Morada, or Morada Brindisa Asador to give it its full title, is a new tapas restaurant from the chaps and chapesses behind Brindisa in Borough Market. It’s based on Rupert Street in Soho which is just a few doors down from the wonderful Palomar.
Inside it’s bigger than you might think with a large rectangular counter overlooking the open bar and kitchen in the middle of the room. At the counter is definitely the best place to sit if you ask me.
We started with some coca bread with tomato (£3.50) which was basically a DIY pan con tomate. Once the toasted bread was rubbed with the tomato, sprinkled with the salt and drizzled with the olive oil provided, it was a mouthful of pure heaven.
The chorizo fritter (£4.50) had more of a cakey batter than I expected but it was delicious as it soaked up all the spicy oil from the chorizo.
Next up, the Andalucian fried fish (£9.50) featured perfectly cooked fish with a delightfully crisp exterior. The prawns were so incredibly crisp that I popped them in my mouth whole – shell and all. The only slight surprise was the seabass (I think it was seabass?) as it was served on the bone resulting in me spitting out my first mouthful – a warning would have been nice.
A plate of Ibérico presa (£8 per 100g) was so very good that it didn’t need anything with it; a plate of meat that perfect deserved to be the star of the show and it really was. It was cooked rare as suggested yet the pork was far from chewy or tough; it melted in my mouth.
The suckling pig leg (£28) certainly wasn’t cheap but the quality of the pig was sublime. It would have benefitted from a nice, crispy skin though. It was all just a bit flabby which was a shame as the meat was spot on. A side of ‘wrinkled potatoes’ (£5.25) was a vibrant and colourful addition.
We opted for a plate of Spanish cheese (£13.75 for six), and as is always the case when someone starts describing cheese, I forget everything they’ve just said. It was a great plate of the stuff though and our waitress described them with the sort of passion you’d expect from the ultimate cheese lover.
We also shared the chocolate mousse (£4.25) which had a touch of the swirly dog poo about it. Very tasty though; the sponge bottom added texture and the mousse was light as anything. It really hit my sweet spot.
I really like Morada. The food was great but what really stood out was the service; everyone was so charming and knowledgeable which really makes the whole experience a pleasure. I’d definitely go back.
8/10
I dined as a guest of the restaurant.
