Salvador and Amanda
our comments
Salvador and Amanda’s dramatic black frontage is small and belies what you find behind it, a simple reception area which leads you to a large staircase drawing you down into this subterranean tapas bar. Low lighting and wooden structures give the bar a rustic Spanish feel that works well.
While we selected from the varied menu, which included a good range of vegetarian options, we had a dish of mixed olives with some bread, very pleasant, they had a slight vinegary tang to them.
We selected ten items that we wanted to try from the menu, having four brought to the table initially, which turned out to be a wise decision as the portions were far more generous than other tapas bars we have been to. Our first four plates were the Iberico selection of good cured meats, including two different hams, chorizo and a spicy sausage; a dish of Spanish pickles accompanied it well giving an element of tang and sharpness that complemented the meat. Garlic prawns in olive oil were beautifully cooked, six plump and succulent good-sized prawns, with a nice garlicky flavour. The Tiger prawn with ‘baby’ prawn and avocado on toast was a mound of chopped iceberg lettuce, avocado and tender prawns bound together with a light mayonnaise based dressing sat on four small rounds of toast, each topped by a slice of tiger prawn. Although each quite substantial, these had a freshness and lightness to them which we enjoyed.
Feeling rather full but also feeling the need to try some other dishes, we chose two more, the spicy baby chorizo, which had been recommended to us, did not disappoint: with good spiciness, these six skewered little sausages, served hot, were juicy and full of flavour, leaving your mouth with a tingly afterglow. The suckling pork ribs were another generous portion of tender and delicately flavoured ribs.
House wines started at £14.50 a bottle; we had the house red, a good soft peppery Rioja, which was very acceptable. Service was good, attentive without being obtrusive. Salvador and Amanda is a venue that will appeal most to the twenty and thirty something crowd. It has a buzz and liveliness about it, and while we were there, few tables remained empty for long. With generous portions, and reasonably priced drinks it’s a good place to go for an informal meal by yourselves or with a group of friends and worth trying.
akandpa - April 2008
your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne
Wow, I truly DO NOT reccomend this restaurant. We arrived and the waitress was rather rude, interrupting us every two minutes and barking at us to order even though we said we would call her when we were ready. Then one of my party got a huge splinter which went right into her thigh from the wooden table.
Food took AGES to come and some of it was forgotten about. Some cocktails were ordered and the waitress came back with the wrong ones. Instead of apologising argued that it was our fault and eventually the manager had to be called over.
The sangria was literally tinned fruit and we were barked at by the waitress throughout the meal.
I did not leave a tip as its the worst service I have ever had. I would not reccomend it.
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Jo
Overall rating 
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
I've been to this restaurant 3 times because I really like the restaurant and also Spanish food.I went there with my Japanese friends two weeks before.Actually me and one of my friend have been to the restaurant before but we wanted to take another friend to the restaurant because at that time she'd just come to London a week before.When we got there it wasn't crowded because it was before peak time but if you go there at peak time you have to waite. First we ordered drinks two paints of beer and a diet coke and we drank the toast for welcome to London!After that we ordered a lot of food which me and my friend recommended.They were very tasty and especially fried prawns and girlic olive oile which I recommend was exquisite.My friends also liked it.Also almost dishes were reasonable and the portions were big.We didn't worry about anything because the stuff were very friendly and helpful. We didn't think how to order because the waitress was helpful in recommending dishes.At last we ordered a chese cake.It was so yummy and I can't forget it.Also the atmosphere was lively and not tiny but the only thing that spoilt it for us were a bit nosy and dark so we had to talk in a loud voice.However I'd like to go back there again soon.
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Maki
Overall rating 
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Not a great place to eat actually. It all seemed like a bit of a tourist trap - the food was average at best and the sangria wasn't nice at all. The atmosphere was probably the best thing about it and it would probably be ok going with a big group. Quite expensive though, for what it was - a jug of sangria and 5 different plates came to nearly £50 (they add the service charge). Doubt I'll be back!
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Katie
Overall rating 
Food 3 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Thursday, April 10, 2008
A group of us went over the weekend and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. The food was delicious, the cocktails expertly made (and we tried quite a few!) the staff friendly and knowlegable about everything on offer but really it was the overall party atmosphere which will make us go back. Great music too!
