With my roots firmly put down in North London, it’s not very often that I stray over to the corporate hub that is Canary Wharf. This is mainly because I’m an impoverished graduate with zero job prospects, but also because it’s bit weird with all the skyscrapers and briefcases everywhere. However on Monday I hopped on the DLR (bonus points for booting kids out of your way, sitting at the front and ‘driving’ it), and headed over to check out Ibérica La Terraza.
Set in a corner of Cabot Square, Ibérica La Terraza is set entirely al fresco, showing a remarkable confidence in the British weather. Misplaced optimism aside, the restaurant itself is quite charming, sitting right next to a water fountain, with fairy lights and heaters in the trees, and blankets being brought over upon being seated (wise move, it gets chilly).
Our lovely waiter walked us through the menu of bespoke cocktails and tapas, picking out key dishes and offering recommendations. Having ummed and ahhed over the many delicious sounding drinks, we went for the rosemary and olive G&Ts which were bloody enormous and very good, although not as good as the signature sangria which veritably bitch-slaps all the crappy sangrias you’ve ever had before. It also comes in a glass as big as your head, which is always a bonus. Moving on to food, we diligently ordered all the best things on the menu, picking from cured meat and cheese platters, Spanish bocadillos (sourdough baguettes), savoury bites called pinchos and tapas. Eventually we decided on huevos rotos with green asparagus, gambas al ajillo, alitas de pollo, parsley & garlic bread with fried fresh squid and a plate of Ibérica ham (try saying all that in one breath!). We also had some fresh crusty bread with olive oil and well seasoned tomato bread to nibble on whilst we waited for our feast to arrive.
Out of all the delicious things we ordered, the huevos rotos was by far my favourite, as it was a perfect example of great Spanish tapas; crispy fried eggs that oozed golden yolk all over the salty chips underneath, with the finely chopped asparagus adding a nice element of freshness to the dish. The parsley bread with squid was another interesting dish that I hadn’t seen before, with the bread’s alarmingly green hue nearly belying the crunchy fresh squid that topped it.
Everything we tried was packed full of flavour and served with a smile. The small plates are ideal for sharing and mean that you can try more of the excellent menu. Ibérica La Terraza would make a lovely after-work destination for basking in the sun with some great cocktails and small plates. Dare I say it, I might even now be jealous of anyone who works in Canary Wharf!
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