Say hola to the newly-opened eatery in Soho causing a birrova stir amongst latino lovers, burracho-botherers and fajita fans: La Bodega Negra (AKA ‘The Black Shop’)…
What: La Bodega Negra
When: Café: noon-12.45am Mon-Sat; noon-11.15pm Sun // Restaurant (bookings only): 6pm-12.45am Mon-Sat; 6-11.15pm Sun
Where: 16 Moor Street, London, W1D 5NH (tel: 020 7758 4100)
Getting there: Leicester Square / Tottenham Court Road tube
La Bodega Negra serves Mexican food, street, beach and freestyle…
Brought to you by New York nightlife legend Serge Becker (the fella responsible for La Esquina and The Box in Manhattan), La Bodega Negra is a Spanglish-style take on a whole host of Mexican waves, er, FAVES.
If you’re in a hurry (or forgot/couldn’t be arsed to book), try the cute café-taqueria, accessed via Moor Street – all jazz posters and diner style booths. Jazz? Nice! <tedious Fast Show reference there, fact fans
But it was the main restaurant that caught Le Blow’s beady (seedy?) eye: accessed via the black-fronted entrance at 9 Old Compton Street – yup, the one with the ‘Sex Shop’ sign. Above the neon ‘Adult Video / Peep Show’ neon signs. Sure.
However, once you’re inside the basement restaurant, the decor is less whore house, more casa de wowser . Less Lady of the Night, more Frida Kahlo on acid. Comprende?
With themed alcoves, including masked wrestlers (Lucha libre) and Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos), the dishes are not authentic Mexican – and do not claim to be – but more Spanglish cusine.
We also hear tell that the tequila-based (natch) cocktails – and extensive selection of tequila shots – will have you jumping for joy like a little Mexican Bean.
We’ve yet to visit, but we can’t wait to head there with our amigos and get on the sauce – in more ways than one. This Black Shop has been firmly added to our Lil’ Black Book of Restaurants.
Oh, and one more thing: want to know what the weather’s like in Mexico? Chilli today and hot tamale. Hur hur.
Vist labodeganegra.com for more details
Comments
SOS
Sounds a bit like http://www.drinkshopdance.com
Natalie
oooh – hadn’t heard of your place! Should we cum – er, COME! Sorry – all this sexy shop business is going to my head… 😉
jon
do get you get a nice nosh in there
anon
Soooo… it isn’t IN an actual bona fide (BONER FIDE?) sex shop? You’re not dining amongst dildos???
Natalie
FNAR. You after a writing job for Le Blow, anon? Yup, the main ‘sexy’ bit is the exterior. You’re then whisked underground for a very snazzy dining experience. I had the scallops which were delish, even if the portion was a little on the small side.