The Little Taperia
143 Tooting High Street, London SW17 0SY
Near Tooting Broadway Station
Dining is certainly turning around in Tooting. It’s no longer just curry joints and ‘The Little Taperia‘ is good example of the fine eats now to be found there.
It’s an intimate restaurant–small but inviting. They offer both table and bar seating in two sections. The front has a bar with high chairs and a few table while the back looks directly onto the open kitchen. In fact, you might say you are in the kitchen! Some of the best seats are at the back bar where you can see all the cooking.
The restaurant has a nice buzz without being too loud and gives you the feeling of being in small bar in Seville. The staff are friendly and engaging. And despite the size of the restaurant there was no effect to move us on.
The bar offers a good selection of cocktails with their signature tipple being a Negroni along with a range of G+T. Also on offer are some nice local craft beers.
The Little Taperia offers a decent selection of tapas ranging in price from and with serving sizes larger than you might expect in London. This is proper tapas, not the stuff of chain restaurants.
On this occasion we tried the Iberico pluma pork. Made from the shoulder of an Iberico pig, it is full of flavour and surprisingly juicy. This is without a doubt the best dish on their menu. The sweet potato mash is a perfect accompanyment and the mushroom puree gives the dish an extra richness. This dish doesn’t disappoint.
The “Gambas al ajillo”, or shrimp cooked in garlic, were excellent. Cooked simply with garlic and chill, the shrimp were plump with just the right bite.
And what tapas meal is complete without a serving of Patatas bravas? Theirs are served with a garlic aioli rather than the tomato sauce you might expect. While tasty, this was a dish that seemed a bit lacking. The potatoes did not have that crisp shell you expect but were instead a bit soft. Overall, the taste was a bit on the bland side.
Overall, a great place for a casual, relaxing meal with good prices that is sure to please your tastebuds.