Homegirl London’s Food Review: Barrafina Tapas Bar. Homeboy and I were visiting the Apple store in Covent Garden and were hungry afterwards. We decided to try the Barrafina Tapas Bar located on Drury Lane for lunch and were glad we did. If you’re looking for Drury Lane Restaurants, best tapas bars in London or places to eat in Covent Garden, give it a try.
“Delicious and fresh, authentic Spanish tapas served in a contemporary bar setting where diners perch on comfy leather stools and watch the chefs prepare their food,” Homegirl London
Barrafina Tapas Bar Menu
The menu offers authentic Spanish tapas from restauranteur brothers Sam and Eddie Hart. The a la carte menu features dishes from around Spain with the daily specials written on a chalkboard. The main menu is in the format of a paper placemat. If you want to pop in for a glass of wine and a few nibbles, you can try the marinated olives, Marcona almonds, Padron peppers, bread with dipping olive oil or the Catalonia favourite of bread with tomato and garlic. I first tried this in Barcelona some thirty years ago and have loved it ever since.
Tomato Bread
We picked out mostly vegetarian dishes to share. The classic tortilla was a decent size. We asked for ours to be well-cooked because otherwise it is served gooey inside which I don’t like. They also have a chorizo option if you’d prefer. We also ordered a side of fries with bravas sauce which when consumed together was a darn good egg and chips!
Classic Tortilla and Chips
The fennel, pear and radish salad with dill and olive oil is fresh and fabulous. I’m going to steal that recipe to recreate at home. We also enjoyed a side of broccoli, I know it was only broccoli, but it tasted so good and had a few delicate slices of chilli on top. I just loved the cheese stuffed courgette flower, which was beautiful, especially the drizzle of honey on top.
Fennel, Pear and Radish Salad
Homeboy treated himself to the cuttlefish empanada, which had a robust flavour. Other seafood options were salt cod brandade, scallop ceviche, oyster vinaigrettes, prawn tempura and soft shell crab.
Cuttlefish Empanada
Meat lovers can tuck into a selection of the finest cold meats, pork belly or braised ox tongue. Chargrill roast milk-fed lamb and salmon are also available. To give you an idea of prices, cold meats are £8-16.50 and seafood is £6-15.50. Drinks included an excellent choice of Spanish wines along with a curated collection of the most excellent sherry.
Barrafina Tapas Bar Interiors
Restaurant Interior
There are now three Barrafina restaurants in London – Dean Street in Soho, Adelaide Street and this one on Drury Lane. The interiors at the Drury Lane branch feature an open kitchen with quality marble-topped bar. You perch on red leather stools and watch the chefs prepare your food in front of you. The walls are bare bricks, and the floor is marble. It’s contemporary and clean inside and a lovely place to sit and enjoy your lunch with a business colleague or lover.
Barrafina Tapas Bar Information
Restaurant Exterior
To find out more about the restaurant, go to the Barrafina Website. The restaurant address is 43 Drury Lane, Coven Garden London WC2B 5AJ. The nearest tube station is Covent Garden. Check the website for current opening times. Enjoy your tapas!
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: All by Homegirl London except for the interior image which is from the restaurant website. Thanks: Homeboy for dining with me.
