Café España
There are places where you go out with your friends to have a good time accompanied by a good meal. One is your house if you have got the space, time, and wish to cook. Here is another one, from my favourites, Café España, a Spanish restaurant.
It is situated in the middle ... Read review
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Advantages: good food,prices, atmosphere Disadvantages: service slow sometimes
Café España
There are places where you go out with your friends to have a good time accompanied by a good meal. One is your house if you have got the space, time, and wish to cook. Here is another one, from my favourites, Café España, a Spanish restaurant.
It is situated in the middle of Soho, in the busy Old Compton Street. And is not a quiet place inside by any means but not so loud that it will rush you off. ...the site is fairly small (a dozen of tables), almost full at most times…
The service is varied: from a waiter that would speak the minimum (we were left wondering if he spoke English, Spanish or neither) to another who would dash to open doors (we took it on the funny side) and who would even try Japanese if needed. A bit over the top.
Anyway, it is the kind of place where you feel you can stay for hours without ... more
Café España
There are places where you go out with your friends to have a good time accompanied by a good meal. One is your house if you have got the space, time, and wish to cook. Here is another one, from my favourites, Café España, a Spanish restaurant.
It is situated in the middle of Soho, in the busy Old Compton Street. And is not a quiet place inside by any means but not so loud that it will rush you off.
The music Spanish/ Latin played softly and the site is fairly small (a dozen of tables), almost full at most times…
The service is varied: from a waiter that would speak the minimum (we were left wondering if he spoke English, Spanish or neither) to another who would dash to open doors (we took it on the funny side) and who would even try Japanese if needed. A bit over the top.
Anyway, it is the kind of place where you feel you can stay for hours without anybody caring about or being pushed into consuming something (it is rather the other way and they seem to forget about you after you have finished your meal and you will need to make all the effort if you want something after a while).
But let’s got to the food which is great here: As a Spanish restaurant there is a tapas menu and a conventional one.
The choice of tapas is wide (about 20 different) , with prices about £4-£5 and sizes quite generous. We found all the habitual plus some nice additions. They are all flawless but I suggest their anchovies, sardines or even kidneys in wine sauce. Of course you could go for the chorizo or tortilla if you do not feel adventurous.
The main menu is typical Spanish fare starting with soups and salads and main courses basically of meat or fish (some vegetarian options, though but mainly starters and salads). I have not tried the starters yet (I would rather have the tapas) but I would recommend anyone the fresh fish or tender meat, any recipe, cooked to perfection . Both accompanied by a side of vegetables or salad and home-made chips or sauté potatoes. Big portions, you finish them out of greediness. Prices are around £7-£9.
But most people come here for the paella (including a good share of ex-pat). Paella for 2 should mean 2 extended families and waiters routinely collect left-overs for take-away that is ,if you think you would need to eat in the next few days (I go into diet straight away). The price is £22, very cheap indeed (and if you think of the amount of seafood, fish and meat that includes, a steal)
Drinks as usual, including, of course San Miguel and other Spanish beers and a long list of Spanish wine, well priced (almost at retail prices).
You may still want to see the puddings :they are in display at the entrance and look sumptuous, home made crème caramel, cheesecake, chocolate cake, ice-creams, and many others than I would usually like to try but I am too full to do. We sometimes will share one or two between all of us and we quickly forget we have eaten too much to dispute about the last portion.
In conclusion, a place to come back and back, anytime I want to meet my friends for a good meal.. And my colleagues, my parents, my boyfriend… I do not need an excuse to go there , have a good time and enjoy the food.
Advantages: Outer London prices, West End location Disadvantages: Can get cramped, but if that's your thing.........
(OK, I'll come clean - I originally wrote this in the dim and distant past when 90-words in a sort of English was all that was required. Since I revisited the restaurant last night, it's only fair that I revisit what I wrote.)
And now.....
Want to relive your latest gastronomic blowout from your Spanish holiday? Want a recommendation for a West End restaurant with suburban prices? Want a pre- or post-theatre venue? Well if you can answer, "Yes" ... ...for you! Café España, situated at the western end of Soho's Old Compton Street doesn't look much, just a shop-front width with a single door and a menu outside. The pedestrian traffic in the evening does not really encourage leisurely perusal of the menu in the window, but that doesn't worry me. Now that I've been there several times, why would I want to wait outside anyway? Given its popularity and central position, it's lucky for the Café España ...
BNibbles 11.10.2000 (30.09.2002)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Cafe Espana, London
Advantages: The best Spanish food I've ever tasted Disadvantages: Location is not the most desirable
...area. After reading reviews of Cafe Espana on various websites I had to give it a go. Having been there I felt compelled to write this.
The food is absolutely superb. Having honeymooned in Barcelona, and having been there several times before we have become great fans of Tapas. We have eaten it all over the world and always look for a Spanish restaurant when we are away. Cafe Espana served the best Tapas we have ever had. We always choose our favourites ... ...(meatballs) and Tortilla (omelette with potato) and try a few others to broaden our horizons. Well, everything we tried was fantastic, only the Patatas Bravas failed to live up to what we'd previously had. Did I mention the portions. My wife and I know how to eat and we have massive appetites but we had enough for another meal left over, even after we'd stuffed ourselves to capacity. Next time.........we'll go when we're really hungry. The staff ...
itch22 03.06.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Cafe Espana, London
Advantages: Cheap Disadvantages: Busy = bad service
I have to admit that I was immensely disappointed by Café Espana, having read the reviews I was expecting a lot more.
It was a Friday night, and I was prepared for a wait, and 45 minutes later we were given a seat. The fact that we had to wait reassured me that the quality of the food would be second to none.
I was also prepared for hustle and bustle and quirky Spanish waiters to add to the whole evenings atmosphere. There were four of us, and ... ...to feast ourselves on lots of the different dishes rather than having a typical three course meal.
We chose about nine in total and two breadbaskets
The slices of cheese arrived with no bread.
The clams in wine arrived next, but the bread didn’t so there was nothing to soak up the juices, they were tepid when they arrived and cold and not enjoyable by the time any of the bread arrived.
Only one basket of bread arrived…….and we still hadn’t been ...
Coogs76 03.11.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Cafe Espana, London
Advantages: Extremely yummy paella Disadvantages: Small and crowded place
I've been to this place a few times and I do love the food there. It's a small place but they offer many of the typical what Spain has to offer. My first impression of the restaurant is the friendly staff. I remember on my last visit, I was waiting for a friend to arrive who was running a bit late with the London traffic. I mentioned to one of the guys there(don't really know his name) that my friend would arrive in about just less than an hour, ... ...said I could seat and wait inside. Well it was saturday nite and I believe they would like to have a higher turnover per table. In the end I accepted his offer-very kind of him- instead of waiting in the cold. I would strongly recommend that you order the paella first straight after you settle at your table as it takes 20 minutes to cook. They do the seafood(highly recommended)/chicken/seafood+chicken paella. The paella is very very delicious and ...
medgenie 27.07.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Cafe Espana, London
