Taberna do Mercado review – food so good the City doesn’t deserve it
★★★★★ / Portuguese

Taberna do Mercado review – food so good the City doesn’t deserve it

Sophisticated Portuguese food satiates the cravings you never knew you had If Spanish and Portuguese cuisine were human siblings, then Spanish food would undoubtedly be the attention-grabbing overachiever. From paella, jamon iberico de bellota and Cantabrian anchovies to the heady heights of modernist Basque and Catalan cooking, Spain has it all. Portugal, on the other hand, rarely … Continue reading

Morada Brindisa Asador review – charcoal-fired tapas comes to Piccadilly
★★★☆☆ / Spanish / Tapas

Morada Brindisa Asador review – charcoal-fired tapas comes to Piccadilly

Big and small plates of charcoal grilled and baked meat Brindisa is one of the older tapas mini-chains in London, having sprouted as an off-shoot of a Spanish goods import operation more than a decade ago. Perhaps because its existence is therefore taken for granted, it’s rarely spoken of in the same excitable or reverential tones … Continue reading

Bilbao Berria review – Regent Street tapas that’s not quite good enough
★★★☆☆ / Spanish / Tapas

Bilbao Berria review – Regent Street tapas that’s not quite good enough

Masterchef? What’s that? I don’t envy any new tapas restaurant opening in London. Unless you’re as good as José or Ember Yard, or as cheap as Barrafina, then it’ll be a real struggle to stand out. Bilbao Berria tries to rely on three things to set itself apart – a menu with alleged Basque and Catalan … Continue reading

Iberica Marylebone review – chorizo lollipops and dopey service
★★★☆☆ / Spanish / Tapas

Iberica Marylebone review – chorizo lollipops and dopey service

Great Portland Street tapas Restaurant decor in London seems to have fallen into a Shoreditch-inspired rut. Bare light bulbs, reclaimed furniture, exposed concrete and brick walls – I’m bored of it all. The interior of Iberica’s Marylebone branch is therefore a breath of fresh air – both the ground floor and the mezzanine are decorated with … Continue reading

Ember Yard review – Soho tapas is losing its sizzle
★★★☆☆ / Spanish / Tapas

Ember Yard review – Soho tapas is losing its sizzle

Octopus and chorizo skewers on Berwick Street Updated 21/6/2020 – added details of 2020 meals and updated the Verdict as well as the formatting. Disclosure: I used a publicly available discount for my 2020 meals. This discount was available to the general public; as ever I did not seek any special treatment just because I’m … Continue reading

HKK review – Chinese fine dining in the City
★★★★☆ / Chinese / Chinese Dumplings / Chinese Noodles

HKK review – Chinese fine dining in the City

Suits you or just for suits? Hakkasan was one of the restaurants that helped foster the idea that Chinese food in London wasn’t just greasy take away fare. HKK is a new City spin-off of the Soho original, but with an emphasis on expensive tasting menus that befits its location in the shadow of capitalism’s … Continue reading

★★★★★ / Modern European / Modernist / Spanish

Gelonch review – Barcelona’s best kept secret

This review of a Barcelona restaurant is a break from The Picky Glutton’s usual London-based coverage. Barcelona has more than its fair share of fine dining restaurants, but even in such a large city it’s possible to stumble upon some gems and Gelonch may well be one of them. It’s a small restaurant located on … Continue reading