I'm in love. I just have the biggest food crush ever since moving to London. Wowzas. I'd heard about Morito several times, but because they don't take reservations never really ended up making it.
Well, what a waste of my time it has been to spend so many years this close without coming at least once a month to this place to gorge on the SPECTACULAR tapas.
The place is lovely, a tiny little spot, unpretentious, tiles and orange formica, tucked next to the mothership Moro in Exmouth Market. It's just what a tapas bar in Spain looks like, boisterous, busy, and fun.
And the food is out of this world. We started off with cute little pomegranate and cava cocktails, and got to work picking our tapas. We kicked off the festivities with a lamb and prune tagine. This is probably one of the best pieces of meat I have ever eaten. The spices (a hint of cardamon), the tenderness, just outrageous.
Then we had a classic pan con tomate, which was a bit too much tomate for the pan, but still lovely. We followed that with a bocadillo of bread, with jamon and fried quail eggs. I'm a sucker for a runny yolk, and this was just delicious, runny, crunchy, savoury, and beautifully cut by the acidity of the tomatoes.
We moved on to spinach with red onions, anchovies, pine nuts and raisins. Also nice, but maybe a bit heavy on the onion. We ate that together with some goat cheese, and everything worked rather nicely together.
And then, finally, lamb chops, succulent, doused with cumin and lime, exploding with flavour. Amazing. Finger licking good.
The bill was quite decent, five tapas, four cocktails, two beers, £60 pounds. Considering the quality of the food, a steal in my book.
I'm coming back here all the time. The food is on another level. The service is fantastic, the staff are lovely without being forced. The only hassle is the non booking policy, which basically means you have to arrive, leave your name at the door, go for a pint in the pub in the corner, and come back 45 minutes later when they call your mobile. A bit of a drag, but truly worth it.
Infos
Morito
32 Exmouth Market
EC1R 4QL.
Tel. 020 7278 7007
i've been meaning to go here... it's always sooo busy... have you tried across the road a few doors down, Caravan? it's really good too. mike
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's one of those food nazi scenarios, where you have to show true dedication to get served. But well worth it.
ReplyDeleteNever tried Caravan. Barbs says it's brilliant though...
Hello, Monique. I loved your work.
ReplyDeleteI shall visit London again, now with you because Jaime was a new citizen at that time and could not show me this "side" of the city.
Maybe at the end of the year, in Christmas...
Kisses, Sheila
Ooooooh yes, come, we'll give you the grand tour!
ReplyDeleteExmouth is really one of the best spots in Australia. I have some nice spots in this site.
ReplyDelete