Part of a chain, La Tasca Broadgate is in the very heart of the City, serving up candlelight and tapas for a quick bite to eat or a long, lingering date.

The Venue
Just a short walk from Liverpool Street, La Tasca is found on a quiet road in London’s busy finance district. Inside, you are immediately invited downstairs to the bar and restaurant (so there’s no mobile reception giving you the perfect opportunity to switch off). Downstairs, there is a large bar decked out in tiles. You’re welcome to come and sit here with a glass of Sangria (or ceversa) and people watch. There’s also a screen for big football matches here and a really great vibe come match night.

The sit down restaurant is large and dimly lit, with drapes of fabric creating tucked away booths for a cosy date. The place is covered in scatter cushions, which makes for a comfortable, relaxed evening perfect for enjoying tapas. Each table is lit mostly by candlelight, with a few dim lights overhead, which only adds to the romantic Mediterranean mood.

The Atmosphere
The restaurant is incredibly friendly yet allows for quiet chats over your tapas, or looks of love over a paella. The staff are very welcoming and are happy to suggest house specialities. With the dim lighting, comfy seats, and odd amusing conversation with a Spanish waiter, it’s easy to forget you’re in the City, and not in a tapas bar in Granada. The clientele here are normally tired workers from the city who have popped in for the match, or to catch up with an old friend for a bite to eat, all of which is conducive to a relaxing atmosphere and the easy-going feel of the place.

The Food
The food at La Tasca is obviously Spanish with tapas being the predominant speciality of the restaurant. Each dish is a snack, which you can have to yourself or order several and share with friends. It’s the perfect way to try lots of different dishes. You can choose from seafood (the calamari and deep fried prawns with garlic mayonnaise are incredible), cold meats (Iberian ham is great for meat lovers), cooked meats, vegetables (Patatas Bravas is a famous tapas dish worth trying out) and salads. You can also have paella, which is suitable for sharing and a truly authentic dish. The dishes vary in standards but nothing is below average and a good portion of the menu is very decent indeed. Although not tapas, the desserts are also delicious, with the chocolate orange cheesecake being the perfect way to round off a good meal. Prices at La Tasca are good for the area with each tapas dish costing around £3-£5.

The Drink
All the wine served here is Spanish and there is a decent selection of white, red and rose. The Garnacha, Homenaje 2006 is a great accompaniment and, at little over £14 for a bottle, is a bargain too. There are all the Spanish beers on offer here, including San Miguel, Corona and Alhambra all served in 330ml, with some on draught available in two pint pitchers. The prices are reasonable, with a pint weighing in at £3.15. If you’re after a traditional sangria with the girls, that is also a good range on offer.

The Last Word
La Tasca is a chain, which could make it feel a bit soulless. However, at Broadgate they avoid this pitfall, and although perhaps not as authentic as some places, it does well to hold its own and is especially impressive considering the extremely reasonable prices.

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