Barrafina

Spanish tapas temple in Soho

Deep fry red mullet

Barrafina has come a long way, what started off as a trendy tapas joint in Soho has now become what many would consider being the best tapas bar in the UK, gaining a Michelin star along the way and getting a table could be a mission even on a Monday night. It is extremely popular that help it turned into a mini restaurant chain empire, with sites spreading across in London. Covid 19 impacted the whole restaurant trade in 2020 which forced many walk-in restaurants switched up to allow booking in advance to help with the government's track and chance policy. Secure a slot at the time I desire is now a reality, as I always wanted to return after I had a remarkable meal there 6 years ago.

Cod esqueixada 

Prawn tortilla

The standard menu is short, the real magic is actually written on a blackboard, its daily special menu which contains mostly fresh seafood. The cod esqueixada was essential a raw cod ceviche dish with vinegar dressing and pesto. The seasoning was well balanced and the sweetness of the cod came through nicely thanks to the sour tone of the dressing, but a touch too expensive for me, costing £16 for a plate of a few mouthfuls of fish. The cuttlefish was wonderful, just like what I have encountered in Southen Spain, full of flavour and the cuttlefish was very tender. However, it was seriously expensive, at £15. You can get something just as good, if not better for around 5 euro back in Spain. The most enjoyable dish was the Iberica pluma, cooked medium as it should be and seasoned to perfection. The pork was very moist and the confit potato absorbed all the wonderful richness of the meat sauce.

Cuttlefish stew

Iberico pork with potatoes

The tapas at Barrafina was enjoyable, but it was simply too expensive for what I had. I feel like I was paying that price because Barrafina has created such a cult status that they would always get customers (especially tourists) so they can afford to put the price at the premium end. Is it Michelin star level cooking? far from it for me. It was a good quality tapas meal but nothing more. There are plenty of other less famous tapas joints in Spain that would cost a lot less. Hence there is a reason why I usually avoid eating out at Spanish restaurants in London. Sadly, I think Barrafina overall quality was just not the same if I compared it to the past when it was just a single site business, I just hope it won't become an average joint in the future.

Food 3/5

What I paid: 
£60 per person with a glass of wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£45

26-27 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 3LL

https://www.barrafina.co.uk/