fino restaurant review (3.5/5)

I don't have Spanish food very often at all. The last time was well over a year ago, so our little trapeze to Fino was a real treat, especially after a long (and unfortunately unsuccessful) assessment centre day.

Fino is the big sister of Barrafina (which I have added to the bucket list), and has a very grown-up vibe, tucked away in the basement on the glitzy end of Charlotte Street. It has a bar right in front of the kitchen where you can have a quick bite over a drink and another one on the upper floor, but proper sit-down tables dominate the space. The menu is definitely more sophisticated than most tapas bars, and we went for a range of dishes, most of which were reasonably good.

Our favourite was the potato and chorizo chips. Small chunks of chorizo are fried with a crispy, thin batter, and they burst with fiery flavour. We had to order a second helping. The octopus risotto with ink sauce (arroz negro) was nice - the octopus was very fresh and had a lovely smokey aftertaste, but the paella itself was a bit lacking in flavour.

Fino: potato and chorizo chips

Fino: arroz negro

Next up were the meat dishes. The chorizo and alioli tortilla was a pleasant surprise. The insides of the omelette is much moister than the traditional version, and it actually went down really nicely with the alioli, which is a Catalan sauce made of garlic, eggs and olive oil. I would've preferred a bit more chorizo in it, but otherwise it was one of the highlights of the night. Meanwhile, my boyfriend, being ever so adventurous, ordered the lamb brains. I refused to try the brains itself, which was deep fried in batter to contrast with its mushy texture. It got the stamp of approval, and the tomato sauce (which I tried) was outstanding, with just the right kick of spice.

Fino: chorizo & alioli tortilla

Fino: inside the chorizo & alioli tortilla

Fino: lamb brains

My absence from the blogging scene has evidently dulled my memory, as I have forgotten the name of our last main dish. I believe it was pork shoulder with cheese and a fried egg on bread. It was the least impressive dish of the night. The combination of the cheese, egg and vinegar was overpowering. The vinegar in particular sat very oddly within the palette. It didn't look very appetising either - from the side, it just reminded me of an eye. Don't ask.

I've never been a huge fan of Spanish dessert, but Fino does offer a decent range. I went for the pear dessert, which tasted a bit too strongly of alcohol, and my boyfriend had a traditional milhojas, which is a bit like the mille-feuille, and was delicious.

Fino: milhojas 

Fino: pear with mascarpone cream

The bill came to a reasonable £80, including water for the table and one cocktail, and we were stuffed to the brim. Service was sleek, albeit a little bit stingy with the smiles. Overall, it was a bit of a mixed bag at times, but the menu is interesting and it can definitely lure me back for another try. But before that, next stop - Barrafina.