Restaurants

By Andrew Staffell

Pity the poor students of Lewisham College, I thought, as I rooted around for the inconspicuous Dos Tías, which has recently opened next door. This utterly unlovely corner of the A2, distinguished by a hulking concrete bridge, the 453 bus terminus, a dirty canal and an awful lot of traffic, offers scant solace for them after a hard day's graft.

Now, Dos Tías has come to the rescue. Its white walls, blond woods and terracotta tiling create an oasis of civility and cheer, a refuge from the swirl of noise and dirt just beyond the door.

On the one hand, the 'Two Aunts' is a regular café doing breakfast/coffee/ sandwiches. When we visited at lunchtime, most customers were just grabbing a quick panini or latte. The sandwiches looked good, with ample fillings and good bread, properly toasted.

But the menu says 'Spanish tapas bar and restaurant', so they're obviously aiming a bit higher. We chose a few classics from the short, simple (and super-cheap) list. Perhaps we caught the kitchen off guard, as our meatballs, chorizo with chicken and patatas bravas weren't hot enough - and the tomato sauces were also rather samey. But the meatballs did at least taste own-made, and the chorizo was succulent and spicy. And roasted vegetables on toast was excellent.

Locals should rejoice at this brand-new dining option on their doorstep.

Everyone else needn’t rush across town, but if you ever fall asleep on the 453…

Time Out Issue 1936: September 26-October 2 2007