I found myself in Soho late afternoon, and stumbled across Pix Bar, which specialises in pintxos, best described as tapas on sticks, as you'd typically find being served in the Basque Country. The attractive looking snacks are lined up on the bar and priced according to stick length, so you just help yourself and eat at your leisure. When you're finished, the sticks are totted up and you pay your bill accordingly.
We opted for a chorizo with quince jelly & manchego, Spanish-style potted shrimps (i.e. paprika added), a large jamon croquette (the only duff item, with the bay in the bechamel overpowering everything else), as well as rare tuna and some ham, both on bread with their own fancy garnishes.
This is another interesting addition to the casual dining scene that's flourishing in this part of London, with the added benefit that it doesn't have permanent queues. This might have something to do with the price though, costing £30 for a couple small of glasses of house wine and six pintxos. The quality of food is high, but it wasn't filling and we left ready for dinner . . .
Byron, the rapidly expanding quality burger chain, was our destination. I ordered a Byron beefburger (cheese, bacon and a big-mac style sauce). The meat was still a little pink (for me, a good thing) though the side of zuchinni fries were a little limp, as if the oil hadn't been hot enough when frying. Byron reminds me of Pizza Express; reliable and enjoyable but never exciting. Oh, and coming to a high street near you sometime soon, if it hasn't already arrived.
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