Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards 2009
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Anonymously reviewed by Time Out's panel of expert judges
Updated: Wed Sep 16 2009
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Best New Restaurant | Best New Italian | Best New Cheap Eats | Best New Gastropub | Best New Bar | Best New Local Restaurant | Best New Café | Best New Design | Best Spanish Restaurant | Best Spanish Wine List
Best Spanish Restaurant
In association with Wines from Spain-
WINNER: Lola Rojo
78 Northcote Road, Clapham, SW11 6QL
Short-listed for ‘Best Local Restaurant’ in our 2007 awards, Lola Rojo has never been short of (well deserved) accolades. Success bred a sister establishment at Wandsworth Bridge Road in 2008, which shares the clean, contemporary look of this Northcote Road original. Yet Lola Rojo doesn’t favour style over substance, as a perusal of the menu proves. Its assured, creative combos of well-sourced Spanish ingredients are put together with the confidence that characterises Spain’s resurgent cooking – what’s become known as cocina nueva (‘new cuisine’). There’s the odd flirtation with trendy foams, as in grilled octopus with roast potatoes and onion with saffron foam, but there are plenty of well rendered, updated classic dishes too, such as fabada (bean stew) with butter beans, chorizo and pancetta or artichokes with Serrano ham and romesco sauce. The rice dishes, particularly the swoon-worthy black rice, cooked with squid ink, and spiked with squid, saffron and all i oli, a garlicky mayonnaise-like sauce, are not to be missed. The concise, all-Spanish wine list is chosen with care. Service is charming and knowledgeable and the food served with obvious pride, at prices that appeal to all wallets. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Tapas Brindisa
18-20 Southwark Street, London Bridge, SE1 1TJ
There’s a reason the bar is packed and there’s a queue for tables: this place expertly captures the spirit and flavour of Spain. Tapas are based on quality ingredients from parent company and Spanish fine food importer Brindisa; assemblies of imported charcuterie (including top quality Joselito ham), fish and cheese are excellent, as are cooked dishes such as ajo blanco (chilled almond and garlic soup) and sautéed chicken livers with capers. A justly popular Borough Market institution. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Cambio de Tercio
163 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, SW5 0LJ
The cooking at Cambio de Tercio is bold, daring and accomplished. Banish thoughts of staid Iberian offerings when dining here and prepare yourself for updated classics-with-a-twist such as gazpacho with a dollop of cherry ice cream or foie gras with Manchego cheese-flavoured foam. The tapas-sized dishes are the best way to graze from the menu. The dining room is colourful yet plush and service effortlessly smooth. A class act all round. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Fino
33 Charlotte Street, entrance on Rathbone Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 1RR
A grown-up restaurant with a glamorous tapas bar, meticulously run by hispanophile brothers Sam and Eddie Hart. The appealing menu cherry-picks dishes from all over Spain, from Galician-style octopus to Andalusian mojama (wind-dried tuna loin). Offerings change regularly – look out for daily specials as well as seasonal Spanish ingredients – and the cooking is refined, sticking largely to classic, well rendered flavour combinations. Read more
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Best New Restaurant | Best New Italian | Best New Cheap Eats | Best New Gastropub | Best New Bar | Best New Local Restaurant | Best New Café | Best New Design | Best Spanish Restaurant | Best Spanish Wine List-
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18 comments
Lola Rojo, is not bad but nothing on Carmen at Clapham Common.
Lola Rojo is not really spanish. it is catalan. They do rices for British taste that do not exist in Spain, portions ae tiny, the atmosphere is depressing. It is miles away from the real thing you will find in Spain. It just shows how terrible Spanish food is in London. Sad "taste" of things.
Glaring omission in Best Spanish - Barrafina. Judging by the queues and all great reviews, including in Timeout and by its readers.
Confused by those who don't think Princi is not cheap? Fairly large portion of pretty good pasta or salad is £6-7, which is probably the most expensive thing in there. Pretty good tasting food and nice looking place. Pretty good value for money if you ask me. Ok, it's not as cheap as your local sandwich shop or greasy spoon, but come on. How cheap is cheap eats suppose to be?
I was disappointed with the Spanish Restaurants winner too. I frequent Tapas Variadas on Northcote Road, just metres down the road from La Rioja. The food is much more value for money (try the huge seafood platter for only £9) and the lovely little restaurant, quaint. I ve been to Lola Rioja, and found the atmosphere a little pretentious and the food overpriced for what you are given.
I agree that the "Best Cheap Eats" selection is pretty disappointing this year. I always relied on Time Out to help me discover real gems, not restaurants which have been well advertised and, quite frankly, aren't exactly groundbreaking discoveries.
Re Albion at the Boundary: good for brunch but not "cheap" (I'd go to E Pellicci any time instead! that's authentic and cheap). Not so good if you fancy well cooked comfort food: my cauliflower cheese was so crunchy that I had trouble cutting through it. I didn't even manage to finish it, incredible really as I was (a) extremely hungry and (b) in dire need of said comfort.
Please, Time Out, don't let us down next year!
the thing is that pretty much everywhere in london is a rip off.
you want value for money? go to capitan corelli in battersea park road. real italian as you could find in italy 30 yrs ago in small towns.
Great food, cakes to die for and a good cup of coffee. It's hard to beat The Fleet. I go there regularly, the foods always delicious, there's plenty of seating and there's always a buzz about the place , the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed certainly not lacking!
It is worth trying Harwood Arms! Great food (delicious soup as a starter) and friendly service, although a bit on the pricey side. Funny how everyone looks like they just left their houses in Westport, CT. Bocca di Lupo continues to be my favorite so far!
I found both Giaconda and Boundary rather disappointing. Great ingredients no doubt, and competent kitchen skills, which makes it even strager as to why the end result in both was a bit flat. Not sure the British 'food revolution' has helped much - people cook more and better, restaurants cook less and simpler, and thw two have ended up meeting in the middle somewhat. Do i need to spend £18 for someone to grill a chop for me?
And why 2 specifically Spanish categories?
I'm very sorry timeout, but Giaconda Dining Rooms was a massive disapointment to me. Difficult to create atmosphere in such a small space and food capable, but not exciting. I took my partner for his birthday having read the reviews on this site and had to apologise to him halfway through the meal... Maybe I missed something.
I have two things to say about these results.
Firstly 39 Colbrooke Row is a terrible little place full of cheap furniture and dirty toilets. Yes the barman is great and the cocktails fun but it's not fun spilling half of it on a wobbly table.
Secondly - Albion Caff Bakery - Christ Almighty, if these cakes are good I would not like to taste a Time Out rubbish-rated example. These may have to be some of the worst cakes I have ever eaten. YUK.
Come on Time Out, you are not exactly surprising us and encouraging us to grab our coats and scarper to a new exciting gem. Yawn!
Agree with Princi not being cheap. Maybe if you wanna eat three raviolis (and get a not-so-kind look when you ask for cheese)...
I agree with Anthony. Princi is not cheap!!
The Harwood is my local and, in my view a well deserved winner. IIt's a great mix of quirky and traditional english food....and always beautifully cooked and presented:)