> Source: Aug 06
> return to review selection

Source Magazine

Times: Mon-Sun, Noon-late

The Place: It’s a lovely little place, the Joogleberry Playhouse. A seriously run, quaint, artily-styled basement – with its Moulin Rouge-esque cityscape walls – gives a stage to some rather interesting performers. The restaurant has made a similar name for itself, not least for its tapas menu, which we thought should get the SOURCE taste test.

The Meal: We realise we may have over-ordered when the waitress pulls an extra table up alongside ours to hold the cheese platter. Massive plates of meaty goodness follow and we know our initial expectations were wrong: at around a fiver a dish, we thought that this was a pricy way to go Spanish, however, rather than the small bowls you get in the pavement cafés, each choice here is a meal in itself. It’s wise to base tapas around a platter and we struggle to choose from the four on offer – a meat, a fish and two cheese; Italian and French. The platter queso Italiano (£7.95) is piled up with a punchy parmesan, smoked mozzarella, a sharp dolchelatte and a creamy talagio, homemade pesto and three varieties of warm rustic bread. The cheese continues in the centre of the trio of huge tomato-topped meatballs (£4.95), which we can’t get over how, well, meaty they are. The patatas bravas (£2.95) are lovely and crisp while hot, though the potatoes blend into the tomato sauce while our attention is elsewhere, going a little soggy. The chorizio y garnanos (£4.95) – spicy tomato and sausage casserole – contains the first chickpeas we’ve more than just tolerated. Finally the zingy, full chicken wings (£4.95) – none of that fast-food-quality poultry here – pleasurably push us over the edge.

The Verdict: Our sunny lunch is enjoyed in an airy, light setting but the food is substantial. The over-ordering and vibe made us feel like we were on a Barcelona city break - and surely a break from the everyday life is what dining out is all about.

> return to review selection