Barrafina

Rather unusually, and rather wonderfully, Barrafina takes the tapas concept and does absolutely nothing new with it: the whole place could conceivably have been lifted lock, stock and two smoking hot plates, straight from a Barcelona street corner. Nevertheless, it fits right into the hustle and bustle of Soho. Punters, perched on stools, crowd around the marble-topped counter surrounding the open kitchen. A feast of seafood lies invitingly on mounds of crushed ice, waiters gracefully slice wafer-thin cured ham from a whole leg proudly displayed behind the bar, whilst the garlicky whiff of fried chorizo and loud chatter pervades the air. Forget unimaginative Riojas; the wine list here has some far more exciting Hispanic wines to accompany your meal, not forgetting the superb selection of sherries. An island of Spain in London.