Restaurants

A blackboard greeting our entry informed us that Olé had been ‘Voted best Spanish restaurant in London’ – by Time Out.That was news to us as no such vote took place, and we would not grant Olé that accolade even if it did. The dishes here are certainly not the best in the capital, but, to be fair, they’re not bad either. Two hard-to-perfect choices from the large menu – calf’s liver with onions and red wine sauce, and a dish called ‘mar y tierra’, a sauté of octopus, prawns and wild mushrooms – came off very well. The tender, fleshy textures of each dish were treated with care, and the sauces were complementary, not camouflaging. But the undisputed highlight of our meal was a shared main-course fillet of sea bass with courgette and salsify and a smattering of romesco sauce. The biggest let-down is the sterile decor; white walls and tablecloths do not go well with blond wood floors and furniture, especially during the day when so much light floods in through the glass walls. Still, this doesn’t seem to deter the punters – they’re too busy enjoying what’s on their plates.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008