Something happens between my second and third visits to the new Ibérica in Farringdon yes, I like it that much that causes me to question my own particular brand of food snobbery. The Spanish import, spearheaded by Asturias' much-lauded son Nacho Manzano (as if anyone whose name translates as Cheesycornchip Apple could be anything other than a chef), announces "expansion plans", with a mooted 10 new sites, to include gasp! Manchester and Glasgow.
The horror. This bombshell means that a tiny restaurant group (we snobs don't mind tiny groups) is to become that most contemptible of items, a restaurant chain. And our view on chains, with their Brakes habits, spreadsheets, corporate design and lowest common denominators, is that they are little better than The Man.
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