Camino

IT IS VIRTUALLY impossible to stumble across Camino (Spanish for path). You reach it by putting footsteps of faith down a Dickensian alleyway which punctuates a pacifistically themed bookshop and a currently boarded unit. I thought this was the restaurant, already R.I.P. since I made my booking 18 hours earlier. My mild panic stemmed from the jagged urban geography: this path to lunch lies within an area still so seedy that I thought I would catch something if I hung around too long. Heading past a colourful arty maze, edging left and then - as the cobbles channeled into a bright courtyard with a small olive, barrels and seats - I started to feel clean again. Two doors designate bar and restaurant, divided internally by a long counter.From the the grand druid of hip hangouts, Richard Bigg (Cargo, Market Place, and The Big(g) Chill - which I loathe), this expensively assembled venue seems to polarise opinion: slate or elate.

My friend had plenty of outsized luggage, which they stowed without fuss. We were gestured towards the restaurant, a bright, positive square flooded from a sky dome. The walls and doors are faced with cork bricks, which help temper acoustics. We could still smell the leather emanating from the simple seats and embossed place mats. A couple of touristy design details including painted slogans endanger the crisp image, however. Any more gaudy embellishments from España and it would enter theme restaurant territory.

The open plan kitchen ahead of us is home to one of the venue’s main selling points: the parilla (charcoal grill) imported from Bilbao.

Our pleasant, but quiet (possibly even hungover) Hispanic waiter brought a carefully concise wine list, where the majority of bottles are available by the large or small glass and 375ml carafe. Draft Spanish beer and tart Asturian cider, aeratingly poured from a height, are also promoted, the latter observed by The Observer when they named Camino Best Bar 2008 (even though the year has seven months to run). I revived myself nosing the vapours of Manzanilla from Valdespino, which lays claim to being the oldest sherry bodega. It was measured theatrically against a notched ruler standing on the bar. I chose Embuitidos, a selection of chorizo, salchichón and pork loin discs, served without bread (which carries a £1 surcharge – the devils).

My companion dipped into a concisely titled (deep breath) Sopa de Tomate con Tagliatelle Marinado de Pepino y Gamba en Gabardine. It sounded better then it looked (and it didn’t even sound that good). Fortunately the battered tiger prawn did not appear to have suffered too much GBH.

I sometimes fail to appreciate music, but I was adamant, for once, that I knew the album playing like ventilation in the background. I told my friend it was Air; she was convinced it was not. We made a bet. If I was right, she would eat my pork loin (even though she is a vegetarian). She could not think of a suitably scathing punishment for me. We asked the waiter. “One moment”, he said, and then “Have you heard of Air?” She ate the loin.

When I asked about a particular wine, Baboix from Montsant, the waiter brought me half a glass to taste. A carafe of this drowningly deeply coloured quintet of Grenache, Carignan, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot followed. Coming from a horseshoe around Priorat, it shared some of its neighbour’s inky, liquorice, herbaceous, slightly salty, oakily spiced character, but was overall lighter and more accessible in its youth.

We shared Paella with saffron stained, firm calasparra rice, cultivated on the banks of the River Segura. Apart from only partially opened, sticky textured mussels which probably hadn’t seen the sea in a while, it was “like pa’s”, a complement according to my companion. The chicken morsels were particularly good, reinforcing the tongue-twisting claim made on Camino’s website: ‘When chickens get to live like chickens, they taste like chickens too’.

Contrary to criticisms about an expensive menu, our bill was as tender and acceptable as the chicken. However, back out under drizzle in the recently re-branded Regent Quarter, which is squirmingly being dragged, kicking and screaming into Islington-esque gentrification, we realised they had forgotten to charge us for drinks.

Overall, I enjoyed Camino. It no doubt goes through many phases over the course of a day, from pastry and coffee haven at breakfast, to lazy lunch and night time salsa den. One thing is for sure: Bigg is ahead of the game when it comes to anticipating the area’s imminent trendiness. And this is no false start.
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Douglas Blyde
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Having read some of the reviews for this restaurant in the Regent's quarter, 3 mates of mine and I were very excited to try it out. We headed to the bar for some nice mojitos and the bar staff was friendly even if they seemed slightly understaffed.

We then went around to the restaurant where we had a table booked for the evening. The starters were very nice but we thought that there were too few mains on the menu. A lot of meat (..!) and there wasn't a whole lot to choose from when it came to the side orders. The sides were furthermore very small.

The staff were ok. Not great. We had a few bottles of wines and that defenitely improved the experience. The waitresses were very eager to suggest that we have another bottle of wine as soon as the last one was empty. Is this how they get the good reviews? By ensuring that the guests have wine at all times and so become highly cheerful... One may wonder.

Last but not least, it is overpriced. Not enough value for money that is for sure.
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Jenny
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Thursday, October 18, 2007

A relatively pleasant evening, although friendly service and a nice atmosphere were the highlights. There was nothing that i would describe as bad, just consistently average which unfortunatly isn't good enough for the money you pay.
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Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Sunday, July 29, 2007

It's sad to find a restaurant showing signs of resting on its laurels so soon after opening - maybe it's a London thing. You certainly can't fault the quality of the key ingredients: the meat and fish are superb and at their best simply cooked on a grill. But some of the supporting elements are disappointing given the prices: poor quality bread, limp piles of (undressed) salad leaves. The over sweet, slightly glutinous aioli served with our sea trout was clearly from a jar, and we're not talking Helmans. When challenged, the chef didn't even have the grace to admit that it wasn't home made. I notice that they are advertising for a chef in the Caterer, so perhaps they'll find one who knows his mayonnaise....

The service is willing, but not especially well informed. Our Iberian ham was wonderful, but slightly sweaty, having clearly been left absent mindedly on a hot surface. At £14.50 a portion, this is a bit careless.

Overall, Camino is a testimony to some excellent producers, especially of meat, but the restaurant adds little value. Better stock up on bread at St John, meat at the Ginger Pig and build your own barbecue.
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mariefife - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Thursday, July 12, 2007

Excitedly went to Camino with my wife on Friday 8th June, after reading a few mixed reviews.

First impression is that if the gentrification of Kings Cross proceeds with more establishments like Camino springing up, I for one will be delighted. The space is light, airy and attractive, though maybe a little bland.

Dishes are presented in the form of a meandering journey through Spain, with wine suggestions to match up to each course presented in the little concertina booklet of a menu.

An aperitif of Asturian cider reminded you how cider should taste, all green apples, tangy and fresh, unlike the alcopops that proliferate today.

Starters of Jamon Iberico Bellota and Octopus over crushed potatoes were exemplary, the octopus melting in the mouth, and the ham served at the right temperature to savour the sweet nutty flavour of the acorn fed pig it came from.

On mains, I was somewhat perplexed. For a restaurant like this, there seemed curiously little choice, being limited to steak or a couple of fish dishes. Doesn't a spanish restaurant have a little more to offer in the way of choice (Moro manages it)? The Charolais beef we were presented with was cooked well, and came in huge amounts, but after a rather meaty starter some variety would have been welcome.

The suggested wines to accompany the beef were the highlight of the meal, both the Valmoro and the Gine Gine were beautiful and a reason in themselves to return.

The service was good throughout, with a number of waitresses attending to us throughout the evening.

All in all, very good with the question mark remaining over the choice of mains. More variety there and Camino finally gives you a reason to head to Kings Cross.
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David - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, June 13, 2007