Cigala

Went with partner who was receiving treatment at a hospital close by. Looked fresh from outside so in we went. Ignored by waiter (despite restaurant being almost empty) so we chose a table for ourselves and sat down, only then to be told rather brusquely by another that it was reserved (though no sign to say so!) - nevertheless we decided to stay and found another table. Waiter then came over with bread and oil which he proceeded to spill on the table whilst pouring it ,as he was looking out of the window. Bread was stale though we were told by the manager that customers came back for it! (I know what Spanish bread tastes like and this wasn't it!) Most of the tapas dishes were quite nice actually (if rather overpriced) though the baby crabs had absolutely no meat and were taken back, albeit rather ungraciously. At least the manager had enough sense to remove the service charge from the bill but we won't be returning!

This modern interior Spanish restaurant serves various paellas and traditional dishes with a contemporary panache. The staff will suggest combination of dishes and are very helpful.

The decor is retro-modern with rosewood veneer behind upholstered banquettes in front of large picture windows. These give views of the charming shops and bars of Lamb's Conduit St.

I am a Spaniard and I am ashamed that this kind of place purports to represent my country's food in London. The ommelete was appaling, these guys do not know what the patatas a lo pobre are (what was all that juicy sauce about?), the jamon de jabugo was so badly cut that it was completeley spoilt (difficult to spoil a product like that but by cutting slices five times as thick as they are meant to be you do mange). The chorizo they sell here is the traditional supermarket processed "chistorra" full of salt, paprika and other spices to hide the taste of bad meat. The rabbit croquetes which were meant to have rabbit inside (it is actually hare that croquetes are made with in real Spain) seemed to be from the supermarkets frozen section. The cheese selection is again the typical supermarket cheap selection. One single positive thing : the olive oil served to dip your bread was very good quality. I do not know who is the chef but it must have learnt to cook Spanish food at some cheap beach resort where this kind of thing is sold to foreigners as Spanish food. Do yourself a favour and dont waste your time and money in places like this. There are too many brilliant places to eat in London as for dedicating your time to one like this one.

Popped in here for lunch on a Sunday. The place was so quiet which was sad as it was such a great find (but good if the sun is out and then you are guaranteed a seat outside!). The waitress told us that during the week the place is heaving so the weekend is the best bet for some relaxation there.

The food was very good. I tried the albondigas (which were lamb with a small bit of mint) in a rich tomato sauce. Also had chicken croquettas which were lovely with a rich creamy texture. The pimentos del Padron were excellent, with the obligatory 1 in 10 being a scorcher. I also had grilled chorizo which was tasty with the right amount of saltiness. The tortilla espanola was excellent, cold, as it should be, with chunky pieces of potato - it was prepared in the morning, as it should be, leaving time for the flavours to strenghten although it did need a bit of salt. The wine list was excellent. I had a summery glass of tempranillo rose.

The only reason why I haven't given a five star rating to this was because the albondigas were not as warm as they could have been and the bread was a tad stale. But these were minor things and overall the meal was outstanding. The service was excellent and we sent our compliments to the chef who apparently was one of the founders of Moro down the road. The bill came to around £25 per head for lunch which included one glass of wine. A bit of the expensive side but there was so much to try and we went for it. Left the restaurant feeling stuffed and highly satisfied. I will be back!