Copita

Credit: www.copita.co.uk (Photos by Gary Heasman www.garyheasmanphotographic.com)

In New York City, the Spanish tapas craze started about seven odd years ago. I instantly fell in love with all the petite tasty little dishes, as I adore nibbling on tiny bits of huge varieties of foods. Its also interesting to see how each city has their own different take on them, as in Spain I found the tapas to be very different than what they are serving here and in New York. But the interpretations are delicious all the same. I am so excited, therefore, to start seeing them pop up around London. I heard that Copita was supposed to be one of the best, so I decided to check it.

The walls are tiled, just like in Seville, and you sit on tall stools so it makes for a very cozy and informal set up. They have a no rez, policy, which is usually a nightmare, but pleasingly, I was actually seated in minutes. The wine list is really well done and fairly priced as well. They also have a nice assortment of Spanish sherries, which makes for authenticity and charm.

The plates are all very small, just like in Spain, and you definitely need to order a minimum of three per person. But it works out great as you get to try a variety of mini dishes. The prawns are really lovely, quite simple, but a little under seasoned. The fried cauliflower is stunning and surprisingly my favourite dish of the evening. Soft on the inside and very crunchy on the outside. The winter vegetables are also quite delicious; particularly the olive oil pouched squash which melts in your mouth. I also tried a salmon graylag dish, which was a confusing mix of home cured salmon and very tangy very strange white wine vinegar jelly. I appreciated the thick cut home cured salmon which was fine with the little dabs of crème farce and dill, but not sure how Spanish it was and the jelly was simply scary. The olives, however, are lovely and have a very unique cure. Also, the chorizo is quite delicious, rich and fatty and very spicy.

Over all the tapas were very good, but I am not sure if they are the best in London, nor extremely inventive based on what dishes actually come from Spain. I think some were a little to literal and then others went a little to far off in a different direction. The latter is the most important particularly, as when you eat tapas, you are essentially eating everything together. But I would be happy to go back if around Soho with no reservations and wanted a casual solid tapas spot.