This week, my friend and I popped into Opera Tavern. It seemed to be the perfect choice for a light bite and a chilled glass of wine on a pleasantly sunny evening.
We managed to avoid the pre-theatre rush and were seated immediately. The restaurant was surprisingly non-descript and lacked character in comparison to Salt Yard - its sister restaurant in Fitzrovia.
We were forgotten on arrival and had to ask for our order to be taken. Our waitress also struggled to assist us with a choice of white wine and warned us that the Grilled Beef Bavette with Trevise, Braised Onions and Balsamic was "chewy." As helpful as it may sound, I queried why the restaurant was willing to offer a dish that its staff do not condone. I was intrigued...so we ordered it anyway.
Our waitress also informed us of the special of the evening, Jambon Croquettes. Her description was enticing until she topped it off with "and at £6.50, it's a complete bargain!" Not the best way to sell a dish at a well-respected Tapas restaurant in London.
The menu is the perfect combination of fish, meat and vegetable options and I must admit, I wanted to order everything. We settled on Crab and Saffron Croquettes with Piquillo Aioli; Wild Bass with Fennel, Chilli, Clams and Wild Garlic; Ibérico Pork Loin with Caramelised Swede Purée and Purple Sprouting Broccoli and the infamous Beef Bavette.
The Crab Croquettes were a good start to the meal – mildly flavoured and crispy. However, my fellow dinner was not impressed and described them as dull. Unfortunately, the meal didn’t get much better. The Bass was fishy, the Beef was chewy (ha!) and the Cold Chocolate Fondant was thick and sticky. The only saving grace was the Pork Loin – which was delicious, but cold.
The most memorable part of the evening was the small, open and slightly raised kitchen at the back of the restaurant…and the two incredibly good looking chefs within it. So I suppose it wasn’t all bad.
Rating 2.5/5
http://www.operatavern.co.uk/
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