Tamp Ticks Nearly All The Boxes

Penny Flood enjoyed a tapas evening in Devonshire Road

By day Tamp on Devonshire Road is a coffee shop, in the evening it ups its game and sells alcohol, but it’s at the weekend it gets exciting ; Thursdays Friday's and Saturdays are tapas evenings.

Tapas is a much overused word, it's Spanish in origin but now just about every nationality has developed their own versions, selling food on little dishes, but at Tamp you get the real thing. Tamp is first and foremost a Spanish restaurant, with a nod to Argentina win the shape of a Malbec wine and empanadas (those little yellow pasties), and it sticks to its roots.

It's not a huge menu, but there's good selection of hams, cured meats, seafood and cheeses. It's very simple, Tamp relies on top class ingredients coupled with attention to detail and friendly smiley service. I confess, as one who doesn't eat meat or seafood I was worried that I might not have enough to eat but I was wrong. There was plenty to eat.

We started with bowl of big, fat green olives in a light chili sauce. Accompanied by a glass of 2014 Malbec, it got things off to a cracking start.

The was followed by one of the specials, a pile of guacamole on a slice of toasted sourdough, it was delicious. The bread, and this surprised us, comes from Hedone, the big restaurant at the western end of the High Road. I've never eaten there so had no idea that they made and sold their own bread, but they only sell to the the trade so you can't pop in to buy a loaf.

The avocados came with a side helping of Serrano ham, which was polished of by my carnivorous companion. This dish on its own would make a lovely lunch.

It was closely followed by a dish of Manchego cheese with Membrillo (quince jelly), more ham, this time Jamon Iberico Bellota, made from acorn fed pigs which (I'm told) give it a nutty flavour. And then a dish of chorizo in a basil sauce.

To go with this we had a glass of Spanish wine, Flores de Callejo and as it's Spanish we also tried two glasses of sherry: a bone dry Camila Fino and and sweet, but not cloying, Camila - Pedro Ximenez. I loved the fino, which went particularly well with the cheese.

There was more cheese: this time a soft goats cheese, warmed so it was gently melting and serves with a honey sauce and sprinkled with breadcrumbs. More of that delicious bread with a fiery pepper sauce to dip it into.

Sadly, by this time we were full and I'm sorry I had no room for the empanadas or the tortilla. They'll have to be for next time.

If you're going for seafood, there's a choice of true Spanish specialities -- mussels, octopus, sardines, clams and calamari all served cold with bread. And the acorn fed pig gets another look in with Iberico platter consisting of several bits of the animal including a chorizo.

The other thing about Tamp, after the food, is the atmosphere. With its wooden floor and bare brick walls and candle lit tables, it’s rather cosy and can be as casual, romantic or formal as you choose.

However, as much as I loved it, I do feel that all those carbs and proteins need balancing with some vitamins. Not a boring green salad obviously, it's too classy for that, but a garlicky tomato vinaigrette or the spanish equivalent of caponata or something

Prices are very reasonable. Most of the dishes are under £8.50 with the jamon platter and the Iberico platters, which are enough for two, coming in at £15 while the seafood prices range from £7.50 to £10.50. Wines start at £5 a glass going up £42 for a bottle of Ribera de Duero with plenty on between The sherries are £5 a glass.

You can spend as much or as little as you like , stay a while or make a night of it, push the boat out or have a snack. Tamp’s tapas nights are what you want to make of them. Go enjoy.

Penny Flood

January 27, 2017