Like the sound of some especially savoury if rather sloppy Spanish foodie fun on a Sunday afternoon in South London? Celebrate Calçotada at Boqueria.
A calçot is a type of onion, kind of like a large scallion or small leek, with a mild, sweet flavour that grows in countryside around the Catalan city of Tarragona. Here celebrations known as calçotadas take place during winter and early spring bringing folks together to grill calçots, dip them in romesco and slurp heaps of them down paired with plenty of cava – traditionally served from a porrón, a wine pitcher with a spout for fun and potentially very messy drinking.
South London tapas restaurant, Boqueria, is in on the action hosting a series of Calçotadas at its two outlets in Brixton and Battersea.Kemey and I dropped by the Brixton location on Sunday for a taste. This was not our first time to dine at Boqueria. Indeed, it’s one of our favourite Spanish restaurants in London. But it was our first Calçotada. I loved the experience: wearing a bid, peeling the external layers of the calçots to get to the yummy, mushy centre, having a (fairly successful go drinking from the porrón. An assortment of meaty Catalan specialties and an obligatory crema Catalon were thoroughly enjoyed as well.
Price was £32, which included two big bunches of grilled calçots and a glass of crisp Vilarnau cava (as well as a few goes at the porrón) followed by a main course plate with a piece of grilled chicken, butifarra (Catalan sausage), chorizo and morcilla followed by crema Catalana for dessert. Veggie or fish options can be substituted (Kemey had calamari and tuna carpaccio).
Boqueria is located at 192 Acre Lane, SW2 5UL, with another outlet in Battersea as well. Find out more at boqueriatapas.com.
