Barrafina Dean Street — Restaurant in London

Barrafina is growing and in great hype in London, and it deserves all the good things people have been talking about them. It's a barra style restaurant, a counter serving Spanish dishes, which are recommended to share.

Although you can make a reservation in some other Barrafina's in London, this one at Dean's St. doesn't accept reservations, but it's said to be the one best located and with the greatest environment.

Anyway, what is so special about Barrafina is actually the superb food, the quality of the ingredients and how amazingly simple things can be prepared.

Our choices: Tortilla - it's a must order dish, and probably the best tortilla you will eat outside of Spain. We had two of them! One classic tortilla and a second one with txistorra, which is a type of sausage from the Basque region. The way the egg of the tortilla melts away when you cut it in half, and how perfectly cooked it is outside contrasting with the inside, makes it perfect. Pan con tomate - not your regular bread with tomato. First of all, amazing toasted bread, with olive oil, and then a creamy and tasty tomato spread over. Croquetas de jamon - ham croquettes. Very warm, crispy outside and melting inside. We also repeated these (instead of asking for a dessert)

It's a great choice in London and a place I would live to return. Price was around 36£/per person, which I believe it's fair for the experience, food...

Food was good but if you don’t want to be bullied and belittled by the arrogant chef (appeared to be the head chef) about how you’re supposed to enjoy your food, don’t sit at the front counter, better off sitting off to the left side. Rolled his eyes as I placed my order with the server, guess my order was boring for him. Then made a look of horror when I asked for some lemon to squeeze on the pedron peppers. I’m well aware that’s not how they’re traditionally eaten, but that’s how I like to eat them. The chef berated me and said something along the lines of no Spanish person would eat them like that. I was shocked at the way I was being spoken to and the facial expressions this man kept making at me. Then, other guests from another table sent back their tortilla requesting it to be cooked further, as it was still raw and running inside, and though I would enjoy it that way, I understand why someone else wouldn’t. The chef again made faces of annoyance and unwillingness, and said that his tortillas are perfect and it’s the guest who is the problem, not even trying to be discreet as all the customers seated on the front counter can hear him. It was very uncomfortable. All the other staff were wonderful. The best thing that chef could do for this establishment is to stop working there. He would be better suited to working in a closed kitchen, not...

From the cuisine, to the atmosphere, to the chefs, all of which could easily be attributed to Barrafina’s five stars, yet when summed this restaurant becomes the literal definition of a showstopper.

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I found myself enjoying an evening stroll and some fresh air before an early departure when the clatter of cutlery mixed with pleasant chit chat and laughter caught my ear.

Whether it was the captivating interior, or delicious smells wafting over from the kitchen I’ll never know for sure, none the less I soon found myself at Barrafina’s counter glancing over a menu. What’s worse is that as soon as a dish had been settled on it came to light that a daily specials menu was also in circulation. Yet, after a few more iterations orders were placed and soon thereafter a stunning seafood paella and croquet were platted in front of me. And while typically I wouldn’t approach seafood with a ten foot pole, I had to refrain from inhaling this particular paella. Then why order it in the first place you might ask? Well because I deferred to the host’s suggestion and thought I ought to heed their advice.

All in all, not only is the cuisine filling and delectable, but the dining entire experience is noteworthy. I can’t think of a good reason to not visit Dean St. for a night out, celebration, or anything in...