In London it is also possible to eat a good omelette
Just as money does not buy happiness, it cannot buy that perfect balance that very few restaurants achieve, that mixture of welcoming character, closeness and 'buenrollismo', a wine list that is a pleasure to read because there are always some surprises and some dishes that are executed to perfection, without intimidating.
And they are not intimidating because ingredients are recognizable , yes, presented in inventive proposals , Besides of the spanish classics capable of ending even the most persistent of homesickness.
Homemade meatballs, freshly made potato omelette, squid sandwich, tuna mojama with Marcona almonds and fruit compote or Serrano ham toast are just some of the Spanish delicacies that you can find in L'Oculto Restaurant & Wine Bar , a new restaurant and wine bar located in Brockley, in the south of London .
A little piece of Spain on the tables of London
The adventure in the world of restoration Ana and Teresa, founders of L'Oculto, Galician and English respectively, began, as Teresa explains, "because we liked to eat and drink well”. Both come from very different professions, since Ana worked as a telecommunications engineer, while Teresa was dedicated to graphic design.
In 2015 , after beginning in the art of importing quality Spanish products and wine, they opened his first place, L'Oculto, by popular request, since their clients told them that "the restaurant for when". It started as a pop-up and became a tiny wine bar and restaurant, located 20 minutes walk from the new one and that will remain open.
The new location, much larger, also came about practically by popular demand, since almost every day they had to turn away potential customers due to lack of space. The newly opened L'Oculto has capacity for 40 people, it is flooded with natural light and the interiors have a rustic air thanks to the unpolished wooden tables or the exposed brick of the walls.
Ana and Teresa's passion for wine is evident, because this drink has a great role. The carefully crafted letter is full of references to small artisan producers that follow principles of sustainability and respect for the environment in the vineyard. In fact, the wines on the menu are mostly organic and low intervention, with hardly any trace of sulphites.
Sourdough bread!
Also, the wines literally occupy the heart of L’Oculto: the center of the premises has a beautiful u-shaped shelf, where there are several different bottles to choose from, since L’Oculto it's also a wine bar and the bottles can be purchased directly to take away.
The hidden r he received the Decanter award for best Spanish wine specialist, well-deserved recognition, especially for the research work that Ana and Teresa do to bring little-known and hard-to-find wines elsewhere in the British capital.
The wines cover the peninsula from north to south, from the Ribeira Sacra to Jerez, and include names such as Callejuela de Jerez, the "wine with love" from Bodegas Xangall or Lluvia Rosado from Alberto Padrón, in Valencia.
Ana and Teresa travel to Spain several times a year to discover and meet producers, both wine and sausages, cheeses and other local products, always of a very high quality.
The menu, which is changing and is still in its first weeks, is divided into four parts. The “bites” include olives, Marcona almonds or pecorino cheese, as well as a delicious sourdough bread with oil.
Getting over this in London is not so obvious
Afterwards, they have cold dishes, which include cheese and charcuterie boards as well as toast. The third section focuses on cooked dishes, such as the delicious mushrooms with sobrasada, honey from Galicia and artisan bread ; cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, lentils and hazelnuts or the homemade meatballs with potatoes and tomato and saffron sauce.
Exquisite is one of the most humble proposals, the squid sandwich , with soft and light bread that is a pleasure to bite into, delicate squid, aioli and touches of coriander.
Finally, the desserts include options such as poached pears with crème fraîche and caramelized nuts, French toast, chocolate truffles and Pedro Ximénez, or rice pudding. Of course, they could not miss the dessert wines, such as a Moscatel from the Sierra de Málaga, Noctiluca, or a Pedro Ximénez, Callejuela.
In today's London, where there is less and less room for restaurants like this one, born of enthusiasm and effort, without the support of investment groups or large companies dedicated to restoration, It is a breath of fresh air to see that Ana and Teresa have managed to launch a second L'Oculto, as charming and cozy as the original.
If you don't live in Brockley make sure you book before you go as getting a table without booking, especially for dinner, is practically an impossible task.
To finish in style a meal was this
Address: 325 Brockley Road, London SE4 2QZ See map
Schedule: Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sundays, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.