Tendido Cuatro

The food was OK. Chorizo in pastry was like dry spring rolls – not what I expected. Chicken in béchamel was excellent, but accompanied by tomato sauce which was too strong for the delicate dish. I was pleasantly surprised by deserts. Service was very attentive, maybe even too much – I felt as if empty plates were disappearing from under my fork.

Having previously thoroughly enjoyed meals at Cambio de Tercio – in my opinion one of the best Spanish restaurants in London – I was taken for my birthday dinner to Tendido Cuatro and it may have overtaken my love of Cambio! The brilliant service – attentive without being intrusive – helped create a perfect, relaxed yet exclusive atmosphere for our small group, but would also be ideal for couples as well as friends. Delicious, innovative tapas followed by fresh, traditional paella and arroz negro, washed down by fantastic wine (great list to suit all budgets, but we were superbly advised by the manager) provided us with a truly enjoyable and memorable evening that we hope to repeat very soon. Spanish staff, Spanish food and Spanish wine surrounded by dramatic Spanish bull fighting portraits – a superb evening almost as good as being in Spain itself!

Always a promising thing when the waiting staff speak Spanish in a Spanish restaurant. This is ‘modern gourmet tapas’ done very well. You choose 6-8 dishes from a list — the individual plates are around £5-6 but the solomillo (tender steak) is £12 — for us 6 was absolutely fine. All of it excellently and creatively presented and all of it tasty. We went there because there were lots of people on an idle Sunday night and we can see why. Crazy stuff like aubergine chips (stacked up in that gourmet way they do with thick-cut potato chips). We skipped dessert. I've rated the food and drink 9 because although their wine collection was odd (I only recognised 2 varieties of wine despite living in Spain for 3 years), they had Muga which is my absolute favourite Rioja and the half bottle of 2005 was superb. I had the Muga 1994 and 1998 and I'm no wine snob really but they say 2005 was good and we did really enjoy it great to share one of my Spanish highlights with my wife. Service: 9 — was so attentive it was almost grovelling but never imposing. Atmosphere 9 — Brits + alcohol is always a bad idea so you get the usual raucous shouty laughter but that's just London really isn't it. Table distance fine.

Food is really poor here. The service is bad and I find the staff very rude indeed. If thius restaurant stays open much longer, I will be amazed. Avid like the plague!