Northern Spain is so hot right now. It feels like every Hackney dweller and their miniature schnauzer is heading for a long weekend in San Sebastian to snack on pintxos and sip sidra. But you don’t need to drop £200 on flights to try txistorra and cheesecake, because you can feast on Basque cooking at a host of homegrown London restaurants, from steak house Ibai and hip seafood bar Tollington’s to the newly-opened Alta.
The crisp loaf resembles something from a fairy feast
A serene oasis inside the hectic Kingly Court food hall from the same group who brought us the wonderful Moi, Alta feels calm and sophisticated. Neutral tones and natural materials will soothe your overstimulated mind; the walls are artfully caked in mud, and sculptural cracks are highlighted with warm spotlights – perhaps a hark to Cantabria’s paleolithic cave paintings?
All manner of sharing plates are on offer, with an emphasis on open fire grilling. I feel a frisson of joy when our bread and butter arrives in an extremely whimsical fashion. The crisp, warm-in-the-middle loaf has perfectly pointed ends, resembling something from a fairy feast. Equally gorgeous is sea bream crudo, bite-size morsels of fish in a zingy mandarin dressing. Then cheese doughnuts: stuffed with smokey cheddar and drizzled in hot honey. Pure gooey indulgence.
Also excellent is Alta’s ode to arroz meloso, a bed of umami rice and sweet crab meat. It’s surprisingly light and we’re this close to licking the plate clean. For the grand finale, a 35 day aged sirloin with smoked bone marrow. A cave man’s fantasy, this huge lump of marbled meat comes encased in a chargrilled crust and there’s a deep red jus. Order it with ratte potatoes, served alongside garlicky mojo verde butter, and sweet, butter-soft leeks dotted with crunchy walnuts.
Dessert arrives like a grown-up’s take on the American campfire classic, the s’more. Dark chocolate mousse is seasoned with olive oil and salt, before a thick swirl of marshmallow is added, which is then smooshed with a hot iron. The secret ingredient is a thin layer of crisped bread, which conceals a spoonful of sourdough sorbet.
Although I’ll have to come back for the cheesecake, I left feeling like I’d done a whistlestop tour of northern España.
The vibe A sophisticated Soho spot hidden in a rowdy food court.
The food Live fire cooking inspired by the Alta Navarra region in northern Spain.
The drink Vermouth, British and Spanish ciders, wines and cocktails, Alta’s drinks menu is seriously extensive and sectioned to help you pair any tipple with any course.
Time Out tip Don’t skip aperitivo. The rum-based Not Them Apples cocktail managed to be sweet, sour and savoury all at once.
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