Despite living just round the corner from A Toca, it took me over a year to finally try it out. Unfortunately my experience was lukewarm, although not entirely disappointing.
The ambience in A Toca is reminiscent of the kind of bar / restaurant / cafe you might visit at a Spanish holiday resort; it seems to always be almost full, and comes across as pretty authentic.
When we were seated, we were presented with olives, bread, pâtés and a kind of Spanish cheese. This was an unexpected and delicious touch, although was soured somewhat when we were charged for it at the end of the meal. I understand this is common practice in Spain and Portugal, but can't say it's something I've come across in London before!
The menu is extensive and a meat eater's paradise. Unfortunately it's not so great for vegetarians - when I asked the waiter what dishes would be suitable he looked horrified and said they don't really cater for veggies (a bit of a faux pas in London). 20 minutes later he came back from the kitchen and said they could do me a vegetable pasta, which although a little odd (it included carrots, courgette and pasta) was surprisingly delicious. The meat dishes looked filling, although I noticed one table whose portion of beef looked to be 90% fat. From a drinks perspective, you can expect to get a decent enough glass of red for just a few pounds.
The service largely felt a little lacklustre and slow until they seemed to remember we were paying customers, and I wouldn't rush back to A Toca. However, from the laid back and authentic atmosphere I can see why it has become popular with regulars. read more