Tapas Brindisa

Lately I've been in the mood for Spanish tapas which made me think I should finally blog about one of my favourite tapas bars in London (apart from the other great places mentioned in my London Spanish post).  Tapas Brindisa in Soho is part of the Brindisa group who import and sell Spanish food through their shops and restaurants, including a chorizo grill and shop at Borough Markets.
  
The Soho tapas bar is simple but lively and has a casual cafe feel to it.  It's always quite busy and because it doesn't take bookings and is not very big, it can often mean a bit of a wait for a table but the food is worth it.  Dave and I went there with our overseas friends, Jason and Eunice which meant we got to sample a few more dishes than if it were just two of us.


We had 7 different tapas which were all quite different but all tasty including classics such as huevos rotos with ham taquitos (broken eggs over fried potatos with ham pieces) and gambas al ajillo (chilli garlic prawns).  Of course we also had a plate of Brindisa's quality hams, opting for the regional charcuteria plate of chorizo, salchichon, lomo and Teruel ham, which was beautifully presented and served with bread and olive oil. 

Broken eggs on potatoes - grilled lamb cutlets - classic garlic prawns - goats cheese with honey & beetroot

We also tried the deep fried monte enebro - handmade goats cheese with orange blossom honey and crispy beetroot which was pretty to look at but punchy with lots of flavour from the sweetness of the honey to the creamy strong taste of the goats cheese.  Another flavour packed dish was the chuletillas de cordero, grilled lamb cutlets with alioli - the Spanish know how to grill lamb and the Brindisa kitchen lived up to this reputation.  


However the winner for me us definitely the pulpo a la gallega - Galician style octopus with potatoes and pimento.  I saw a picture of this on the Brindisa website before we went and knew it would be good.  The octopus was tender, and was matched perfectly with the combination of potatoes and pimento.  It was even better than the picture suggested and I could have ordered another plate of this as it's one of those dishes I can easily get addicted to.

Jamon - croquettes & octopus - crema Catalana - homemade sorbet

Everyone was impressed with the food and the overall dining experience.  Given the quality of all the dishes, we were keen to try some desserts; predictably I went for the crema catalana which tasted nice but was a tad runny.  Eunice went for homemade strawberry sorbet which was served in a jar and looked like it was going to escape but the only place it went was straight to our grateful tummies!


What:  Tapas Brindisa
Where:  46 Broadwick St, Soho, London W1F 7AF
How much:  dishes £3.75 - £12.75 (£21.50 for the Iberico Selection)

El Bulli del Punto

I ate at El Bulli in Surry Hills a few years ago (I think it was 2008, yes it must have been as our eyes lit up when we saw Dulce de Leche on the menu and it instantly transported us back to Argentina which we'd visited early 2008) and after we had paid for the delicious meal I noticed on the business card that there was an El Bulli del Punto - tapas at The Spot in Randwick? Perfect for me, as it's close to where I live.

Since then I've been to El Bulli del Punto a few times with the family and we always enjoy the food and atmosphere - seriously, does anyone not love tapas? It's not a huge space - there's wooden tables and chairs with cushioned seating along one of the walls (with cushions too), painted fresco walls, candles and a simple glass vase on each table holding two roses. It's warm and inviting which I like.

The complimentary bread comes with a super addictive dipping sauce - I think it's allioli, the Catalan version of aioli. It's somewhat runnier but the garlicky taste is divine. I think I could have this as a meal on it's own but I'd probably have to fight the rest of my family for it!


Lovely allioli with bread, disappearing right before my eyes!

Tonight we order the Ensalada de Tomate (layers of vine ripened tomatoes, spanish onion & fresh basil served in a vinaigrette dressing, $14.50). We don't normally order this but UK (as in Uncle K, not United Kingdom!) has just gotten a not-so-favourable cholesterol reading so a healthy salad is in order. It's simple, light and refreshing - I'd consider ordering it again. But there's always an order of Alitas al Ajillo (garlic chicken wings, $14.50) for Dylzo who is 10 years old and loves all things chicken. They are heaped with garlic which gives them loads of flavour.

Ensalade de Tomato (is that beer good for cholesterol UK?) and Alitas al Ajillo in a nice setting, perfect for tapas.

Personally, I cannot go past the Chipirones (char grilled baby squid in a salt and garlic sauce, $14.50). Oh baby - baby squid! The first time I ever had Chipirones was with Jess in Barcelona and the ones here are nearly, possibly equally,  as good. They are tender bite sized pieces that you can't stop eating.

Chipirones - if you like squid, you'll love these babies!

Cordero Adobado a la Plancha (marinated barbecued lamb backstrap fillets, $19.50) is always a favourite, juicy and full of flavour. Another favourite which is bound to be ordered is Champiñones al Ajillo (sauteed mushrooms in garlic, parsley, white wine & olive oil, $12.50) - garlic and mushrooms are like a match made in heaven that I never get tired of eating. The last savoury dish is up to me to choose this time and I've opted for something we don't normally get - Melon con Jamón (juicy chunks of fresh rockmelon wrapped in thinly sliced serrano ham, $13.50). I enjoy this classic combination, as it's a refreshing contrast to the rest of the dishes and lightens the meal a little.

Cordero Adobado a la Plancha, Melon con Jamón and Champiñones al Ajillo - están muy ricos!

