Under the Arches - Bar Douro Review
I’ve been to Bar Douro twice now, and it’s too good not to share through a review. The first time I visited, it was a double date with my friend and his other half, who’s from Portugal and was looking for a good Portuguese restaurant in London. We were going to go to Canela, but I saw this while I was searching and decided to try it out. I’m so glad I did! The second visit was a request from my visiting mum, so accompanied by my girlfriend (because three means you can try more dishes ;) ) we headed back to Bar Douro. The tag line for Bar Douro is “Authentic Portuguese food and wine in the heart of London” and I’d have to agree. The menu offers traditional and modern takes on some Portuguese classics and all wines are sourced from Portugal, as well as Portuguese port and wine from the Churchill estate (who also own the restaurant). The Location Bar Douro is in the hive of activity that is Flatiron Square, a short 5 minute walk from London Bridge Station. You could easily spend a whole afternoon there; there’s a craft market, where you can peruse fur coats, vintage cameras, and other trinkets, an indoor food court under the railway arches offering up cuisine from Japan, Spain and Italy, not to mention Mothercluckers as well, and Bar Douro, nestled off to the right under its own arch.
The Space Stepping into the restaurant feels like you’ve been transported to Portugal, the warm lighting along with the hustle of waiters weaving past with plates of food and the chatter of everyone’s conversations feels very Mediterranean.
Given it’s under a railway arch, space isn’t a luxury, but they’ve used it well. There are two marble bars artfully curved to facilitate interaction, one facing an open kitchen, the other looking outwards onto the outdoor seating. The curvature helps when there’s more than two of you, without leaving out the third person in the group, but four diners can get tricky. The benches are paired with stools, which may not be for everyone, particularly if you’re looking to spend a long evening. The walls are tiled in shades of blue with typical Portuguese images, with chalk boards dotted above the open kitchen with daily specials for both wine and food.
Upstairs there is a private dining room for up to 12 guests, and behind the bar the various wines are displayed. As I mentioned above, all the wines on offer are Portuguese at varying price points for all budgets. We tried one of the specials Filipe Pato Baga and it was the perfect accompaniment to the dishes, smokey and fruity.
The added benefit of Bar Douro is that it’s bookable through OpenTable, so definitely worth doing the week or so before you plan to visit, especially given the small size and if you’re looking to go at a peak time. The Food The menu offers a well curated selection of Portuguese dishes, split into six sections; Petiscos (Snacks) £4-5, Horta (Garden) £4-5, Mar (Sea) £5.5-12, Terra (Land) £6-13, Cheese And Charcuterie £12-16, and Desserts £4-5. Bar Douro also sell their own Olive Oil, so it seemed remiss to not start with bread and olive oil. The olive oil had a strong pepperiness, and adding a small grind of salt and soaking the sourdough bread in it made for a delicious start. We quickly followed with Folhado de Esparregoda (spinach pastries, £4) and Pataniscas de Bacalhau (salt cod fritters, £4). The salt cod fritters, served as three large fritters, were light with a crispy coating and ratio of cod to filling inside. Dipping the fritters into the tomato sauce on the side was the perfect match.
The spinach pastries, four to a plate, had a strong filling of spinach paste in the middle, seasoned perfectly, with a thin layer of pastry surrounding it. The salt sprinkled on top brought out the flavours of the spinach, both perfect snacks to start out.
We then followed with the BD potatoes with coriander mayonnaise (£4.5) and chargrilled tenderstem broccoli with ginger, chilli & garlic (£5). Where to start with the BD potatoes... small orbs of fluffy potato, with a crispy skin, dusted with smoked paprika with drops of coriander mayonnaise mixed in. It’s a must order and easily one of the best potato dishes I’ve tried. The mayonnaise adds a cooling effect, without too strong a coriander taste (for those that aren’t a fan).
The broccoli, served with the florets charred from grilling, had a good bite without being overcooked. The chilli, garlic and ginger coated the broccoli as a vivid orange sauce, added warm heat to the dish. A good option if you’re looking for healthy greens to balance out the meal.
Next up Bacalhau a Bras (salt cod hash, £5.5) and Gambas Aguilho (Garlic prawns, £12). Another winner was the Bacalhau a Bras. Offered as a small or larger portion (£9 for the larger size), was almost Portugal on a plate. Each mouthful was an explosion of flavour, from the cod, matchstick potatoes, to the olives, all held together with a smoky, sweet sauce. If you were eating this on a sunny day, you’d think you were in Lisbon or Porto.
The Gambas was equally impressive. Four large prawns on a plate in a sea of garlic, oil and paprika, each was juicy and flavourful. The oil was too good not to ask for more bread to wipe the plate clean, which is always a good sign.
Last up for the savoury options, the Prego no Prato (Onglet steak with confit egg, £12). Slices of medium-rare steak, alongside crispy matchstick potatoes, a confit egg yolk and a coriander chimichurri like dressing. Bursting the yolk to release the natural sauce, it was the perfect accompaniment to the matchstick fries, which were almost crisp-like. Dipping the steak into the chimichurri and egg yolk made a delicious combination.
You’d think after all that we wouldn’t be able to manage dessert (two dishes per person plus bread is quite a lot!), but they’re too good to resist. We chose the Pastel de nata (Custard tart with cinnamon ice cream, £4) and Abade de priscos (Traditional egg yolk pudding, £5). The pastel de nata, THE traditional pastry from Portugal, was as good as any other I’ve tried, with signature black spots on the custard and a crispy pastry casing. The ice cream had a subtle cinnamon flavour which didn’t disappoint, and made the dish better value for the cost, as well as a refreshing partner to the pastry.
The Abade de priscos, served with two orange segments, sorbet and crumb was also delicious. The pudding was rich and sweet, with the crumb adding texture. The sorbet was citrussy and sharp, cutting through the heavy pudding, creating a balanced dish. Worth trying for another taste of tradition.
The Verdict Cost: ££ (out of ££££) I think Bar Douro might just be the best Portuguese restaurant in London. The vibe is relaxed and casual but could easily fit the bill for a dressed up date night with plenty of free-flowing Portuguese wine, enough so that you might believe you’re in Portugal. It’s also handily located by Flat Iron Square if you want to make an afternoon or evening of it. Must orders are the BD potatoes and either of the salt cod dishes, obviously finishing with the pastel de nata to complete the trip. Downsides are it can be a bit tricky to find at first (at least it was for me) and it can be difficult to get a table at peak times so worth booking ahead if you can. It’s also not the venue if you’re looking for a small group (5-8 people) unless you’re going for the private room. Otherwise, there’s not much else I can fault! So, if you’re looking for a taste of Portugal in the middle of London, drop by Bar Douro!
Arch 35b
Flat Iron Square
Union St, London SE1 1TD, UK