El Vergel

Returned for lunch yesterday.

My April 2008 entry still holds… I would just like to add that el Vergel deserves a sixth star for consistently great food and service! (How can Qypers recognise REALLY outstanding places?)

A Hidden gem – well worth the detour.

Eat-in at the long, communal table or take away… either way, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better steak sandwich (churrasco palta – with avocado, churrasco queso, with cheese).

Salads and freshly squeezed orange juice are good too.

And the cheesecake is a perfect ending for a superb lunch.

Enjoy.

A very nice space to sit in as it’s large and airy with banquette-style tables as well as tables for four. We went on a Friday lunch and our table of three had the ‘tostada’ crispy tortilla with chicken, ‘churrasco queso’ minute steak sandwich with cheese and ‘tacos’ (two small soft tacos) with chicken, a small glass of fresh orange juice, a bottled beer and a coke totalling around £20.

The food is very tasty and fresh but the portions are, I’d say, slightly on the small side, although this is reflected in the reasonable price. You’ll need a main and maybe some tortilla chips and guacamole or a pudding if you’re hungry. I did see a few people with salads, however, which looked more substantial.

I’m assuming it’s not been open long as the waiting staff were rather chaotic and it took a while for the right orders to turn up. I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, however, and will try again a few months.

Unless someone takes you to El Vergel you would never know it was there and then would miss out on all it has to offer. Tucked in on the back streets behind Southbank El Vergel is rustic on the outside and an excellent reason to leave the main roads.

Inside, the food is a latin american and mediteranean mix. My favourite is the torta mexicana: chicken, refried kidney beans, guacamole in village bread. Delicious. Other enticing options on the menu are the mussel filled pastries and the stews. Prices are reasonable as well. I think the torta mexicana is about £4.00.

The interior is snug but there is always generally room to sit down and eat. The walls are covered in random scribblings which contributes to the rustic charm.

The website is pretty cool with different musicians featured - so make sure the volume is up on your computer.

Great Mexican deli - not far from Tate Modern. Good tacos