Review: Camino
Restaurateur Richard Bigg has spent the last 30 or so years travelling around Spain (‘my Spanish name is Ricardo Grande’). He has brought his passion for the Catalonian food and drink culture to London with his Camino restaurant group, the latest of which has opened on Blackfriars Lane.
Already the proprietor of a sherry bar, Bigg is now focusing his energy on educating the foodie masses on the untapped delights of Cava. Thus the basement of Camino is the Copa Bar, which has widest selection of this particular brand of sparkling wine. Between the purpose-built exposed brickwork and terracotta tiles, my friend and I enjoyed a glass of Gramona, which came highly recommended by Richard himself. Sipping on the dry fizz, it was easy to appreciate Richard’s view that Cava is often unfairly overlooked. Moving on to a second glass of Raventós, we agreed that this Spanish bubbly could give ubiquitous Champagne a run for its money (and incidentally, the glasses start from a very reasonable £4.75, so they won’t have you running out of money).
Copa sports a different menu to the sister restaurant upstairs, and we tried a couple of dishes to whet our appetites. The ceviche was tangy and refreshing, while the enormous prawns were messy but delicious. They were an excellent warm up for the delights which awaited us in Camino.
The restaurant group, fired by Richard’s own passion, is big on provenance. Many of the specialties are sourced from Spain, with the fresher ingredients coming from carefully selected producers here in the UK. The tapas selection is comprehensive without being overwhelming, and covers all bases (meat, fish, vegetarian) with a good balance of convention and creativity.
Stand out dishes for us included the pork, which was a lightly fragrant cut of meat on a salty, creamy bed of mash, and the wonderfully glutinous chorizo. The huevo con calabaza (butternut squash and potato with egg) was a simple dish made special by being served with plenty of truffle butter in a skillet, while our nod to greenery (pimientos de Padrón) was coated in satiating sea salt and butter. The portions here are generous (and, like the Cava downstairs, range between a very accessible £3 and £15), and our seven or so dishes between two were ample.
The wine list at Camino is divided into fun sections which is a great little technique for enhancing the mood of your evening. How can you not have a good time when drinking a ‘Racy’ wine? Our 2010 Finca Constancia Cabernet Sauvignon was not too heavy, with subtle cherry notes and the tiniest bit of spice. Eminently drinkable –the sort of thing that could have you flamenco-ing after one glass, and siesta-ing after two.
The Spanish authenticity dipped a little with the puddings. My almond was suspiciously like a British bakewell tart, while my friends crème Catalana was an orangery version of a crème brulée. Both very tasty, although next time I would opt for a couple more savoury dishes instead.
The restaurant was not especially busy mid-week, though I’d wager this is a case of word not yet having got out. The tapas scene in London is well-served by the likes of Brindisa and Salt Yard, yet the food at Camino gives them a run for their money; were the restaurant in the Soho hubbub, it would be bursting at the seams. As it is, it is worth making the trip to Blackfriars. It’s closer than Spain, and the Cava selection is probably just as good.
Camino.uk.com
Already the proprietor of a sherry bar, Bigg is now focusing his energy on educating the foodie masses on the untapped delights of Cava. Thus the basement of Camino is the Copa Bar, which has widest selection of this particular brand of sparkling wine. Between the purpose-built exposed brickwork and terracotta tiles, my friend and I enjoyed a glass of Gramona, which came highly recommended by Richard himself. Sipping on the dry fizz, it was easy to appreciate Richard’s view that Cava is often unfairly overlooked. Moving on to a second glass of Raventós, we agreed that this Spanish bubbly could give ubiquitous Champagne a run for its money (and incidentally, the glasses start from a very reasonable £4.75, so they won’t have you running out of money).
Copa sports a different menu to the sister restaurant upstairs, and we tried a couple of dishes to whet our appetites. The ceviche was tangy and refreshing, while the enormous prawns were messy but delicious. They were an excellent warm up for the delights which awaited us in Camino.
The restaurant group, fired by Richard’s own passion, is big on provenance. Many of the specialties are sourced from Spain, with the fresher ingredients coming from carefully selected producers here in the UK. The tapas selection is comprehensive without being overwhelming, and covers all bases (meat, fish, vegetarian) with a good balance of convention and creativity.
Stand out dishes for us included the pork, which was a lightly fragrant cut of meat on a salty, creamy bed of mash, and the wonderfully glutinous chorizo. The huevo con calabaza (butternut squash and potato with egg) was a simple dish made special by being served with plenty of truffle butter in a skillet, while our nod to greenery (pimientos de Padrón) was coated in satiating sea salt and butter. The portions here are generous (and, like the Cava downstairs, range between a very accessible £3 and £15), and our seven or so dishes between two were ample.
The wine list at Camino is divided into fun sections which is a great little technique for enhancing the mood of your evening. How can you not have a good time when drinking a ‘Racy’ wine? Our 2010 Finca Constancia Cabernet Sauvignon was not too heavy, with subtle cherry notes and the tiniest bit of spice. Eminently drinkable –the sort of thing that could have you flamenco-ing after one glass, and siesta-ing after two.
The Spanish authenticity dipped a little with the puddings. My almond was suspiciously like a British bakewell tart, while my friends crème Catalana was an orangery version of a crème brulée. Both very tasty, although next time I would opt for a couple more savoury dishes instead.
The restaurant was not especially busy mid-week, though I’d wager this is a case of word not yet having got out. The tapas scene in London is well-served by the likes of Brindisa and Salt Yard, yet the food at Camino gives them a run for their money; were the restaurant in the Soho hubbub, it would be bursting at the seams. As it is, it is worth making the trip to Blackfriars. It’s closer than Spain, and the Cava selection is probably just as good.
Camino.uk.com