It is a gloomy London day, grey clouds, grey pavement, grey faces. I’m setting out to chase some colour amongst it all while quietly enjoying the depressing vibe listening to loud grunge music next to some guy on the train. My destination is El Molino Restaurant in Beckenham to try out their tapas.
This place is a regular haunt of French maître d'hôtel snf TV personality Fred Siriex . In fact, he loves the place so much goes there nearly every week according to the waiter. Reviews on Google claim it is home to the best paella in London.
Let’s see if they’re telling the truth and whether Fred's obsession with the restaurant is a valid one. Perhaps it can inject some of that much-needed multicultural spice that this often sunless city can wheel out. READ MORE: 'I visited a café hidden in one of London’s best parks and loved the carrot cake' The smell of rain filled my nostrils before I walked in but departed on arrival.
I sat by the window and ordered a glass of Paso a Paso white wine (£7.50) from the friendly waiter and took it all in. Light Spanish guitar music danced across the warmly lit bar and seating area.
Each of the dark wooden tables is punctuated with bright red salt and pepper grinders. So far so good as far as the ambience goes. The attentive waiter took my order and I asked him a bit about the celebrity regular guest.
Apparently, Fred loves the 'Pulpo a la Gallega' or Galician-style octopus so that had to be on the order (£12.50). Next, I chose Pat.