Opera Tavern, Covent Garden, London

I'm not a fan of Covent Garden. Saying this it doesn't mean that there aren't good reasons to go there. The Royal Opera House, home to the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet is a beautiful building. If you happen to be there for a performance there is something quite glamorous about it. It's not that you can't find any good restaurants or bars. However, the likelihood is that you will find, at best, something average and at worst a tourist trap.

One weekend, a friend and I both had friends visiting from abroad. I heard a few positive comments about the Opera Tavern and seeing as we had overseas guests, thought that it would probably be a good opportunity to visit covent garden.

We found the Opera Tavern conveniently located a short walk from the Royal Opera House. The wooden decor makes it very welcoming, and the bar area looks ideal for a casual dinner. We were led to a relatively empty upstairs dining room, despite the fact that this was Sunday lunch.

The menu comprises of Spanish tapas, sharing dishes. Again I'm not very fond of tapas. I find the portions are usually too small for say four people to share. And unlike other cuisines designed to share, tapas usually involve small dishes where you are effectively cutting a tiny portion. I feel that, although the cuisine is well represented, the culture isn't. This is food designed to accompany wine. Not the other way round.

Stuffed courgettes

The menu is diverse and there are dishes for every taste. We had a selection. I remember the courgettes stuffed with goat's cheese. Essentially the courgette flowers were stuffed and the were indeed good. However I thought only the flowers should be served, the courgettes did not add anything to the flavour and detracted from the delicate texture of the flower. The carcuterie and cheese dishes are all very good. Overall the quality and presentation was good although nothing spectacular that really stood out.

On to the desserts. I was pleasantly surprised. The flavours and texture were perfectly balanced and if you do visit, then desserts are a must. I did feel slightly let down when the waitress was not sure why the desserts were so go and suggested that perhaps the chef on duty that day was the dessert chef. What sort of a response is that? Does that mean that normally desserts aren't as good? That would be a shame. I am hoping that this not the case.



Poached Italian Meringues



Bitter Chocolate Sorbet with Espresso Granita

Warm Hazelnut Cake with Lemon Thyme Ice Cream

The service was average (as evidences previously!). I suppose on a busier day I would expect to find some foodies enjoying the wine with a couple of dishes-the wine list is a good one- and other than that probably a covent garden going crowd. Overall, I would rate it at a 3 out of 5. If you are in the area it is probably one of the better places to go. However I wouldn't recommend you go out of your way for a meal here.

Expect to pay around £20pp excl drink.

Opera Tavern, 23 Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JS Tel: 0207 836 3680 http://www.operatavern.co.uk/