The cool and inviting Porta takes its inspiration from the bustling, charming tapas bars that are scattered across sunny Spain. The team pay homage to Spain's bountiful country with its design, vibe and menus, with a focus on simplicity and informality. Things get mixed up a little with a menu that features daily specials, but you'll always find solid tapas bar classics, with ingredients and produce that have been sourced from local suppliers and some of the very best in Spain. The restaurant operates on a strictly walk-in-only policy and is closed on Mondays, but open from midday the rest of the week, until dinner service finishes.
The menu at Porta Tapas starts with smaller plates, like sweet pickled Guindilla chillies, salted Valencian almonds, pan con tomate, olives and bread with olive oil. A little bigger in size are the bowls of padron peppers with Maldon sea salt, and picos de Europa blue cheese with caramelised walnuts, sultanas and honey. There are more cheese dishes, too, like the zamorano cheese with quince, and plenty of meat plates to enjoy alongside the creamy textures. We'd head straight for the pork meatballs with sobrasada and tomato sauce, coated in a rosemary manchego cheese, or the chargrilled flat iron steak with guindilla tximitxurri.
Meat free dishes include the crispy fried globe artichokes with aioli, traditional patatas bravas, and tenderstem broccoli with romesco sauce and almonds. Lastly, the fish dishes are up, and packing a punch. There's fried squid Andalusian style, Cantabrian tuna belly with confit piquillo peppers and grilled whole Atlantic prawns with an ajillo dressing. Just like with the tapas, there are daily specials for desserts, along with a selection of Cheshire Farm ice creams, pastel de nata, chocolate mousse with honeycomb and turrón basque cheesecake with almond toffee sauce.