Kings Cross has always been one of those grotty little dives with its own brand of charm. However, with the closure of its superclubs and massive redevelopment it won’t be long before it’s a major player on London’s more upmarket party scene. This is where Spanish-inspired Camino steps up. This is not your typical themed bar, it is a cut above the rest – minus the cheese.

The Venue
A stone’s throw from Kings Cross and St Pancras train stations lies this wonderful Spanish bar. Making your way down the alleyway that links Caledonian Road and York Way, it’s hard to miss courtesy of the hordes of people and lively nature practically emanating from the doors. The glass windows allow a little glimpse of what’s on offer mere footsteps away.

Making your way through the huge doors, you are presented with a long bar with chalk boards above exhibiting the drinks on offer. Propping yourself up against the bar, you may notice the absence of a wet elbow - the slanted bar edge meaning any spillages simply drain away. Genius.

On the wall to the left of the bar is a huge map of Spain with postcards and memorabilia from the staff’s travels. If you just want a bit of fun with your drink, then head on over and play table football. Beyond this is another area that is a little quieter than the main bar, better suited for people who want to have a quieter drink but don’t want to be too closed off from all the action. On the weekends, part of this area is used for bands and DJs - all Spanish influenced, of course. Heading away from the bar to the right is the juice bar, which is used in the morning for breakfast and closes just after midday. Past that is the restaurant if you fancy a sit down dinner rather than just tapas in the main bar area. What is striking about Camino is just how authentic the Spanish theme is.

The Atmosphere
Typically, this bar is swarming post work during the week but come about 9pm, the pace slows down and chills out. At the weekends there are more events going on, such as DJs, bands, Flamenco guitar lessons and Spanish inspired festivals. Even at its busiest, the staff never scrimp on service and dedication to the customer. The majority of the staff are either Spanish or South American only adding to the authentic Spanish bar vibe. They are always at hand to advise you – and will do so with a (genuine) smile.

As there are plenty of City workers that come here for a quick drink after work, you’d expect there to be an air of pretension, but this is definitely not the case at Camino and the superiority complex is refreshingly absent. On the whole, the clientele consists of people in their twenties-to-thirties, and is a more mature drinking experience - in a good way.

The Food
If you enjoy top notch tapas then you’ll love the food Camino has to offer. The quality is high and the prices very reasonable. Snacks consist of pan con tomate (£2.25) - bread with garlic, tomato, virgin olive oil and sea salt; kikos (£1.50) - traditional Spanish roasted corn; or tabla de quesos y memrillo (£3.50) - a selection of cheeses with quince jelly. The vegetarian section has staple tapas dishes like tortilla de patatas (£2.75) - potato omelette; escalibada (£5) - grilled onion, aubergine, red pepper on bread smothered in olive oil; and papas arrugadas (£3.50) - sauteed potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce. For fish and meat lovers out there, don’t fret, there are many dishes for you to try, like the rape a la bilbaina (£6) - sauteed monkfish with chilli garlic and cherry tomatoes. The monkfish is really tender and the flavours are very subtle and not at all overpowering. If squid is more your thing the calamares (£3.75) is delectable. The jamon iberico (£7) is the best Spanish ham around, twinned with the croquetas mixtas (£6) and chorizo (£4), you’re on to a winning formula.

If you’re more a fan of desserts then Camino doesn’t disappoint here, either. The most popular is the pastel de chocolat y leche merenganda (£5.50), which is a hot chocolate cake with lemon and cinnamon ice cream. The cake is warm and gooey and has the right amount of chocolate to satisfy even the most steadfast of fans, paired with the lemon and cinnamon ice-cream, it’s the perfect complement.

The Drink
Staying true to its roots, Camino only offers Spanish drinks – that includes the water. Draught beer consists of Cruzcampo (£3.60) and Amstel (£3.20). But Amstel is Dutch right? Yes, but in Spain Amstel is the beer that locals drink.

If you fancy experimenting, ask for the Zythos Sidra Natural (£2.50 for a glass or £9.50 for a bottle) – cider from Northern Spain that is traditionally poured from a great height through a funnel into the glass. If you want something a little weaker, then even the mineral water will astound, particularly the Vichy Catalan (£2.50 for a bottle), which tastes slightly salty due to the very high mineral content, but it very refreshing and almost addictive. The Agua de Grifo de Londres is also worth a try (that’s London tap water to you and me).

On the wine menu there is a map that indicates which regions it is from - a nice touch. Brilliantly, all the wines are available by the glass - even the expensive ones - so you get the opportunity to try bottles you usually couldn’t afford, and most of them can be paired beautifully with the food. The house white Airen Bodega Lahoz and red Camino Tinto (£3.85 a glass, £15 a bottle) are good quality bottles for low prices and range up to £39 a bottle for a white Naiades Naia, Vina Sila.

An unusual drink item on the menu is sherry. Usually associated with the older generation, it may not seem like the kind of drink a trendy Londoner would be drinking, but in Camino you’ll be having a few firsts here, so why not be adventurous and give it a whirl - starting at £3.50 for 100ml glass you’ll be glad you did. If you want to take it slowly, try the mojito with sherry as an added ingredient. The addition of the sherry gives it a musty, oaky flavour that you’ll grow to like with every gulp.

The Last Word
Camino is an intriguing little surprise. It’s definitely worth trekking over to Kings Cross for – the authentic Spanish flavour and breaks from the norm put it head and shoulders against its competition.

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