nest as “a very dynamic area for food and beverage.” He also praised the strong community spirit among local businesses, liking that “all the venues seem to talk to each other.” with some of his local favourites including Small Bar and Plan B.
The menu: A culinary journey through South America
The menu at Los Bravos is a “labor of love” developed by Pollard, his investor, and a chef from Colombia. It brings the rich gastronomic scenes of Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, and Chile to Crows Nest.
- Empanadas Argentinas: A familiar staple across Latin America, Los Bravos highlights the Argentinian version. “We use our own dough, which we have created as a hybrid of a sort of pizza dough with a little yeast. And then we mix that with a little dairy content, which creates this beautiful sort of buttery dough that when you wrap your empanada and bake, it sort of crumbles in your mouth rather than becomes crunchy or hard,” Pollard said.
- Patacones Tradiciconales: A traditional plantain fritter, a fruit rarely found in Australia. “We smash these plantain into a fritter and fry it to create this beautiful crispy vessel to highlight our fresh guacamole, Pico de gallo and this beautiful ingredient called hogao,” Pollard explained. Hogao is a Colombian stewed tomato jam used as a dipping sauce or a base for stews, like their braised chicken haga.
- Ceviche Peruano: A dish with hundreds of years of history, created by Peruvians with a Japanese influence. “We just take freshly cut red onion, mix it with a very beautiful, at the moment we’re using a pink snapper from Western Australia that is basically tossed in a combination of red onion, coriander, fresh lime, a little salt, a hint of ginger,” he said.
- Choripan Argentino: A popular takeaway option featuring a smoked chorizo cooked over charcoal, a traditional Argentinian grilling technique.
- Camarones Borrachos (Drunken Prawns): A culinary play on Argentinian grilling, these prawns are “drown the prawns in bourbon and then we marinate them in a jerk spice.”
- Carne Con Chimichurri: Beef steak prepared with modern techniques. “We souve our meat gently first… So you get the combination of this infused flavor and then that lovely little crust on the outside,” Pollard detailed.
The bar: South American spirits and unique twists
The bar concept at Los Bravos also embraces its South American theme, with 80% of the wine and cocktail list featuring South American selections. Classic cocktails include the Peruvian Pisco Sour, Mexican Margarita, Puerto Rican Pina Colada, and Brazilian Caipirinha.
Signature cocktails offer unique twists, such as the spicy chorizo margarita, where oil infused with chorizo spice is dabbed onto the drink. The Smoky Mezcal Margarita incorporates roasted agave root for an intense smoky flavor, paired with lemongrass syrup and charred lemongrass. A unique Pisco Sour features Lulo, a Colombian fruit described as a “hybrid of a lime and an apple,” providing a “lovely zing from the acidity of it” and a “fresh green apple flavor.”
The wine list predominantly features wines from Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay, known for their excellent winemaking. Local Malbec and other varietals with Spanish origins are also offered. Beers include Peruvian, Colombian, and Argentinian selections, alongside two local tap beers made by an Avalon brewery, crafted in styles typical of South American preferences for “crisp, fresh beers.”
Sourcing South American spirits like Venezuelan and Colombian rums has been a challenge due to inconsistent supply chains and import taxes, leading to a constantly evolving Pisco list. However, Pollard is committed to showcasing these unique spirits, including the “very famous AGU denter from Columbia,” an anise-heavy spirit popular as a palate cleanser.
For unique non-alcoholic options, Los Bravos features “Chicha ada,” a purple corn drink from Peru infused with clove, cinnamon, and pineapple.
Los Bravos is a unique and authentic South American experience, celebrating the “brave” pioneers of a cuisine that is often underrepresented in many parts of the world. A unique, and welcome addition to the North Shore hospitality scene.