Capote y Toros

Time Out says

Wed Jun 27 2012

Sit against the wall at Capote y Toros and you can view the bar, barrels, bottles and the Old Brompton Road; sit facing it and you see so many pictures of bulls, bullfighters and other loads of old bull, it’s all hard to take in – though the hanging ‘bulls’ heads’ are of basketwork rather than the real thing.

The smallest offshoot of Cambio de Tercio restaurant next door and Tendido Cero opposite, this venue is described as a ‘ham and sherry bar’, so seating is limited. A prime attraction is the chance to explore the Cambio group’s remarkable (if pricey) wine list, with fine bottles from nearly every Spanish region and, especially, an encyclopaedic range of sherries.

Very fine ibérico ham and other meats feature highly on the (bizarrely naff-looking) menu, but there are also more intricate modern tapas such as salmon tartare with garlic and oil, a smooth salt cod brandade and a goat’s cheese salad made special by irresistible Pedro Ximénez sherry dressing.

The young Spanish staff were perkily friendly in tapas-bar style, though you wonder if they could offer advice about the £500 Priorats or Ribera del Dueros on the wine list.