The first Bar Kroketa restaurant opened on Beak Street in Soho a couple of years ago with a simple, hugely effective USP: kroketas (not ‘croquetas’) and cocktails, at reasonable prices and in a setting that meant that the average diner did not linger for more than a couple of each, meant that it was soon a hit. A second opened on St Christopher’s Place in Marylebone and now the third has come to Broadgate Circle in the City, offering some quasi-Catalan cheer for office workers and commuters alike.
Certainly, compared to the rather bland chain offerings roundabouts, this is rather more fun. Bar Kroketa Broadgate has some of the authentic atmosphere of a Spanish tapas bar, and if you ignore the noise from a Saturday night crowd outside, it’s just about possible to imagine that you are in Barcelona or San Sebastian.
In any case, what you eat and drink here is of the highest level, from the ‘Ezpata Old Fashioned’ that kicks off the meal along with a mixed platter of jamon, chorizo, goat’s cheese and figs. It sets the tone for a splendidly accomplished, fairly priced romp through Spanish cuisine that surely makes this the go-to spot for tapas in the City.
The kroketas here are, of course, the thing to come for, and there is a generous selection, ranging from the traditional (jamon, goat’s cheese) to the more esoteric (chicken, complete with chicken skin). Keenly priced at £7.50 for a pair, they’re substantial enough to constitute a starter of sorts, and delicious into the bargain.
Paired with a couple of snacks from the ‘kitchen’ section, such as padron peppers and patatas bravas (oh, they like their alliteration here!), and a bottle of deliciously crisp Albariño from the short, well-chosen (and, naturally, Spanish) wine list, this becomes quite the treat.
There are more substantial options available, too, at rather higher prices. We very much enjoyed the special of aged sirloin with chimichurri and padron peppers, and a super-fancy range of octopus croquetas (or ‘kroketas’) justified the rather higher price. Alas, the bottomless brunch earlier that day had cleaned out the chocolate kroketas, but there were still excellent churros available, and a plateful of those with a couple of glasses of Pedro Ximenez made for a conclusive end to a wonderfully paced, wholly satisfying meal.
We were in and out in 90 minutes, felt replete and happy, and the whole kaboodle was considerably cheaper and easier than flying to Barcelona. Nobody, on this evidence, would begrudge Bar Kroketa becoming a staple of your neighbourhood, as long as the quality stays at this superlative level.
Now serving bottomless brunch every Saturday. Bar Kroketa, 36 Broadgate Circle, City of London EC2M 2QS. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.kroketa.co.uk.
