Barcelona was one of the first European cities Jon and I visited after we moved to London, and right now, as the temperature hovers at 40F, I can think of nothing better than the Mediterranean life of Barcelona. Second best option: a stop in Soho at Barrafina restaurant, which is modeled on the lively and delicious Cal Pep in Barcelona.
Even on a Monday night, Barrafina was packed. No reservations, so you show up and wait your turn for a coveted bar stool. Luckily, you can order off a limited menu while waiting, so Jon and I flagged down one of the surprisingly friendly waiters (surprising because they look so harried) and got ourselves set up with manzanilla, ham croquettes (£4), and jamon de jabugo (£12.50). Time flies when you munch on crispy fried croquettes and fatty, melt-in-your-mouth iberico ham.
Barrafina is like Cal Pep in the energy and cheerfulness of both diners and cooks behind the counter, and in the quality of ingredients. Barrafina is slightly more elegant and definitely pricier. Our eight tapas and five glasses of wine cost £95. (At Cal Pep, our six tapas and bottle of wine cost just shy of 60 euros). That said, a trip to Barrafina requires a quick jump on the Tube, as compared to jumping on a plane to Barcelona.
Once seated at the bar, we ordered a ton of food. Our two Mozambique prawns were enormous (they were the size of langoustines) and although they were sweet and plump, they were served slightly overcooked to toughness. I’d be less picky if they hadn’t been £6.50 per prawn. If I had to pick another mildly “low” point to the meal, it’d be our order of quail alioli, not because there was anything wrong with the dish’s execution, but more because we had (unreasonable) hopes that it would taste like something other than grilled chicken with a tangy garlic mayonnaise. That the pretty-good-overall prawns and quail were the weakest parts of our meal speaks volumes about the high quality of the tapas at Barrafina.
A tower of fried anchovies were light, airy and crispy; the grilled calcots were a sweet, smoky cross between a scallion and a leek; and I loved the coca mallorquin, which sadly had nothing illicitly stimulating about it, but happily was a thin, crispy pastry shell piled high with wilted spinach, pine nuts and raisins (£4.50). Crispy and soft; sweet and nutty. Delish.
It’s probably impossible to make a tortilla (£4) sound impressive or special, but the memory of Barrafina’s version stays with me – the sweet onions, creamy, eggy center and perfectly-shaped, unburned exterior. My homemade tortilla espanola never turn out half as pretty or tasty.
And what really endeared Barrafina to me was their easy-going, customer-friendly attitude. Tap water wasn’t a problem, and neither were regular top-ups of our water glsses. Food and wine were served with a smile. You’d never know the place was a business anxious to turn over bar stools. Barrafina, Ole!
Barrafina, 54 Frith Street, W1D 4SL, 0207 813 8016; Closest tube: Leicester Square
I love the food at Barrafina. They execute simple dishes really well. My favourites to nibble on while waiting for a seat are the pimentos de padron and pan con tomate and the jamon, of course. Try the razor clams next time if they’re available.
[…] that Barrafina is a bit of a stunner. Many bloggers out there share my enthusiasm ( such as this american in london and Abby who eats the right stuff ) and I suppose I can see where the attraction comes from; […]
[…] – Everything I ate at Barrafina last year was a hit. The main deterrent to my going more regularly is the prospect of having to queue to get a […]
[…] couple of weeks ago, while waiting on the hour-and-a-half-long queue at Barrafina, I thought about how lovely it’d be to eat Barrafina’s food without having to wait […]
[…] cold Puritannical image. Tapas sounded ideal, but the prospect of queuing in the cold to eat at my beloved Barrafina was highly unappealing. So Jon and I decided to try Iberica Food & Culture, which opened in […]
[…] Barrafina. Each time I eat at Barrafina, I swear that it’s the *last time* I’m queuing to snag one of their coveted seats at the bar, but Barrafina’s fresh and tasty seafood served in convivial surroundings sucks me in time and again. Based on my dinners there in 2009, Barrafina’s still going strong. […]
[…] of London: please please take bookings! Dishoom, Barrafina, Polpo — we love you yet we hate you for not taking […]
Fantastic beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your site, how can i subscribe for a blog site?
The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of
this your broadcast provided bright clear concept