Casa Manolo, Strand — Restaurant in London

My midday wanderings in London brought me face-to-face with this haven of cured meats and tapas, and boy, am I glad they did.

I opted for a quick takeaway - my stomach was grumbling for a quick snack, and Casa Manolo was the perfect answer, featuring their takeaway cone combo of iberico ham and manchego cheese.

The ham, oh the ham! It practically pirouetted on my tongue, a symphony of rich, nutty flavors with a delicate melt-in-your-mouth texture. Each bite was like a sun-drenched Spanish meadow, kissed with sea air and dusted with paprika magic. I swear I could hear flamenco guitars strumming in the background!!!

And the manchego? A salty, creamy counterpoint to the ham's boldness. Sharp enough to wake up your palate, yet smooth enough to make you sigh with contentment. Together, they were a marriage made in tapas heaven.

Sure, the prices might make your eyes widen a smidge, but for this quality and experience, it's worth every penny (or pound, as it were). Plus, the portions are good.

So, if you're strolling down the Strand with a hankering for a taste of Spain, skip the greasy spoons and head straight for Casa Manolo. It's a little piece of Iberian paradise, where the food is a fiesta, the atmosphere is friendly, and the memories linger long after your last bite. Ole!!!

Next time, I'm tackling that paella. And maybe a glass of...

This is good! Really good! I was in covent garden with friends looking for a place where to grab a sort of business lunch. Something more formal than usual, but all the restaurants nearby were fully booked (obviously). So we moved a bit outside the busiest plaza and ended up in front of casa Manolo, which, from outside, looks like more like a food shop rather than a place where eating. Tempted by the flavours in the air we got in and, even though quite small, we found a table available. I thought they could sell only sandwiches with jambon or queso, and, instead, there was a pretty serious menu. And most of what we got was really good (i didn'tlike very much the patatas bravas...everythingelse was great). It's a nice surprise, and it definitely deserves a bite if you are around. You can also buy food from there in case you want to bring back with you some delicatessen! The guys working there were very nice and helpful. It was an enjoyable experience. But do not spend too much time at the table after your meal...otherwise they will ask you to leave to give space to...

An absolute joy of a find, a London stand up tapas experience. Located on the Strand this unapologetically small spanish shop has a couple of high tables to serve those looking for small spanish plates. The star of the show are the diffent qualities of jambon/ham. The dishes (squid, potatoes, veal) are all really tasty (though perhaps a little greasy and heacy on the sauce). The staff are really nice and wine or sangria is available. You can also get takeaway food or just shop for ingredients. Looking for a leg of ham, a bottle of spanise wine, some spanish cheese, salami, it's all here. It's a good place to have some light, relaxed easy dishes compared to a full on sit down meal. Need a snack, then grab a baguette with jambon to take away. You do pay for the privalge of shopping here. It isn't cheap...