Everyone is so full by the time we finish the tapas and noone is looking in good shape for dessert. I convince them to share a Crema Catalana (traditional baked custard with caramelised sugar coating, $13.50) because AA likes her creme brulees and I use this to persuade her. This version is a little thicker than some and the caramelised coating is almost a solid sheet which needs a decent whack to get through. It tastes like it's got the tiniest hint of alcohol but I can't be sure. Somewhat sweeter than a usual creme brulee, the others find it a tad too sweet and rich, so I end up eating most of it on my own. No complaints from me!

Crema Catalana. You guys sure you don't want anymore? I guess I'll have to eat it all myself... heehee.

What: El Bulli del Punto (see website for details of both El Bulli restaurants)
Where: 40 St Pauls St, Randwick 2031 (02) 9398 2027
How much: See website for menu and prices
Need to know: I'd definitely recommend booking ahead, as it can get quite busy!

Old friends and old favourites: Encasa

There's nothing better than spending time with an old friend - Lost Girl is by no means old, but we've been friends for a long time and that's something I'm more than grateful for.

So what better than dinner with an old friend at an old favourite? I first went to Encasa in 2004 - asked to organise a work lunch for our team of about 12 people (my gluttony was infamous even back then) I thought Encasa would make a good choice. The logic? More people equals more tapas! We ordered 2 of every tapa on the lunch menu and it was ALOT of food and all delicious. It's since been a favourite of mine, the tapas are authentic and the prices are good value.

But back to my dinner with Lost Girl - we didn't want anything too heavy or meaty so we decided to choose two seafood and one vegie tapa. The first was "Pulpo a la Plancha" (grilled fresh baby octopus, $13.50). The taste was nice, although a teeeeeny bit on the chewier side. We still ate it all, but I probably wouldn't recommend it for those with dentures heehee!

We also wanted to get the "Sardinas en Vinagre" (Sardine fillets marinated in olive oil, vinegar and garlic, $9.50). When ordering we were told they don't have sardines but they do have "Anchoas" (anchovies). No complaints from me. These are so good. They go so well with the lightly toasted bread that comes drizzled with a touch of olive oil, the vinegar is refreshing and the olive oil and garlic add loads of flavour. I could eat this all night.

Pulpo a la Plancha. Anchoas en Vinagre - goes perfectly with the lightly toasted bread.

As for the vegie choice... if I could only order 2 dishes when eating at Encasa, these would probably be it because I always order them when I come here. "Champiñones al Ajillo" (Sizzling garlic mushrooms, $9) and Patatas Bravas (Fried potato w/ garlic mayonnaise and spicy tomato salsa, $9). The mushrooms are so garlicky that you probably won't make any new friends but you won't care cause it's more than worth it. And the potatoes, talk about a perfect combination. And it's a huge plate so it's excellent value too.

I'll take Patatas Bravas over chips any day.
And Champiñones al Ajillo - the tastiest defense against vampires and hot dates!

I'm looking forward to my next catch up with Lost Girl. I'm also looking forward to catching up with Encasa again too.

What: Encasa restaurant
Where: 423 Pitt St, Sydney (02) 9211 4257 (check their website for hours and menu)
How much: Tapas range from about $7-$15, they also have main dishes as well as pizza and pasta
Need to know: You should definitely book for dinner, it's always busy at night time. I don't know about you, but I don't like missing out when I have my heart set on Spanish....

3 Spanish picks dedicated to Jack

Like Jack I've been busy with work so have missed my weekly post but I'm back and ready to live again. Jack is the true Spanish lover amongst us - from the language to the food, she's the expert. So whenever I am eating Spanish I always think of her and wonder what she would think and how she would order the dishes in her perfect Spanish. This post is my pick of 3 excellent Spanish places in London and is dedicated to Jack. Apologies for the lack of pictures but I promise this won't happen too much in the future now as I have started carrying a camera with me everywhere like a true blogger.

Lola Rojo
One of my top 3 local picks, Lola Rojo on Northcote Rd was the first restaurant I wanted to try when we moved to Clapham. We weren't disappointed - the food is modern tapas with dishes such as cod with black pudding (my favourite) or chorizo lollipops, and traditional dishes such as the very nicely done patatas bravas. The smallish restaurant is always full at dinner and there are some outdoor bar seats perfect for a nice bottle of Spanish wine and some manchego cheese. I promise you will love it!

Camino
I went to the Kings Cross branch of Camino (the other one is at Canary Wharf) - it's in a great space perfect for a bit of a party and night out. I went with a work group on recommendation from Laura, a work colleague from Madrid. Based on this I knew the food would be good and it was. The jamon, chipirones and chuleton a la panilla (Basque style rib eye steak) were all tasty with some very reasonable prices. Add to this a lively atmosphere with a busy bar and DJs on the weekends, Camino is a great choice for a fun night with fab food to match.

Barrafina
Barrafina is a small tapas bar in Soho which features daily specials of fresh seafood that you can see on display before it is cooked for you. The jamon is also sliced is straight from the leg in front of you and is up there as some of the best I have ever had. We had the platter to share which was all good although the lomo did stand out. We also had the biggest, and most expensive at £7.80 EACH, fresh prawns and a lovely soft shell crab which was so fresh. Chorizo and potato was a filling staple and the chipirones was light and tasty. Along with a great bottle of white wine and some desserts, Barrafina is worth visiting if you can brave the queues (and some of the prices). Note: there is only bar seating at the bar so the maximum group size is 4 with no reservations.

What: Spanish tapas at Lola Rojo, Camino or Barrafina
Where: Battersea or Fulham; King's Cross or Canary Wharf; Soho
How much: Barrafina is the most expensive, marginally more than Lola Rojo, Camino is best value.