Tendido Cero serves simple tapas with an artful flair and a contemporary twist.

The Venue
Tendido Cero is the middle sibling in a trio of Spanish restaurants in the area. The original, more formal and more expensive restaurant in the group, Cambio de Tercio, is just across the road whilst the newer Tendido Cuatro, specialising in paella and rice dishes, is on nearby New Kings Road. Unlike the other establishments, Tendido Cero’s sole focus is tapas and as is the case in tapas bars in Spain, the drinks list is longer than the food menu.

The Atmosphere
With tables outside, a long bar and Spanish pictures on the wall, Tendido Cero is clearly going for the traditional tapas bar look but in a very sleek, shiny South Kensington kind of a way. The bright pink wall which runs the restaurant’s length, a semi-open kitchen and large glass windows give an indication of a more contemporary design influence – something which is reflected in both the menu and the food’s stylish presentation. Service is hugely friendly, guiding and informative, though the restaurant does seem slightly under-staffed which can cause delays.

The Food
The main course menu is divided into hot tapas and cold tapas, with the cold tapas arriving at the table before the hot tapas, which come when they’re ready. Roughly half of each menu is simple and traditional and the other half more experimental. On the simple side, pan con tomate (toasted bread, fresh tomato and olive oil, £3) is as basic as it should be but boasts an all-important intense, sweet tomato flavour and some deep-flavoured, peppery olive oil. Garlic prawns (£7.25) are equally straightforward – king prawns in a warm garlicky, slightly spicy olive oil dressing. Chorizo in cider (£5.75) is as good a comfort food as there could be – sizeable chunks of a spicy chorizo in a pool of hot cider and plenty of bread to mop up the juices.

On the more experimental side there is goat’s cheese quills (£5.75) which are like rolled wafers stuffed with a soft chevre and served with a raspberry vinegar so reduced it could almost be jam – a dish that actually works better on the plate than it does in description. Aubergine chips (£4.50) are another experimental winner. Thick chunks of aubergine, presumably pre-cooked, are fried until crisp on the outside and meltingly tender and juicy on the inside. They come with homemade rosemary honey and a sprinkle of salt, though the rosemary flavour is slightly lost. Another dish of tuna tartare with avocado aioli (£5.75) is less exotic but a marked departure from the Spanish theme. Whereas the dish works brilliantly, the creamy, pale green aioli a perfect match for the tuna and some toasts to eat it with, this departure seems a shame.

The majority of desserts stick firmly to the traditional Spanish approach and focus on simple but accurate cooking, as with a crisp-coated, meltingly soft caramelised creme Catalan (£5.50); or simply show off top quality ingredients, as with Manchego cheese with quince (£5.50) in which the quince is in fact membrillo – quince paste.

The Drink
The wine list at Tendido Cero is large and helpfully ordered by style with section headings such as full bodied, plummy fruit and bone dry. Bravely, bar a couple of Champagnes, it is also entirely Spanish. Sherry seems a perfect accompaniment to the tapas and there’s plenty to choose from. Fino and Manzanilla by the glass are good value at £3.75 each. Where wines are concerned, there are a few each of reds and whites (primarily Rioja) available by the glass for around £4.50 whilst bottle prices start at £15.50. A good range of dessert wines and sherries are also available as are Spanish brandies and liqueurs such as a smooth Hazelnut Schnapps (£3) which can be likened only to liquid Nutella.

The Last Word
Friendly Tendido Cero offers stylishly presented tapas in both traditional and contemporary guises. It’s not cheap but by no means extortionate considering the Brompton neighbourhood.

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