The Barcelona Tapas Bar y Restaurante is downstairs, but has a bright entrance on the street and vivid colour on the walls, so you don’t feel you’re entering subterranean gloom, and on a humid August evening in the gritty City, it was fresh and cool down there. We were welcomed and shown to our table immediately, and given bread, olive oil and pickled vegetables while we got to grips with the massive menu. There are literally dozens of items to choose from, with specialities from all the regions, but especially Cataluña, of course.

We ordered a bottle of El Muro 2007 a red wine from La Mancha, but the waiter (who turned out to be the Patron) suggested that by spending one pound more, we would get a far superior wine, so on his advice we ordered the Bonal 2007 from Valdepenas, at £13.95 and it was excellent. The menu shows an impressive selection of Spanish wines, including some excellent Riojas.

The trouble with a huge menu is that, whatever you order, you always have the feeling you could have ordered something better. I can easily choose between 4 items, but can’t cope with over 40. We kept changing our minds, but eventually decided to order four tapas to start, with the idea of ordering more after that, but in the event we were too full. So we didn’t try any of the cheeses or hams, and only one vegetable dish – Esparragos Blancos – white asparagus with home made mayonnaise. There was none left of our first choice Bacalao a la Llauna, but the waiter suggested Buñuelos de Bacalau instead, deep fried balls of bacalao and potato. We also had Riñones al Jerez – Lamb’s Kidneys in Sherry and Baby Calamares fritos. Everything arrived promptly, fresh and hot, indeed the kidneys were still bubbling when they got to the table.

We were there in the early evening, when it was fairly quiet. However, the City really buzzes at lunch time, and for those who work there, Barcelona is perfect for a good but informal lunch, and a real alternative to the big pub chains like All Bar the Pitcher, and The Slug and Piano, which now inhabit many of the fine old bank buildings.

I had wanted to order more vegetable tapas – had my eye on the Samfaina, a pisto of slow cooked tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, courgettes and onion – but will have to try that next time. We were saving space for dessert. Unfortunately, the Tapas Dessert – a selection of desserts served tapas style - was not available, so L had the Tarta de Santiago, an almond tart with ice cream, and I had that Barcelona (the city) classic, Mel i Mato, cream cheese with honey.

The food is good, the service is prompt and there’s a really pleasant atmosphere, relaxed and friendly. It’s good value for money and I’d certainly go again. I have only one, very small, complaint. The bread, oil and pickled vegetables they bring you to start are not free, but are itemised on the bill. This is common practice in Spain, but not in the UK and although the charge is very little, the customer cannot choose not to incur it.