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Trish Baron
Overall rating 
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, December 10, 2007
I went there with a group of eight on Friday the 23rd, walked in and instantly loved the atmosphere. Every corner was unique which made me want to explore each one. The food was amazing, plenty of flavor and spice. My favorite was the garlic prawns, we had to order three because they kept disapearing in our larger group! The music was pretty good, although I would have appreciated something a little more new. Waiters were friendly and the bar tender had a relatively quick response. All in all we got a little pissed and had a wonderful night!
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Friday 10th August - I booked a table 2 months in advance and when I rang on friday daytime they did not have my booking for 6 people. But the guy said no probs he has a table, arrived 8.15 and there was no booking for us, we had to wait until some people finished their dinner so we could sit down (9.30 in the end). The woman on the door was very sorry but not good enough really. Service was not that great compared to when I went with my husband in May and June (these were saturday nights). We had to wait ages for drinks. Food was good though as it was last time. The MUSIC was TERRIBLE the Dj's were just playing what they liked and when we asked if the music could be changed they kept saying yes but never did. DJ's were not pleasant at all and me and my friends were not impressed at all. We wanted some clubbing music (thats why we went to London). We were given a jug of sangria free but this really did not make up for what had happened.
Seriously need to sort the music out I recommended this night out to my best friends and they were not that impressed. Shame as we thought we had found a good groovy place to let your hair down.
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Shenise Parker
Overall rating 
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 7
Saturday, August 11, 2007
I really would not recommend eating at this place.
We first ordered a jug of sangria which arrived with tinned fruit which was pretty indicative of the meal to come. Tinned luke warm mushrooms, bread with cold tomato paste smeared on top and potatoes which were supposed to be fried in garlic and topped with tomato sauce which tasted more like frozen roast potatoes.
What a disappointment and waste of money. We'll definitely not be returning!
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sarah - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Monday, July 30, 2007
Whilst I had read some very dissapointing reviews my boyfriend and I decided we would find out for ourselves. Admittedly it was mid week (Tues) but it was still pretty busy but lacked atmosphere, which could have had something to do with the fact the footy was on.
However we stood at the bar for about 10 mins before the bartender even realised we existed. I ordered the sangria which was beautiful, but I cant say the same for the tapas. I love olives and ordered the mixed olives, which were pickled! yuck.I would have been better off taking my own jar from tesco for 99p, howver the garlic prawns are very good if not a tad overpriced, £7 for six tiny prawns.
The staff, whilst nice to look at aren't overly friendly or helpful. All in all a bit dissapointing and not somewhere I would try again.
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B.
Overall rating 
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
i visited last night and i'm surprised by some of the comments on here about the food. I thought the food was fantastic: the chorizo was spicy and authentic, the gambas were garlicky and you've got to order the fabulous lemon chicken wings. My table of four people thought that the service was great, really friendly and nothing was too much trouble for the staff (which makes a change from plenty of other venues i've been to in London). When i stupidly managed to knock a drink all over my boyfriend, one of the waiters dashed over to help mop up the mess. I'll definitely go back as there was a great atmosphere, even though it was midweek. Perhaps i'll try a saturday night next time as i imagine that there's a real party atmosphere down there...
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Friday, April 28, 2006
Had dinner there last night and booked a table for four for the first sitting at 7pm. We arrived at 7.15pm and the place was absolutely buzzing with great music and plemty of atmousphere. The srevice was spot on from the start and I thought we were in for a great evening.....BUT then the food arrived ! It was so disappointing that we left many of the dishes half eaten. The worst culprit was the awful Albondigas (meatballs) which were dry, chewey, spam like and tasteless. Even the head waiter agreed and to his credit removed the offending dish from our table and did not charge for it. The other cooked dishes were bland and devoid of any real flavour, as if they had been mass produced in a centralised kitchen and microwaved at the last minute. The jamon was good but it would be difficult to get that wrong. If they could get the food right, this would be one of London's all time great tapas venues but until then it will remain as just another poor quality tapas restaurant making a fast buck on this popular cuisine.
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DP
Overall rating 
Food 1 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 2
Saturday, March 25, 2006
