Barca Food & Wine

Gee it's nice not to have to queue for a table, rush out to make room for a second sitting or share your food. These are among the many old-school dining pleasures a night at Barca guarantees. There's also the casually handsome bistro setting (long mirrors, comfy banquettes, arresting 1930s poster art and flickering tea-lights); the discreet yet friendly staff; and the assured, unpretentious modern European food. Plump, garlicky prawns mingling with cherry tomatoes and croutons in a terracotta pot make a satisfying starter. Mains are substantial, be it a hunky veal schnitzel leavened by a salad of shallots and parsley tangy with balsamic vinegar, or skinless fillets of John Dory with pickled witlof, creamy pureed cauliflower and a sweetcorn foam. It's the sort of place that tempts you to take on a leisurely three courses, right through to a scoop of delicate white-chocolate mousse complemented by a tart passionfruit coulis and shards of honeycomb.