Where We Eat - Legado in Shoreditch

A couple of years working for a Spanish restaurant group gave me the opportunity to eat some of the most incredible food the country has to offer...and to visit some of the most remarkable restaurants across Spain.

It's a period I remain genuinely grateful for. It left me with a fondness for Spanish hospitality and food that has never really left.

Sadly, it did not impart any language skills whatsoever. But that's not a problem at Legado in Shoreditch!

Legado is the latest restaurant from Nieves Barragán, who also founded Sabor on Regent Street. Both hold a Michelin star.

We spent a couple of hours last month at the Taberna, the tapas bar that sits alongside the main restaurant...which gave us the atmosphere, the food and the extraordinarily knowledgeable service, without the price tag that comes with almost any serious meal in London these days!

We worked through most of the menu. The Sardine and Mussel Escabeche was exceptional. But the dish that stopped us in our tracks was the Chicharrón de Cádiz...wafer thin slices of pressed pork belly, garnished with peppers and paprika, wrapped around picos to eat. Sensational is the only word for it. We would have ordered a second but were instead offered the pig's ear special from the restaurant menu. Also sensational.

We mentioned in a previous blog that small plates, done properly, is a wonderful way to eat. Legado is the proof.

Sitting at the bar with a cold glass of sherry...then a bottle of wine...as plate after plate arrives in exactly the right order. No announcement about kitchen timing. No explanation of the concept. Just considered, generous, knowledgeable hospitality from a team who clearly understand that the guest's experience comes before the kitchen's convenience.

It's worth every penny. And if you've never tried Chicharrón de Cadiz, we'd strongly suggest you rectify that immediately!