With the look and feel of an authentic Spanish tapas bar, Barrica is a venue where people can feel just as comfortable having a coffee, a beer, a glass of sherry or a sit down meal with wine.
Barrica is creating waves in the West End, primarily due to its range of sherries, wines and varied, rustic Spanish tapas dishes. The bar boasts over 20 different sherries, from Fino, Manzanilla to Palo Cortado and the luscious Pedro Ximenez. The extensive wine list includes over 25 varieties of grape from over 25 separate Denominacions of Origin (wine regions) across Spain. Barrica’s signature wines range from the immensely good value Villa Anita Viura/Chardonnay from Tarragona to the juicy Losada Mencia from Bierzo. Red wines are kept in a bespoke temperature-controlled cabinet behind the bar, keeping all bottles at 16 degrees Celsius, for optimum enjoyment.
To accompany a drink at the bar, customers are able to choose from light snacks including olives, almonds, cheeses, home-pickled vegetables and cured Iberico pork products such as the beautiful jamon iberico cebo and bellota from Revisan, imported exclusively by Barrica from Guijuelo in Salamanca. Barrica’s tapas menu offers a wide selection of dishes, starting from just £1, many of which are cooked on its charcoal grill.
Barrica’s kitchen is run by ex-Moro chef, James Knight who is supported by the experienced Basque-country sous-chef, Eusebio Martin. The floor staff are mostly Spanish, including Manager David Garcia who hails from Madrid. Barrica is the brainchild of Tim Luther who has spent nearly three years researching and planning the opening – with much of that time spent in Spain. Luther’s background is in the wine trade having spent the last seven years working for Albion Wine Shippers in London where he developed his love of Spanish wines.
Commenting on the opening of Barrica, Luther said: ‘We wanted to create a genuine tapas bar that would not feel out of place if it were on a busy street in Barcelona. We don’t call ourselves a restaurant as the Barrica experience is as much about enjoying a beer at the bar with friends as it is about sampling the tapas dishes with our extensive sherry and wine list. We have made a feature of our range of sherries as there’s no better way to complement the different dishes on offer at Barrica. Whether it’s a glass of Fino to accompany some almonds and olives, an Amontillado with some charcoal-grilled quail or a sweet Pedro Ximenez to enjoy with cheese or dessert, there’s a sherry for every palate.”
The bar’s decor creates an atmosphere of traditional Spain but with a modern design that gives the venue a contemporary edge. Combining white marble tops with dark wood and a tiled floor, Barrica provides a relaxed and comfortable environment with a range of seating including bar stools, high tables and a softer feel at the back of the bar.
During the festive season, Barrica is offering set menus from £20 per head, which will include a range of tapas dishes giving visitors a truly Iberian take on Christmas. Luther continued: ‘We want our customers to create their own Spanish Christmas at Barrica and welcome them to phone our head-chef, James, to create a bespoke offering for their party – whether it be a roast meat dish, paella or whole baked fish.
For more information about Barrica visitwww.barrica.co.uk