Barbecoa - Iwouldntgoa

I booked Barbecoa at least a month before I went. I dont know if that is because its incredibly popular, I really doubt it given recent reviews, or if Opentable itself was trying to warn me. Oh, if only I had listened. The only good thing about Barbecoa was its location on top of New Change and therefore an excuse for me to hit the shops, without technically breaking my "I will not shop in January" resolution.

New Change itself I quite liked except the open air concept. London is cold three quarters of the year. Wouldn’t it be nice to walk between stores not only sheltered from the rain but also warm. If not why build a mall at all? Why not just keep with the traditional high street we love so much.

Anyway, we arrived early as the stores at New Change close at 8. We started with pork scratchings in the bar which pretty much set the standard for what was about to come. Despite appearances there was not enough salt. They also seemed to stick together in a way I have never seen other fried foods do. The ‘mole sauce” was bland and flavourless much like the pork scratchings.

We were eventually taken to our table which we could barely see. This is the kind of place where you want to yell “Just turn the lights on!”  It's akin to what imagine eating at Dans Le Noir is like. Eventually our eyes adjusted to the darkness and we could see that the restaurant itself is awful. It feels like your sitting in an empty store filled with a load of cheap chairs. Which, in fact, you are. It looks spacious because of the high ceilings but in reality the tables are spaced very close together.

And then there is the view. This is no Galvin At The Windows or Rhodes 24. Yeah, the views are pretty but it's not that pretty - its too low down for the view to be extraordinary. If you went and stood at the store next to the restaurant at night it would be the same experience, except maybe nicer.

We started with Scallop Ceviche –  11.00. Truth be told, it was far too acidic which killed not only any bacteria lurking on those scallops but also my taste buds. At least they were presented nicely in the shell and served with watercress and avocado which softened the lemon flavor slightly.

The ribs came next at 9.00 (I couldn't even take a photo of the ribs it was so dark.) They were on the spicy side although had a nice flavour. The coleslaw that accompanied was nice on the first bite, with a mint flavor that was refreshing but there was a sweetness that became sickly after that.

My pulled pork - 16.00 - was the same sickly conception. I gave up midway through. The cornbread was burnt, the coleslaw was bland and the pulled pork was again, very sweet and very liquid.

The Boyfriend however, liked his Fillet steak - 30.00 - and from what I could make out, through the darkness, it did look perfectly cooked. 

We decide to give Barbecoa one last shot and order dessert. I was expecting something classically American - like Mississippi mud pie or something equally satisfying - on the menu but alas no. We settled for Cheesecake 8.00. The lime flavor dominated meaning the typical cheesecake taste wasn’t really there. A layer of whipped egg white and sugar like uncooked meringue sat on the top, which was lovely and helped to balance the lime.

In conclusion, a place of subtle flavours this is not. I left feeling sluggish and truth be told a little bit nauseous, in sharp contrast to my dinner at the not so far away Cigalon.

At 50 a head, for not even 3 courses with only one glass of wine each I think this is a pretty expensive place for dinner.

I should have gone to the Nandos opposite.


1 New Change, 
St Paul's, 
London, 
EC4M 9AF
020 3005 8555.