After opening on the streets of Soho back in 2013, Ember Yard has been completely revamped, with a fresh new makeover and change of menu. The tapas restaurant is part of the Salt Yard Group, (now owned by Urban Pubs and Bars), which also includes Dehesa and Opera Tavern. The restaurant is relatively big and covers two floors, with a large bar in the basement.
Ember Yard has a new Head Chef, Christian Parisi, and he’s come up with a brand new selection of seasonal and produce-led tapas dishes. Some of the dishes are cooked on the BBQ or wood fire grill, both typically associated with the Basque region of Spain. You can get a front row view of the chefs at work by pulling up a pew and dining overlooking the open kitchen.
The dishes are a good size, so we’d recommend ordering around three to four each if you’re hungry. The menu is split into meat, fish and vegetable sections, as well as the choice of larger plates to share. To start with we shared chargrilled flatbread smothered in smoked butter, burrata with semi dried tomatoes, and the trusty tapas classic croquetas. Ember Yard’s croquetas are a big highlight, particularly the creamy smoked haddock ones that come with topped with lemon aioli.
Other favourites included the pumpkin risotto which was topped with pickled chestnut and seed pesto; the barbecued octopus and chorizo skewer; and the marinated chicken thighs with celeriac truffle & date mascarpone. We finished with a very moreish dulce de leche cheesecake, which came with blackcurrant and carrot caramel – a must order if like us you have a sweet tooth. We paired all of this with a couple of glasses of Spanish wines and a large Gin Mare and tonic…when in a Spanish restaurant and all.
Good quality tapas restaurants in the heart of Soho don’t come by often, so it’s great to see Ember Yard still going strong. If you’ve not been before, it’s well worth checking out.
60 Berwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 8SU
saltyardgroup.co.uk