Opera Tavern

This is one of the places that we’ve discovered in London that I would recommend for the lovers of eating at the bar. I know that’s a very typical Spanish thing to do but it’s really cool to relax at a high chair interacting with the bar tender while you eat tapas.  

This bar has a good selection of tapas, cold meats and cheeses, and a really good list of Spanish and Italian wines to accompany your food. Also, it accommodates the opening hours to the theatre, which is very convenient given the location. If you want to go before the show, I would recommend that you book (although I don’t think you can book for the bar) and if you want to go afterwards, just make sure that you make it before 11pm – time at which the kitchen closes. 

Here some photos of the delicacies that you can eat such as the padron peppers, grilled octopus, patatas (chips) bravas, presa iberica and one of the best burgers – even if it’s mini – in town.

DETAILS:

Opera Tavern - www.operatavern.co.uk - 23 Catherine St, London WC2B 5JS

A Night at the Opera

I stole the name to this post to what probably is my favourite film from the Marx Brothers, and one of my favourite films over all but in this case I’m not writing about movies but about the actual Opera. As described in one of my previous posts, the Royal Opera House is a majestic building in London, and now it was a time to check it from the inside – well, I had actually already visited it to see the ballet a couple of times but this was the first time to watch the Opera.

As any performance in this city, the tickets to the Opera get sold out really quickly, especially the affordable tickets as sitting on the stalls costs an absolute fortune – so if you’re keen in going to the Opera and/or ballet it’s worth becoming a member (http://www.roh.org.uk/support/membership) so you will get access to pre-sale tickets. But well, the investment even if it’s for one time only, it’s absolutely worth it.

   

Last night was the turn for Le Nozze di Figaro, one of Mozart’s Italian operas. It helped me to read the story beforehand (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Marriage_of_Figaro) as even if there is a screen that summarises in English the dialogue that the actors sing, it’s good to be able to just concentrate and enjoy the music. The whole experience of the Opera is quite mind blowing, even if you’re knowledge –as mine – is quite limited, as not only the actors can sing but also the production is quite stunning.

 

To top up the visit to the Opera you can make any bookings on the restaurants and/or bars before your visit (http://www.roh.org.uk/visit/restaurants-and-bars) or just arrive early to enjoy a glass of champagne at the Amphitheatre bar where you don’t need to book. Also check how long the interval would be as you may like to book food and drinks for then, and avoid the hassle of queuing between the acts.

 

DETAILS:

Royal Opera House - http://www.roh.org.uk/ - Bow Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD