Scran Spot Review #4 - Cambio de Tercio, Chelsea
CUISINE
Located on the bustling Old Brompton Road and widely recognised as Rafael Nadal’s favourite London restaurant, Cambio de Tercio provides a modern take on traditional Spanish tapas.
The restaurant offers an à la carte menu, with the idea of sharing the plates ensuring its Spanish tradition remains alive and kicking.
Launch: 1995
Head Chef: Alberto Criado
Owner: Abel Lusa
MY SCRAN CHOICE
The menu provided an overwhelming list of options and so it felt appropriate to select a range of dishes to be shared over a group of six of us on the table and I certainly did not regret this decision…
THE SHARING PLATES
- "Eight Hours" Roast Tomatoes -
Sweet Oloroso Sherry | La Peral Blue Cheese | Lime
Without a doubt one of the best takes on tomatoes I have ever had. The culinary detail going into a simple ingredient made sure it was a dream start to the match. Rich in flavour and wonderfully executed. The ‘Tomate’ inscripted into the plate was a nice aesthetic touch too.
- "Pan de Cristal" Thin, Crunchy Artisan Bread -
Spanish Olive Oil | Raw Tomato Spread
Crispy and light with an optimal level of tomato spread added to the artisan bread.
- 42 Day Dry Aged Hereford Rib Sirloin -
Roast Potatoes | Secret sauce
I can provide an inside scoop to the secret sauce which laid on top of the potatoes. It came in the form of the much contentious Marmite. Thankfully I am in the ‘Love it’ camp, and I can say these potatoes were as addictive as it can come. The steak was expectedly delicious but the potatoes stole the show.
- Our Famous Ham Croquettes -
Having said on my Scran Spot Review of La Nonna that I was torn between Spanish and Italian Croquettes, this provided added steel to the Italian Side. Spain is renowned for its knack at nailing ham croquettes and these were perfectly soft and delicious.
- Free Range Chicken Wings (Off the Bone) -
Liquid corn Raviolis | Poached eggs | Caviar
The Man of the Match. I must confess chicken wings will always be a favourite of mine so it was never going to take too much to satisfy my taste buds, but they went above and beyond. The egg aside with a dollop of caviar provided a lovely supplement to the succulent wings.
- Delicious Roast Chicken Croquettes -
Although not as tasty as its Croquette counterpart, these were also very nicely done. I was in croquette heaven but I wanted to make sure I had enough legs to tuck into the rest of the plates on offer.
- Grilled Iberian Pluma Pork "The Tastiest Cut -
Pineapple | Prunes | Chard
Some may chatter about pineapple on pizza but pineapple with pork is the truly elite alliteration. It gave a different refreshing taste for a meat dish as a change away from the steak. Strong flavours are Cambio’s forté.
- King Prawns Andalusian Tempura With Shellfish Aioli Sauce -
Whenever prawn tempura is on the menu, I cannot resist selecting it. The shellfish twist on the aioli sauce was a nice surprise away from the commonplace garlic combination.
DESSERT
- Hot Thick Spanish Chocolate & Churros Pastries -
As a self confessed chocoholic, this was the perfect end to a great display from Cambio.
The thick chocolate glued to the churros, and although very rich after an eventful match, it left me very satisfied.
THE REFRESHMENTS
RED WINE & ESPRESSO MARTINIS
The Red wine complemented the meat perfectly.
However, the only disappointment was the espresso martini, particularly in light of its marketing as ‘The Best Espresso Martini’. It lacked sufficient frothiness and could have done with being colder.
THE FEE
An expensive affair, largely due to the temptation to order an array of sharing plates, but the quality lived up to the pricing.
THE REVIEW
This is the best Spanish restaurant I have been to in London - its traditional feel is matched with great consistency. The exciting twists on classic Spanish tapas creates an element of curiosity, and I would utilising their expertise by asking for their food recommendations. The waitstaff are friendly and a mariachi band even appears if you’re lucky!
Room for improvement?
There is not much to be improved on but I would say it did feel a little cramped in regard to the seating arrangements. Although it is part and parcel with a successful, well-desired restaurant, a comfier environment could have made the culinary experience more enjoyable.
Next time?
The same again! Cambio are a consistent performer and its a reliability never lets down its fans.
THE EYE TEST
THE TASTE TEST
THE SERVICE
ATMOSPHERE
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
- FREE RANGE CHICKEN WINGS -
FINAL MATCH RATING
LOCATION
Postcode: 163 Old Brompton Road, London, SW5 0LJ
Nearest Stations: Gloucester Road (0.3 Miles), South Kensington (0.5 Miles), Earls Court (0.5 Miles)
Website: N/A, but book on Open Table (https://www.opentable.co.uk/cambio-de-tercio)