Caleya Iberica confusingly has two parts to the restaurant – the casual more bar-like atmosphere downstairs and the finer dining area upstairs, in addition the fine dining area seemed to be split even further into the main part where we were sat (we were the first diners, even arriving at 7pm!) and another area sort of along the top of the stairs. I was quite impressed with the space of the restaurant – it felt light and area and, even though we were the only diners upstairs for a little bit, the atmosphere of the noisier bar atmosphere filtered up to us.

Additionally we, or I did since I was facing towards the window, had a lovely view down the street level courtesy of the floor to ceiling windows. Anyway, you’ll see what I mean if you visit … and this is something I definitely recommend that you do.

Normally first impressions are everything but I’m glad I didn’t let the first impression ruin the evening for me. When Sandra and I arrived at the front desk there was a receptionist/maitre ‘d there who was at first busy on the phone when we arrived but then proceeded, at the end of her call, to go fix the chairs by the bar. Um … hello? Remember us – the customer? Finally she came to check our reservation and brought us up accordingly to the fine dining area upstairs. It took the waiter some time to come to ask to give us a menu and, in his very very strong Spanish accent, explain the unavailabilities on the menu. It was unfortunate we couldn’t understand him but I did like the pro-active approach to making sure there was an attempt to tell us what we couldn’t have tonight. Thankfully a more understandable waitress came along to help us later on with our meal selections and service really picked up after this.

Normally in a new restaurant Sandra and I will try out the tasting menu. One of the unavailable dishes tonight happened to be on the tasting menu so the restaurant was very good at letting us play around with the menu to come up with a tasting menu of our own. In fact I suspect they would let you do this anyway to create your own tasting menu, which was pretty cool. Effectively a main/dish would be split into two and served to us, so portions were supposed to be a lot smaller but actually we walked out very very full!

So what did we eat?

First up was a quarter of this mega loaf of bread served with two types olive oil salt. We must have been pretty hungry as we certainly dug into the bread which, in hindsight, could have been a mistake and might explain how full we felt at the end of the night. First up on our tasting menu was the Iberica Ham Croquetes. We got four each of these babies and they were delicious and very rich. Delicious.

Next up was something that doesn’t necessarily look appetising and had Sandra worrying about the egg component (she’s not a fan of scrambled eggs) but was yummy. Corn crispbread, scrambled eggs, caramelised onions and Blue Cheese. For me it worked quite well although the crispbread was on the salty side.

In substitution for a bean stew (not available) we chose a slow cooked octopus in its own jus with boletus (I had to google this – apparently it’s a mushroom), green asparagus, white onion and smoked paprika oil. I found I couldn’t really taste the smoked paprika oil drizzled over the onion but I think it worked mainly to take away the rawness of the onion. The octopus itself was extremely tender though strangely covered in a strange jelly like substance which made a delightful dish just a little off-putting.

I’ll forgive the burnt bits on my roasted baby potatoes on the next dish because the lightly smoked organic salmon was perfectly cooked. I couldn’t taste the heat in the supposed chilli cauliflower sauce but this dish actually worked for me. But I suspect that’ s only be cause of the gorgeous and obviously fresh salmon.

Next up was another substitute to the tasting menu. Instead of chicken crispy confit suckling pig, apple puree and frizzy salad. Hello manna from heaven! Okay yes the pig was probably a touch on the overly fat size and as a result an extremely rich dish but I loved it. That’s the pig lover in me I guess …

The regular tasting menu has two desserts on it but in a bonus, because it was my birthday, we got an additional dessert course and free champers. Caleya I love you! The caramelised rice pudding was up first. Rice pudding – I love you too!

Then the champers

Then a very strange dish which actually worked well even though it again doesn’t look the greatest. Crème caramel as you’ve never seen it before made with Muscovado sugar, granny smith apple consumme, black olives and rocket. Yes you read right! It was quite a mix of sweet and sour, with a bite of the rocket.

Then the most giant birthday cake I’ve ever received or seen from a restaurant (and gratis!) Sandra said she’d emailed them before hand just to ask that Happy Birthday be scrawled on my dessert and maybe a candle thrown in and the restaurant replied to say they would bake me a mini-cake. So lovely although, in all honesty, my stomach could barely fit anything in at this stage.

I was so pleased with my meal tonight at Caleya Iberica. After a slow start with the service it really picked up. For example, unlike Chez Bruce, they explained each and every dish (something all good restaurants do), they were very quick at topping up our water (the water test!), the head waitress was always coming in to check in with us (and not too much) striking up a nice chatter and, at the end, we got goodbyes and good wishes for my birthday from all the staff, with the head waitress making a point of coming to our table before we left even though she was busy with another table.

I would be quite happy to darken the doors of Caleya Iberica again that’s for sure – though I’ll make sure next time not to eat so much as to require that I be rolled out the door …