I'm very late to the Bar Isabel party, but glad I ...

I'm very late to the Bar Isabel party, but glad I made it. My wife and I went here shortly after it opened and the place was already packed. We managed to grab seats at the bar, so it made for a lively albeit tight/crowded dinner experience. The server/mixologist was friendly and helpful, offering up tips (she said they do seafood and pork really well) or a customized tasting menu. We ended up getting individual dishes:
- Housebread: Why even call this out as a dish? Because it was good! Soft at the centre, properly crusty on the edges.
- Cecina ala Casa: This was slivers of beef buried in a mountain of greens. Meh. Beef was nondescript and the greens were a bit limp.
- Sobrassada and Foie Gras: Sausage and foie gras patte like spread on bread. The mixing of these strong flavours really worked well.
- Grilled Octopus: Wow. I get why this is one of Bar Isabel's signature dishes. Excellent cook, excellent flavour.
- Cauliflower and Almond Romesco: The cauliflower was a bit dry/tough, but the almond romesco tasted like the best homemade sauce.
- Suckling Pork Belly: Tender, with almost a sweetness to it. Really good quality pork cooked really well.
- Basque Cake: I get why people go gaga over this. The cake is soft inside but slightly crisped on the outer edges, and the hot sherry cream they pour on it gives the dessert some contrast.

Bar Isabel is pricey but worth it. Let the hype live on.