If you find yourself yearning for a taste of Spanish cuisine and good wines then make your way to Exmouth Market and check out Moro. It might just be what you’ve been waiting for.

The Venue
This understated and classy establishment is situated on the uber chic Exmouth Market. The big windows and busy restaurant give you a clue as to what to expect from here. Pushing open the large glass doors, you are shielded by a circular patterned curtain, which you have to pass through to enter. At this point you have a choice; you can either sit at the silver steel bar for that authentic tapas feel, or sit in the open plan restaurant for a more formal sit down dinner. Both are equally as appealing, it just depends what mood you are in.

Whilst you decide whether it is one or the other, you can sit at the bar, have a drink and browse the restaurant and tapas menus whilst watching the chefs at work in the open kitchen. Although the restaurant doesn’t look like anything special, unostentatious decor gives it a more relaxed environment which oozes elegance.

The Atmosphere
As Moro has an outstanding reputation it means that it gets full very quickly. People come here after work as it is near lots of offices and equidistant from Angel and Farringdon tubes. Expect to see a lot of City types and an older crowd, from late twenties to forties. Patrons are dressed very well and even though a few people come here in trainers, it is definitely more of a formal dress atmosphere.

Professional and accommodating staff are dressed to perfection and are notably very polite. Even when you are sitting at the bar on your own, they come over and have a chat to keep you company, not putting pressure on you to buy endless drinks. Instead, you can sit and wait in comfort with little hassle.

The Food
Depending on your mood Moro offers exquisite tapas at the bar or indulgent dinners in the restaurant. The tapas menu is served at the bar between 12.30pm to 2.30pm and 7pm to 10.30pm when the a la carte menu is on offer in the restaurant – between those times you can have tapas at the restaurant tables. If you fancy a quick bite before heading out to local bars then it does the trick. Dishes include grilled chorizo, which is subtly spicy and rich with herbs, patatas bravas, smothered in a thick pleasing tomato sauce with potatoes that are cooked to perfection with hints of basil and tingling spices, manchego, pimentos de pedron, sardines and sardine empanadilla, all at £4.50 each. For £4 you can have tortilla, Syrian lentils, a creamy and delicious babaganoush, piquillo peppers (a good complement to the chorizo), hummus and white asparagus. Also for £3.50 you can have some juicy and plump olives, pickled chillis, roasted almonds and maize kernels.

If you feel like having a full on dinner then their restaurant menu will not disappoint. Their menu changes every few weeks as they use seasonal ingredients and like to feature new items as often as possible. Appetisers start at about £6.50 for dishes like beetroot soup and range up to about £9 for more expensive options. The mains are generous in size and include things like wood roasted chicken and wood roasted pork, priced at about £18. Desserts like rosewater and cardamon ice cream and chocolate and apricot tart (£5.50) sound very tempting.

The Drink
Moro concentrates primarily on wines from Portugal and Spain, showcasing the interesting and innovative grapes. Each item on the list has a small description and a numerical system that rates the type of flavour and heaviness. There is a small selection of wines by the glass, the cheapest being a white 2007 Portuga Branco (£3.50) and a red Sabina Joven tempranillo for £3.50. If it’s a good bottle you want, though, then they really do deliver. The choice on offer is extensive but with the descriptions it helps you to choose a bottle a little bit quicker. Several bottles are available for under £20 but if you really want to push the budget, the 1994 Vega Sicilia Unico costs £215 a pop.

Being a Spanish restaurant there’s plenty of sherry options, with cheaper choices like La Goya Manzanilla (£3.25 a 100ml glass and £11.50 for a half bottle) and older, pricier bottles like an Amontillado Vieja (£11/£80). If Champagne and sparkles are more your thing then try the Raventos Blanc Brut cava for £9.50 a glass and £45 a bottle – it’s crisp, sharp and goes down a treat. Four bottled beers are on offer from about £3 a bottle.

The Last Word
Moro is one of the best restaurants around, offering unpretentious surroundings, excellent food and a glowing wine list. No wonder it’s so hard to get in.

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