Capote y Toros

Time Out says

Fri Jul 29 2011

Like its sister restaurants (Cambio de Tercio and Tendido Cero) that together create a sherry-and-tapas triangle on Old Brompton Road, Capote y Toros is done out in vibrant colours.

The deep pink and ultra-orange echo the bullfighters' capes in the framed portrayals of bullfighting that fill an entire wall in this small, shop-front sherry and jamón bar. The same sense of bravado carries over to the bill of fare. The wine list explores the great names (Rioja, Ribera del Duero) and lesser-known regions of Spain. The main attraction here, though, is not the wines, but the sherries. You can taste them in all their multifaceted glory, the 48 varieties available by the glass, ranging from bone-dry, pale-straw-coloured finos and manzanillas to unctuously rich, raisiny sweet pedro ximénez.

The menu is a mini gastro-tour of Spain's great and good, so you can order Andalucían-style chilled gazpacho soup, or Galician-style boiled octopus dusted with paprika, as well as dishes cooked using various styles of sherry.