Where to eat: Nibbles in Noho

Fino
Fino is a slick and fashionable Spanish restaurant but one that has kept to the true faith despite having been set up in Noho (that's North Soho to all but estate agents). You can sit at the tapas bar and toy with a course or two. Some lamb chops perhaps? Tender and sweet. Equally good with a chilled sherry or a fine bottle of rioja.
33 Charlotte Street (entrance on Rathbone Street), W1 (020 7813 8010, www.finorestaurant.com)

La Perla
This place is linked to the Café Pacifico group. It's a temple to tequila and one where the drinks come in all shapes and sizes — but always strong. Mexican food lends itself to a grazing approach — some nachos, tequila, then some chorizo, tequila, then some jalapeño peppers, tequila — you get the picture.
11 Charlotte Street, W1 (020 7436 1744, www.cafepacifico-laperla.com).

Navarro's
Think rather old-fashioned, tiled, cool, elegantly Spanish. Navarro's is an old-established Spanish restaurant that is equally at home serving you a posh three-course meal or what seems like an endless stream of tapas.
67 Charlotte Street, W1 (020 7637 7713, www.navarros.co.uk)

Tsunami
This is the first step towards multiple branches for the Clapham restaurant of the same name. It's an elegant place and you'll find decent if predictable Japanese food — nigiri sushi, sashimi, tempura — plus some salads and special dishes like "toban", a traditional style of slow cooking using a clay pot.
93 Charlotte Street, W1 (020 7637 0050, www.tsunamirestaurant.co.uk)

Salt Yard
This restaurant and bar serves tapas of all sorts including good Jamon Iberico de Bellota. Just the thing to idle away the time with a cold beer. There is a willingness to use British produce here (perhaps because they own the Black Pig butcher's shop to the rear) so you might see marinated free-range chicken with Jersey Royal potatoes.
54 Goodge Street, W1 (020 7637 0657, www.saltyard.co.uk)