Spanish tapas joint Toro Gordo to open in London

Open seven days a week for brunch, lunch and dinner, Toro Gordo will serve simple dishes with authentic Spanish flavours, prepared by head chef Daniel Blanco.

Divided into carnes, pinchitos, tostas​, seafood, vegetarian and salads, the menu  includes langostino​ (langoustines with cherry tomatoes, zucchini and aioli), jamon Iberico y huevo​ (Iberic ham with grated tomato, fried quail egg and olive oil), pulpo a la Gallega​ (octopus, paprika, olive oil and sea salt), berenjena with honey​ (fried slices of aubergine with cane honey) and setas salteadas​ (mixed fried mushroom with garlic and parsley oil).

The meat offering includes mini hamburgers and chorizos al diablo​ (chorizo sautéed in white wine, chilli and paprika). The dessert menu features iced berries, brownies and churros.

In the morning, the Spanish breakfast (fried eggs, peppers, potatoes, pork loin steaks and parsley) will appear alongside a dish of eggs served on Mediterranean bread with hollandaise sauce and mesclun. A set lunch menu of tapas for £9.50 will be available.

Toro Gordo owner Miguel Caffarena, who previously worked at La Bodega Negra in Soho, told BigHospitality how the restaurant plans to differentiate itself from competitors: “We offer a contemporary take on the traditional tapas. We also pride ourselves on using only top quality ingredients and are making sure every dish is full of flavour.”

Wine and cocktails​

The wine list comprises exclusively of Spanish wines, with Valtea Albariño and Marqués de Cáceres Blanco for whites, Pinot Noir Crianza and Prado Enea Gran Reserva for reds, Prado Rey Reserva for rose, and a Castellblanch Brut Rose cava.

Spanish beers include Estrella and Alhambra Reserva, and a selection of sweet wines such as the Moscatel Oxro available with dessert.

Toro Gordo will also offer a selection of cocktails such as Malaga Breeze (Ketel One vodka, sake, coconut, passion fruit & lychee juice) or the spicy 200% Dynamite (Ice Fox vodka, Lillet blanc, jalapeno and cucumber).

Non-alcoholic cocktails will include La Codobes made with strawberry juice, lemonade and basil leaf, and sangria will be made fresh daily and available by the jug.

Cinema atmosphere​

The atmosphere at Toro Gordo is largely influenced by Cafferena’s experience working in the film industry, with for example a strong focus on music for story-telling.

“The restaurant is a result of my experience in the cinema industry. For example, the music is of real importance and every song on our playlist has been carefully selected to tell a story. I hope to create a restaurant experience which will transport guests from the moment they step through our door,” he said.

Playlists will evolve throughout the evening to reflect the atmosphere, starting with reggae and Latino tracks and moving on to hip hop, funk and remixes.

Rustic and industrial interiors will reflect Caffarena’s Asian travels. Rough exposed piping work is complemented by Vietnamese lanterns on the ceiling, Japanese anime wall art and other Asian decorations. An open-plan kitchen at the back will serve to display the chefs’ skills.

Other restaurant concepts​

Though Caffarena wants to focus on Toro Gordo for the time being, he does not exclude the possibility of opening other restaurants with a similar atmosphere.

“Currently, I want to focus my attention on Toro Gordo and make sure it is the best I can make it. I do have a number of ideas for restaurant concepts but I won’t be looking to recreate Toro Gordo. Although there will be similarities in atmosphere and an emphasis on music,” he added.