Copita

I’d once been to Copita on a date for a drink of the gin kind.  This buzzy little tapas spot in the middle of Soho is, after all, well-suited for courting couples.  In Spanish, of course, “Copita” means sherry glass, which succinctly conveys the focus of this Soho wine bar. Their gin menu is extensive, featuring all sorts of herby and fruity pairings, from basil and rosemary, to strawberry. And my glass of fruity white wine this evening was nicely rounded. But on the said date, we didn’t stick around to try the food, so when my fellow foodie friend suggested this place for a Thursday bite to eat and catch-up, I was immediately sold by its menu.

Copita’s inside really does remind of a tapas bar in Seville: people are eating either standing up or on high bar stools.  It’s all very upbeat, but it’s almost too noisy – the acoustic means sounds bounce around all over the place and you have to shout to your neighbours to be heard. Not ideal for dates of either the amicable or romantic kind.

And what of the food? As mentioned, the menu is full of tempting vegetarian options, more so than any other tapas joints (Polpo, Opera Tavern, Barrafina et al). I went for the roasted aubergine, hazelnut and tomato honey (£6.45), alongside the sweet potato, bravas sauce, alioli and peanuts (£6.10). Whilst I found the texture of the aubergine a little slimy, the hazlenuts lent a necessary crunch. On the whole though, the dish felt under-seasoned and was nothing like the Turkish style aubergine to be enjoyed at Oklava or Morito.

The sweet potato, however, totally stole the show: the combination of peanuts, garlicy alioli and a classic tomato spicy sauce was beautifully offset by the mellow sweetness of the earthy sweet potato. This dish has it all: textures, flavours, and is probably the best version of patatas bravas I’ve tried in London (and potentially Spain!). Although this dish is probably made for sharing, it’s too good to share!

For a vege friendly taste of modern Spain, you can’t go far wrong with Copita. The food is varied, the wine is cheap (and good), and the service is, how shall we put it, authentic!

Copita, 26-27 D’Arblay Street, London, W1

Website: http://www.copita.co.uk 

Rating: ***