Newly opened, Camino Shoreditch is the fifth restaurant in the tapas bar mini-chain, set on the ground floor of the new, swanky Principal Place – between Liverpool Street and Shoreditch. As we’ve come to expect from Camino, you can expect a large and varied tapas menu, along with a good selection of Spanish wine, gin and, the newly fashionable, sherry!
The restaurant itself was designed by B3 Designers, who can take the credit for Lyle’s, Gymkhana and Roka’s stylish interiors. Inspired by the Castile y León region of Northern Spain it’s split into a front bar, perfect for a glass or three of wine, and the seated restaurant area at the back. A selection of booths give the eating space an intimate feel. Executive Chef, Nacho del Campo, only sources the highest quality Spanish ingredients and he has come up with some brand new tapas dishes exclusive to the new Shoreditch location.
The menu is, of course, designed for sharing and they recommend around three dishes per person, depending how hungry you feel. As food arrives as it is prepared, we would recommend ordering a few dishes to start and then more as you want them. Otherwise you run the risk of the hot items getting a little cold as you graze. Highlights for us were the Penapelada semi-cured cows’ cheese with chilli jam, octopus with chickpea and beetroot purée, paprika and extra virgin olive oil and the Morcilla de Burgos black pudding with feisty alegría peppers. However, our two favourites of the evening were Arroz Negro – signature black rice with cuttlefish, squid ink and alioli – and Presa Ibérica – shoulder of Ibérico pig served medium rare, with sweet potato mash. The arroz negro was deliciously rich and garlicky (not a dish for a first date!) with morsels of cuttlefish hidden throughout. The Ibérico pig, of jamón Ibérico fame, was so tender it practically melted in your mouth.
If you have room for dessert, the Galician Tart is tasty served with a lovely salted caramel ice cream. Or, why not try one of the liqueurs on offer? Licor 43 is a personal fave!
For more information, visit: http://camino.uk.com/location/shoreditch/
