Restaurants

Primary colours and wall-to-wall windows breathe sunshine into the compact ground floor of this slice of Spain in Pimlico. The basement offers more room with less of the dazzle. Impressively, the entire restaurant was booked up at 7pm on a Wednesday evening. Without a reservation, we were happy to take our place along the bar for nevertheless quick and attentive service. From a broad selection of standard tapas and course-by-course meals, our choices were executed competently. Garlicky prawns were big on flavour, hardly requiring the aïoli which instead came to the aid of not-so-crisp, fried artichokes. Pepper-flecked meatballs and tortilla couldn’t be faulted, although a neighbouring table’s zarzuela fish stew, with an impressive array of seafood, gave rise to much envy. Desserts included the customary flan, tarta de santiago and crema catalana, along with tiramisu and other less-than-typical (but no doubt popular) interlopers. The lively post-work crowd, including a smattering of Spaniards, reflects the overall tone of the restaurant: reliable, inexpensive and a comfortable choice for fans of Spanish food.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009