Barrafina is one of those restaurants which people don’t necessarily always talk about or even know about, but those who know, know.
Some of you might think about why am I even writing about Barrafina? It’s been around for a while and reviewed a hundred times. However sometimes the true test of a good establishment is whether it can still deliver consistently good food throughout the years. It’s similar to having a partner really, you can’t make a judgement if they’re a keeper in the first few months but if in a few years’ time if they’re still treating you with respect and love, you know they're the one for you. Barrafina in Adelaide Street is just that, it's a long term loving restaurant who has without fail always produced fantastic food at great value since it opened.
It has become an annual pilgrimage for me and my husband who always chooses to go to Barrafina for his birthday despite suggestions of trying The Ledbury or other fine dining restaurants, but I can see why. The branch (one of a few branches now) in Adelaide Street sits across one of my husband’s favourite pubs, The Harp, where you can stand and have a Kernel whilst waiting for the restaurant to open. It doesn’t take bookings so you need to get there quickly or be prepared to wait.
The restaurant has a distinctively Spanish atmosphere crafted by a cacophony of chopping, chattering chefs and excited rambling diners from the open kitchen and counter seating. The vibe is slightly frantic (in a good way) with front of house chefs moving at a fast pace.
There are two menus; the staple menu that includes dishes such as suckling pig, chipirones and smoky and sweet Iberian pork ribs (one of my top ten dishes in London) and their specials menu which changes daily according to season and market availability.
Everything here is spectacular, there are no weak links, just dishes that are great and dishes that are superbly unforgettable. Seafood here is an absolute delight and ingredients are always treated with the utmost respect by being cooked simply and to perfection. I one time ordered a John Dory special marinated in olive oil, garlic and herbs cooked whole on the griddle along with roasted new potatoes. The plate is an embodiment of classic Spanish food, humble, unpretentious and confident, a reflection of the Spanish culture of eating.
The Iberian pork ribs here at Barrafina is what Jamie Carragher was to Liverpool Football Club(yes I'm a Liverpool fan) it's not necessarily the star player like Suarez but star players like seasonal dishes come and go but those ribs are always on the damn menu because their much beloved to the diners. I’ve often found myself telling diners that they shouldn't leave without ordering it. The ribs are slow cooked till the meat falls off the bone; the sauce coating that mouth-wateringly tender meat can only be described as sexy - it's smokey,sweet and beautifully silky.
I could go on and on about all the dishes at Barrafina, I have eaten so many and none have disappointed. For me, it's one of the must go restaurants in London and I never hesitate in recommending it to everyone I speak to. It's a place you go for something special but not necessarily for a special occasion (if you want a fancy schmancy dinner). Along with the brilliant food is warm and sunny service, all of which you get for incredibly great value. The last bill for two of us comprising of six dishes (extremely filling dishes; I was struggling to eat by the fifth dish) and a bottle of wine cost us £110 including service.
Restaurant Info
Barrafina Adelaide Street, 10 Adelaide St, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4HZ
Price Point: ££-£££
From left to right.
Iberian pork ribs
Pipirrana (think Mediterranean Tuna Nicoise)
Trinxat and Butifarra (Spanish sausage on a sort of bubble and squeak with blood sausage running through it)- RECOMMENDED!
John Dory a la plancha (seasonal special)
Sweetbreads (seasonal special)
Deep fried cod cheeks (seasonal special)
Doughnuts in chocolate sauce
Milhojas (like a millefeuille)
Blood orange sorbet
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