This Spanish restaurant and bar in Herne Hill conjures up a modern take on tapas and offers plenty of choice for the thirsty.

The Venue
The restaurant’s layout is perhaps not the best, opening with a reasonably shaped bar and front dining area that extends into what appears to be a long narrow hallway with additional seating. A range of pretty glass vases are displayed on top of the bar, and dark wooden tables and chairs with a sofa along one wall make up what's a decent-size dining area. The light green walls display a range of unusual photographs, some depicting girls hanging out in toilets and with streams of loo paper stuck to their shoes.

The Atmosphere
Although the interior is nice enough, the place is pretty characterless. The service is very good, with amiable, friendly staff who are keen to please - though this is hardly surprising as it's not hugely busy.

The Food
Number 22 serves decent sized portions of tapas, with a choice of four vegetarian dishes, five fish and seafood dishes and six meat. Prices start at £4 for tortilla and aubergine frittata and goes up to £8.75 for seared tuna with creamed butterbeans and caramelised onion.

The iberico pork cheek in red wine sauce is succulent and the accompanying rich sauce nicely flavoured. The tortilla with tomato salsa could be a tad more seasoned, but is otherwise pretty good, as is the chorizo a la sidra. The wild mushrooms sautéed in sherry are fine, and you can definitely notice the sherry kick, which works particularly well with the big, plump mushrooms. The venison is a decent cut, and beautifully cooked as to be nice and pink in the middle. Its accompanying chocolate sauce and sweet potato puree is a little bland though, and the whole thing would benefit from being served a touch warmer. The best dish is the bacalao cigars: salt cod with potato mash wrapped in filo pastry and deep-fried. The pastry is wonderfully crisp, with a nice blend of salt fish and creamy mash on the inside. The tangy lime mayonnaise dip is a good accompaniment, with enough citrus to balance the saltiness of the fish.

Desserts are all £6 and include a decent quince cheesecake; a rich and well-balanced dark chocolate mousse; and coffee jelly with vanilla Chantilly, as well as a variety of Spanish cheeses at £4.50 each. Apart from tapas, there are also bar snacks and sides such as fries and salad for £3 on the menu, as well as fresh bread with a nice, crisp crust, olive oil and balsamic vinegar for £2. Sundays is Paella day, with a choice of three different types for £17.50 a head.

The Drink
A bottle of house wine costs £16 and there is a cocktail list, including after dinner cocktails that come in at around the £7 mark. Being a Spanish restaurant there is also a full range of very good sherries, as well as an excellent rich, creamy Spanish hot chocolate.

The Last Word
This isn't a bad tapas restaurant, with its contemporary take on traditional tapas dishes offering some highlights. It’s just a shame it’s nothing to write home about

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