Sabor

If Spanish tapas as a restaurant concept now comes in fifty shades of authenticity, Sabor offers something else again. Nieves Barragán and José Etura draw on the culinary traditions of all corners of Spain, from Castile and Galicia down to Andalucia, in an ingeniously designed – and dynamically popular – venue just off Regent Street. The outdoor queue that has already formed at midday on a Monday for the no-bookings ground-floor Counter, bears witness to the enthusiasm with which Londoners have embraced the idea. Your orders are marked in pen on the counter before you, and crossed off as they are delivered. Consider the tortilla: toasty exterior, the inside molten but firm, the disc-like shape perfection itself, with neat distribution of filling. On top is a dot of rich but mellow allioli. A flaky-pastried lamb empanada with a little salad is a delicate joy, as is the sweetbread in creamy caper gravy, topped with flawlessly timed fried kale that retains its colour and texture. Elsewhere, grilled red peppers and hazelnuts make a sweet foil to a portion of blue goat's cheese. The same strong flavours are also boldly applied to fish dishes such as seared tuna with ajo blanco, or the Spanish-Italian fusion of cuttlefish pappardelle with Manchego and pesto. There might be more goat's cheese for afters, blended in an ice cream and sauced with liquorice, but the chocolate bombas are pretty seductive too. Drink Estrella beer, sherry or a couple of the excellent Spanish wines (from £7.50 a glass).

Chef Nieves Barragan-Mohacho has been a driving force for Spanish cuisine in the capital ever since her days at Spanish restaurant group Barrafina , where she was executive chef. So, when she and Barrafina colleague Jose Etura decided to go it alone in late 2017 and open Sabor, expectations were high. Translating as ‘flavour’ in Spanish, Sabor is really two restaurants in one. Downstairs at The Counter the pair have created a buzzy and intimate tapas bar where diners sit and watch the chefs in front of them prepare a daily changing menu of small plates. The Counter’s no reservation policy means seats are hotly contested, but those lucky enough to bag one can enjoy dishes such as various croquettas; arroz negro; and Barragan-Mohacho’s trademark tortilla. Ascend the spiral staircase and upstairs is El Asador, which offers an entirely different Spanish experience. Here the feel is more rustic but no less inviting with a menu focused on sharing dishes cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven (called an asador). Star of the show has to be the Segovian suckling pig, available in single portions or as a half or whole animal, although the Galician rib of beef and Iberian lamb ribs are also hard to resist. If that wasn’t enough, the ground floor space is also home to a separate bar area where guests are encouraged to throw their paper napkins on the floor, as is the tradition in Andalusia.