El Parador

we never book and usually manage to get in - JUST

we eat out regularly and like nice food. this place is a little cramped and the staff are not super efficient but the food is gorgeous, the staff are very welcoming and it has a great atmosphere. we go every other week, the food is definitely of a higher standard then most Tapas in London.

if you're the kind of person who likes to find fault please dont go so all us fun loving people can get a table.
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kitty
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, August 25, 2008

3 of us went to El Parador recently--I had quite high hopes of it as Time Out's Cheap Eats has glowing praise for this tapas resto--and I feel a little let down. The food was quite good--but I was starved and we did wait quite a while for the waiter to take our order. I ate all the olives in the meantime. Yes, it was fairly busy, but when you see the waiter and another person engaged in a long chat, it makes you wonder. I felt a lack of professionalism from the staff based on this. The atmosphere wasn't as nice as it looked through the window--the ground floor is very cramped and not in a charming bohemian way. There are other tapas places that I would rather try, but if in time I see a good review, I may give this one another chance.
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Danielle
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 6
Thursday, August 21, 2008

we visited recently on a wednesday before a concert at Koko. they have a garden you can eat in but that was already booked out so we sat in the restaurant which was also very busy. atmosphere was buzzing

we had about 6 tapas dishes all of which were delicious can definitely recommend the tortilla, definitely the best i have ever eaten on par with the ones in Spain! they have a selection of beers including the dark alhambra which i love so i was very happy.

service was polite but it was obvious that as it was getting busier the staff were rushing (possibly short staffed that night). we had to wait a while for the bill but that all the dishes were served on time, would definitely be back again.
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Annie
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Don't bother. As you cannot book, we called and were told to come after 9pm when we should get a table. We made the trip, arrived around 9:15pm and were pleased to see 4 empty tables as we entered. However a surly guy muttered something we didn't catch as he walked by. We asked what he had said to which he replied - from 10 feet away - 'ten o'clock', amplifying this by saying 'nothing until ten o'clock' when we looked puzzled.

He was walking away when he spoke - no attempt to be friendly, explain the 4 empty tables or provide any semblance of customer service.

My advice - don't make the trip. The food may be good but with an attitude like this all they deserve - and no doubt will get - is to find themselves out of business.
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Neil
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, July 24, 2008

quite simply my favourite place to eat in london! The staff are always welcoming and there's always something new and interesting to try out. Last week we were lucky to get a table in the garden and spent a lovely couple of hours with a bottle of rose and fresh fish tapas. A great little restuarant which i can't praise highly enough.
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Ken
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Just tried to book here - the woman who answer the phone was rude and then hung up on me. Remarkable. Will dine somewhere else then.
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Michael Holmes
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Thursday, May 22, 2008

It's ten years since I first went to El Parador. The food is still as good as I remembered. We chose El Parador this week because it was very handy for Koko up at Mornington Crescent tube - a couple of minutes walk but a quieter place than the pub for a good chat.

They don't take bookings for fewer than three people but I was assured that arriving around 6.30pm should be no problem. Still, arriving at 6.10pm, we were lucky to get a table for two. Just in time.

The service is warm and efficient without being pushy. Very welcoming.

The food is absolutely gorgeous! Some of the best tapas I've had. None of it disappointed. Done to perfection with a light touch and full of flavour.

We had calamares a la Romana, simple and perfect, a rich robust chorizo, and the juicy warm chargrilled pimientos.

On the suggestion of one of the reviewers here, we tried the roasted sweet potatoes. Yum! Thanks for the tip.

The best was the pan-fried broccoli with cumin and harissa oil. We're both big fans of broccoli but were surprised and delighted to find a new and surprising way to cook it. Gorgeous and very intense. It could even be the dish to convert broccoli-phobes.

All round, a perfect meal. Definitely going back to try the rest of the menu.
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Caitlin McKiernan
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, April 17, 2008

I have been eating at this delightful little restuarant for several years now, but I always look forward to visiting again because each time seems better than the last! And because of the huge number of dishes on the menu, things never get boring as new combinations are always possible.

Favourites of mine include the pan fried monkfish and the mixed artichoke and asparagus, but there really is something on there for everyone.

I've always been well looked after by the staff, who are very friendly without being overly fussy and the prices, considering the quality of the food, are very reasonable.

I've recommended el parador to all my London friends, who all tell me how much they enjoyed it.

One thing I would say is that it's often very busy, so it's worth phoning ahead to book or check.
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Frederick Martin
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, March 26, 2008

After reading these fabulous comments and living just around the corner looking fancy and upmarket, we thought to give it a try.

We were there relatively early, 6 PM, the ground floor main eating area was half empty, still we were told that there is no space and there is only a table in the basement available.

The basement was cramped and you were almost sitting on the neighbor's table, installations are hanging from the walls and it is situated next to the kitchen.

As for the service, the waiter was just mumbling down the specials and that was it. Needless to say that we were not impressed having to wait for the bill 10-15 minutes which felt longer in this basement.

We tried one of the specials, chicken liver, and were disgusted that it was only half cooked. Courgettes ? Burnt to black on the grill.

The only halfway decent dish was the spanish tortilla, but what can you do wrong there ?

"Best Food Ever" ?

Give me a break. People should get more experience to compare what they are offered here in London to other cities. No value - just hype.
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Disappointed
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 1
Sunday, March 16, 2008

Excellent restaurant! The service is quick and attentive, and there is quite a large variety of food on the menu. Most of all, the standard of the food is extremely high (we had 7 dishes and they were all very good) – in particular I recommend the roasted sweet potatoes, the steak with cherry tomatoes and also the duck with pears and redcurrants. It is generally good value for money, but I have to say that some of the dishes in the vegetarian section of the menu were overpriced – especially the rice and also the padrón peppers, both of which are priced at £5.70 each. That is simply too much for a small dish of rice and a small dish of peppers.

But overall the food was exceptional and I’m sure I will be going back again. The lunchtime offer of 3 tapas dishes for the price of 2 seems like great value.
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N. P. - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Monday, March 10, 2008