In a city of over 15,000 restaurants, it’s paradoxically sometimes quite hard to know where to eat in London. You want to branch out, but on the other hand you know that Joe’s Pizza Place on the corner is a reliable favourite. Sometimes Joe even gives you extra chorizo on your pizza and those are the days where you consider that you’ve won at life. However, tempting as it is to stick to that which is known, I urge you to explore the wealth of unique and niche dining and entertainment options offered by our bountiful capital.  The last fortnight has seen me explore some of London's international nights out, from becoming immersed in the fiery beats of Latin America at Floridita to sampling the rustic and hearty Eastern European cuisine of Baltic to, lastly, embracing the relaxed and stress-free vibes of the Spanish tapas culture at Copa de Cava...

Floridita

I have somewhat mixed feelings about the Latin American dance craze. On one hand, I’d always thought Salsa and Zumba were care-free, joyous past-times where a lack of rhythm and co-ordination was no barrier to having a wild ol’ endorphine inducing time. On the other hand, a friend recently lent me a Zumba DVD which consisted of a man named Julio screaming at you for 45 minutes that whatever you’re doing, you’re not doing it fast enough. A sure forewarning for any of Julio’s potential lovers. Thankfully, I’m happy to report that my initial perceptions were reaffirmed at Floridita in Soho where dancing and dining combine for a relaxing yet exhilarating evening.

Live music is a key feature of every night at Floridita. On the Wednesday night that we attended, a salsa band was in full swing with the dance floor alive with rhythm even in the early hours of the evening. While you are waiting for your supper to arrive (an extensive Cuban menu abounds) dance instructors are on hand to teach you the accompanying moves. Unlike the traditional idiom where you must ‘sing for your supper’, here you must dance. You may think it might be slightly offputting and nerve-wracking to be dancing in the direct eyeline of a hundred curious diners but happily, the dancers - some professional, some clearly beginners – appeared to welcome this audience and pretty so everyone was getting up to try a few moves. Despite this, don’t worry, dancing isn’t mandatory;  if you prefer just to be an observer, they won’t respond by presenting you with a ‘Gruel Only’ menu.

On that note, when you have worked up a substantial appetite, a leisurely three course menu awaits you. To start with, we had some divine pan-fried sea scallops with chipotle sauce which, quite literally, melt in your mouth and were beautifully presented in the shell. The chef clearly takes great pride in his cuisine as I was informed the only thing not on the menu was ‘sea bream’ for while it was in stock, the chef was ‘not happy with it’. This conjured up a wonderful image of the chef and sea bream in a furious dispute and a tearful sea bream then being shown the door. Thankfully, a wealth of other options were on the menu including a delectable grilled lobster with sweet potato fries. The latter are one of my favourite things in the world. I sometimes fantasise about a world where instead of receiving a monetary pay check each month, I am paid in sweet potato fries. I suspect it would become a terrifying and stressful world rather quickly, but for a while it would be glorious. Desserts were varied and creative with Rum Baba being the house speciality and some intriguing fusions such as Chocolate Gateaux with Guava Puree to perfectly round off the meal. Service is friendly and prompt but, in true Latin American style, ambience was leisurely and never felt rushed. If you’re looking for more than just a meal, I’d highly recommend it as an energetic and exuberant night out in Soho.

To find out more about Floridita, please click here.

Baltic

Next on my list was a visit to Baltic in Southwark. This could be the area in which I’m frequenting, but while the city abounds in Thai, French and Italian restaurants, I don’t often come across Eastern European establishment specializing in the likes of Hungarian, Georgian and Polish delicacies. For this reason, I was very excited to try something more niche at Baltic which samples all of these cuisines.

Baltic is housed in a former 18^th century coachbuilder’s building which is almost illusory in the way a humble and unassuming entrance  opens up into a spacious and refined interior. There are no windows but light streams in from a striking glass ceiling to illuminate the space. Shortly after being seated, we were  offered a variety of home-made breads and presented with a menu containing a gastronomic feast. A wide selection of pierogis, blinis and dumplings accompanied some unique regional specialties such as Zurek (Sour Rye and Sausage Soup) and Kaszanka (Grilled Black Sausage with potato pancake and sautéed apples and onions).  I do not exaggerate when I say the latter was exquisite and contained a sumptuous mix of ingredients and spices.

Sampling the Steak Tartar as a main course, I can honestly say that this offers one of the best versions of the dish that I have experienced in London where the flavor strikes a perfect balance between being piquant yet not overpowering. Having said this, if you can, I’d actually recommend trying one of the other more unique dishes that truly show off Baltic’s gastronomic range such as Golonka or Bozbash (I realise that’s rather hypocritical of me but I do believe it’s impossible for me to be given a menu containing steak tartar and resist ordering it. I don’t know why, maybe it’s a genetic thing).  

Finishing off the culinary ride, I opted for Sour Cherries Compote with Dark Chocolate which perfectly satiated any sweet cravings without being overly dense. On that note, be warned – the savoury options are not light food at which to peck or graze like a woodpecker. This is hearty, delicious food at which to approach with enthusiasm like, well, a hungrier, more enthusiastic woodpecker. Go with an appetite and factor in time for a ‘Food Nap’ directly afterwards; you’ll need it. We did.

To find out more at Baltic, please click here

Copa De Cava

My last stop was Copa de Cava in St Paul’s. The aim of this venue is to dispel the belief that Cava is merely an inferior version of champagne by offering  the widest selection of the drink in the UK; it is served by waiters whose expert knowledge guarantees they can find something to your tastes with a Spanish food selection to match. In Spain, Cava is stored in bodegas across the Catalan region and the venue seeks to recreate this here as it is built deep within brick vaults with an arched brick ceiling evoking the traditional Spanish caves.  I’ve been to Spain many times and the interior beauty of even the most unassuming bodegas has always struck me in this way. Additionally, there is always an air of relaxation among bodega patrons - as if they could while away an entire evening over a glass of wine and a charcuterie board -  which I believe Copa De Cava successfully attains. This is particularly novel in the City district where everyone is in a state of perpentual frenzy, manically checking their iphones every five minutes just on the off-chance their manager had raised an objection to a comma in a PowerPoint slide at 10 o’clock at night.

I’ve ranted about venues that only serve alcohol with minimal food to accompany it before, so again, it was lovely to see that Copa De Cava holds the ethos that the Cava should be enjoyed with a selection of tapas-style food as well. Seafood and charcuterie boards are the focal sharing options on the menu with scallops and cuttlefish being a notable highlight; the expert pairing between the gastronomic choices and the individual glasses of Cava truly does accentuate the effect on the taste buds and the wait-staff are more than happy to assist.

I do remain skeptical at Copa De Cava’s decision to stay open on Saturday and Sunday considering its prime position in the heart of the City: a veritable ghost-town on the weekend. It is also tucked away on a corner, away from the busy streets. This is ideal if you are looking for a more unassuming venue, however it may serve to hinder them by way of attracting a regular clientele. That said, I definitely recommend popping along of a weekday – especially if you work in the city. Prices are very reasonable, the food is fresh and authentic and it could put you right at the front of what is rumoured to be the new Cava Trend in the UK.

To visit Copa De Cava's website, please click here.

So go forth! Enjoy! And take advantage of living in one of most gastronomically culturally diverse cities in the world.