Time For Tapas at Mayfair’s El Norte
There are very few occasions that a venue outdoes expectations as vastly as El Norte did for me.
It was a wet and windy Thursday night, and Storm Eunice was already rumbling across the Atlantic. Commuters rushed down the slippery steps of Green Park as I made my way up onto Piccadilly.
Heading up Dover Street I was eagerly anticipating a warming meal and a couple of cocktails, just what was needed on this wintry night.
The doorway to El Norte is unassuming. What lies behind it is a spellbinding combination of elegance and indulgence, in an opulent setting and with impeccable service. El Norte is not just any Spanish restaurant, it is the Spanish restaurant you just have to visit.
Opened in November by Spanish twins, Arian and Alberto Zandi – who own both Zuaya London and Como Garden in Kensington – El Norte is already run with the sleek perfection of a Michelin starred venue. Seamless service had us constantly fed and watered without any intrusion or interruption. Staff are as attentive as they are discreet, but now to the food…
As my knife slid through the signature dish of truffle tortilla, a fragrant oil bled from the omelette as mushrooms filled the plate. Moist and light, almost spongey in the centre, nothing that appears on your table happens by accident at El Norte, the attention to detail and thought in each dish is evident.
Other signature dishes include creamy goats cheese, pistachio and honey croquettes, Joselito Iberico Ham, cherry pistachio gazpacho, and a premium stone-cooked Vaca Rubia Gallega steak.
We selected several dishes from the wide and varied menu including aforementioned croquettes and gazpacho as well as a burrata and berries salad – served with a tangy mango vinaigrette – and the Lubina Salvaje a la Riojana, a wild seabass with sweet tomato and red pepper sauce.
The gazpacho was the deepest red I’ve ever seen, and the depth followed through to the flavour. The seabass was tender and seasoned, nicely offset with the sweetness of the sauce.
In true tapas style dishes are served as soon as they have been prepared, giving a relaxed feeling to a high end experience.
When it comes to drinks, there’s a refreshing uniqueness to the menu. Choose from Spanish crafted cocktails including a selection of home-made Sangrias, or premium Spanish wine or champagne. There’s even a selection of innovative mocktails, including a delicious blend of lemon juice with butterfly pea – an ingredient that acts as a litmus paper, turning either pink or blue depending on the acidity of the drink with which it is mixed.
Price points in El Norte are as you would expect for a high end Mayfair restaurant. Nibbles start at £6, mains from around £30, and desserts upwards of £10. We’d recommend around five tapas plates for two to share, including a main for each person. Plus dessert, you must have dessert! For us, sharing the truffled honey cheesecake was the perfect way to end a perfect evening. So book now, and try it yourself. You can thank me later.
- El Norte, 19-20 Dover Street, London, W1S 4LU.
