Is Tasca The Hottest New Restaurant In East London?
A recent trend in London’s culinary world I cannot get on board with is complaints about ‘small plates’ restaurants. I’ve seen people grumbling about leaving hungry (skill issue I’m afraid) and criticism of ‘chef-led‘ pretension (I’d argue this has more to do with the actual chef, and less to do with portion size). Some are proudly declaring their preference for sticking to their own starter, main and dessert, happy to be marooned in culinary isolation.
It’s all a bit too close to ‘take back control’ for my liking. What happened to a bit of adventure and compromise? Small plates are attractive to chefs because they give them a chance to show off, and diners because it gives you a chance to alleviate the FOMO you might get when you suspect you ordered the wrong thing. It also lets you play the game of instantly spotting something you know you want to order, and casually steering the table towards collectively getting enough of it so that they don’t realise it’s just for you.
What sets it apart
There’s serious heft behind this new opening which, yes, invites you to share a variety of dishes sitting around the £8-20 mark. Câv is the bricks, mortar, and liquor, a dimly lit bar under the railway arches in Bethnal Green’s Paradise Row from Chris Tanner and Edwin Frost, and brains behind Dram London.
Conceived to host changing kitchen residencies, first up is Tasca from Chef Josh Dallaway and sommelier Sinéad Murdoch, bringing a slice of Iberia with Spanish and Portuguese-inspired food and wine. Away from a chronically offline cluster of spots in Stockwell, Portuguese cuisine remains under-appreciated in London, so this is a very welcome opening.
There are grand plans for what Câv will become – a speaker system aims to turn it into a listening bar come April – but for now, it’s stripped back to the food and drink offering which, lucky for them, is more than enough.
What we ordered
We started with classic Gildas aided by kumquat sweetness (but you can also start with the un-classic Jambon beurre version) and mini pear and ricotta tartlets, paired with cocktails from Câv – their twist on a picante involves beetroot, interesting and refreshing. It clicks into gear with Brixham crab mixed with peppery butter and leek spread on toast, and one of the stars of the show, scallops in their shell coated in a dark, spicy bilbaina sauce, a deeply rich basque sauce that leaves you searching for some bread to mop it up with.
One of my favourite things to order in London restaurants is a sandwich – there are so many ways to. Their offering the Cachorrinho, is billed as an elevated version of a hot dog. A take on the Porto classic, pork and prawn combine to make something delicious.
Maybe the best example of culinary daring lies in the dessert section of the menu – an unusual place for the Bikini sandwich to reside, a famous ham and cheese toastie from Spain. But topped with smoked maple syrup and creme fraiche, it might convince you that this is its rightful place.
Maybe the best example of culinary daring lies in the dessert section of the menu
The wine list is carefully considered and very well-priced, the selection of red, white and orange are primarily from Spain and Portugal and are 80% female-founded. Ask for guidance and you’ll be directed to a gem – a bottle of Vinho Verde at £39 or an Orange from a small Georgian winery a couple of trendy standouts.
Verdict
The decor might be unfinished – or rustic if you like – with a lack of prints and some temporary dining tables, but when the food and drink offering is this refined off the bat, jumping the gun a bit is more than defensible – advisable, even.
It might be destined for the lexicon of cool East London foodie wine bars, but for now, we can call this a hidden gem with great food and wine at fair prices with passionate, knowledgeable folks behind it. Pretty much my platonic ideal for a new London opening.
where: 255 Paradise Row, Greater, London E2 9LE
website: www.cav255.com
