Saturday may have been all about wandering around Chelsea finding somewhere to eat lunch whereas Sunday was more about going out for a walk and having lunch by accident. Baby G was fed and clothed and in need of some fresh air. It was one of those cold crisp clear days so we thought we would buggy up and take him out for a walk. The plan had been to go for a nice walk around Notting Hill before going home to cook lunch. However whilst waiting for the lights to change on Westbourne Grove I started to read the menu in "El Piratas de Tapas" window. My lovely wife had been here previously for dinner and raved about the food. Needless to say it didn't take much persuasion to convince her to curtail the walk for a quick bite. The only slight problem was what to do with baby G. He had been a little bit of a handful in "Santa Lucia" the day before which at least was very much a family restaurant. "El Pirata de Tapas" looked a lot more serious and foodie. The decor is very modern and sleek accentuated by long lean dining room. However we needn't have worried the two waiters running the show were helpful, welcoming and found us a great table so we could eat and keep an eye on baby G. He was very taken with the waiters and was happy smiling away in his chair.
The set lunch menu looked very nice and excellent value but instead we went a la carte. The short walk was thirsty work so I had a great spamish beer and my lovely wife a creamy glass of cava whilst we picked our dishes. We went for tempura squid, tortilla, bread and olives, asparagus with manchego cheese and prawn in chilli and olive oil. It was all very nice. I love dipping bread into the warm olive oil and chilli, the squid was light and tasty and the aspagus covered in melted cheese oozed flavour. My only criticism was the tortilla which was not as runny as I had had at "Iberica". The food was brought promptly and I was so comfy I ordered a further glass of wine to go with our tapas. The restaurant was quiet when we entered but soon filled up giving it a nice buzz.
I was really impressed with my lunch here and the hospitality we were shown. The two waiters handled the room fantastically well and were always ready to chat explain the dishes and smile at my little boy. The bill came to £57 which was a bit more than I was expecting to spend but I did have an expensive glass of wine. The food was definitely worth it and I do find with tapas in London that you get what you pay for. The service as I have previously said was excellent. This was a really good find and I am keen to return this weekend for another crack at the delicious food. If you are up in the area it is well worth a visit a much better option I would imagine than the new "cote" over the road.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8