In need of Essence

Located next door to the gastropub loveliness of The Sutton Arms, Essence is a very different proposition. It's modern and spare, with plenty of big brown leather sofas, a smattering of small tables, and a strangely empty air, despite a fair number of people inside.

Tapas are served until 9pm: so much for swinging bloody London. Arriving flustered, having only remembered our time constraints halfway there, we were left sitting at a small, unprepossessingly positioned table for more than an hour. For tapas? Come on!

Well, it gave us time to peruse the wine list - good choices, mainly from Spain and France, and a good spread of prices. Apparently there are cocktails on offer, but I didn't see a menu anywhere.

When the dishes finally arrived, they were elaborately presented with lots of pesto squiggles and garnish flourishes. The best (as always seems to be the case with tapas) were the simplest: authentic tortilla harbouring a tang of olive oil and wellcooked calamares. Patatas bravas, however, were horrid, with a smoky taste reminiscent of the aftermath of a house fire.

A 'signature dish' of grilled scallops with julienne of mange tout, red peppers, courgettes and shallots was barely warm. Wild mushrooms with confit baby onions and truffle oil were completely cold and smothered by the flavour of their thyme garnish.

Sorry, I just couldn't take to this place and couldn't wait to settle our bill (£42.20 with an enforced 12.5 per cent service charge).

Essence
2-5 Carthusian Street, EC1M 6EB