Spanish entrepreneur Abel Lusa is about to open his fourth London restaurant – a tapas bar devoted to sherry.
Capote y Toros (cape and bulls) joins Lucas’ acclaimed Old Brompton Road restaurant Cambio de Tercio and its nearby siblings Tendido Cero and Tendido Cuatro, both tapas bars.
Described as a ‘ham and sherry’ bar on the website, the tiny bar – it seats just 20 – will carry ‘at least 100 sherries – as much as we can get in the UK plus many sent from Spain,’ Lusa told Decanter.com.
There will also be sherries specifically blended for the restaurant, in a collaboration with Peter Dauthieu, chairman of importer Ehrmanns. In all about 30 wineries will be represented, with prices ranging from entry level, to £300 a bottle.
This is London’s second dedicated sherry bar, after Bar Pepito opened in King’s Cross this time last year.
Lusa said his goal was to educate people about sherry. ‘Most people – even in Spain – don’t know much about sherry. I want to really push them to have flights, to get them drinking during the meal as well.
‘We will have flights of five wines, with descriptions. There will be Finos and Manzanillas as aperitifs, and Palo Cortados and Olorosos to go with food.’
Lusa said that the bulk of sherry sales in his restaurants were for the aperitif wines, and sweet sherries with dessert, but he is convinced that as soon as people understand how well sherry goes with food, they will be converted.
Capote y Toros will offer 100 sherries by the glass and about 30 in half bottles, as well as 400 Spanish wines from the restaurant next door.
There will be simple tapas, and the ultra-exclusive Cinco Jotas Pata Negra ham supplied by Osborne.
Capote y Toros is located at 157 Old Brompton Road in South Kensington and is three doors down from the flagship Cambio de Tercio. It opens at the end of March.
Written by Adam Lechmere
