Bar Tozino, London
Self-described as the city’s “first and only Jamón Bodega”, to call Tozino a tapas bar would be to do a great disservice to one of London’s most atmospheric and authentic Spanish eateries. Visitors to Maltby Street’s bustling market will have seen Tozino’s glistening slivers of acorn-fed Ibérico pork on display, but once the weekend masses have melted away Tozino attracts a mid-week after-work crowd to its cave-like railway arch home, who forsake the hip eateries of nearby Bermondsey Street for an ever-changing menu of small plates and an extensive selection of Spanish sherry, wine, beer and cava. Alongside staples such as Padrón peppers, tomato bread and assorted charcuterie, special dishes including squid ink-infused rice with an aioli and tentacle garnish, top-notch manchego cheese with membrillo and Mallorcan sausage meat cooked with honey always make a visit worthwhile.
LASSCO Ropewalk, Maltby Street, SE1, bartozino.com
PB
My food vice… Challah bread
There aren’t many things as nutritionally void as white bread. Luckily, a loaf of challah is a lot more than just a pointless carb binge in waiting. Eaten on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays as a symbol of the manna God gave to the Israelites, it’s a metaphorical bread that can happily stand on its own two feet in the material world. Equally sweet and savoury, with a perfectly dense, pillowy texture, challah goes with just about anything, from typically Jewish cuisine like chicken soup to – if you fancy something a bit more sacrilegious – being the foundation for a glorious bacon sandwich. The best thing about it, though, is that it doesn’t actually need any accompaniment. When challah is consumed on Friday nights it’s eaten with just a sprinkling of salt – an act of religious significance that works just as well as a serving suggestion (and a great way to set someone up with a worryingly unhealthy bread-seasoning habit for life).
£2.10 for 400g, Waitrose
RA
Boak & Bailey on booze… Beginners’ brews
Beer geeks who go around trying to convert people are a pain, but every now and then someone tells us they’d like to get into beer but just can’t find one they like. For those who struggle with bitterness, we recommend Belgian or German wheat beer. Most are made using very small amounts of hops (which make beer bitter) and instead gain their character from quirky yeasts that make them fruity and spicy. Sometimes, though, the solution is a shock to the system. We’ve known several people have their eyes opened by pungently citrusy American beers such as Goose Island IPA from Chicago or Sierra Nevada Pale Ale from California, which bear no relation to the timid, earthy brown bitters with which most of us were raised. Alternatively, visit a specialist bar where well-trained staff can make a clinical diagnosis and prescribe something suitable.
