Why COMPRA? 02

The idea for Compra was probably formed in one of 4 or 5 very long lunches in Restaurante Rias Biaxas (C. Rep. Argentina Nº, 2). It was very hot in Vigo and I got used to doing what Spaniards do. i.e at around 2pm stop whatever you were doing, go to lunch, have a glass or two of wine and then go home for a snooze. Rias Biaxas became where I went most days and in many ways sums up what I want to pay tribute to in COMPRA. Everyone eats in Rias Biaxas - from builders to businessmen to teachers. The food is of the highest quality, but presented without pretension. It is neither expensive nor cut price. There is no marketing strategy or target audience. No one is favoured, no one is excluded and the people who work there are part of the community. It seems a simple idea, but I know of very few restaurants like it in London. Here is an excerpt from my notebook that hopefully explains part of what COMPRA is about. ‘I found myself in Rias Biaxas again. I had prawns, razorclams and a chop. The TV blared some gameshow chaired by a camp short man with a goatee who seemed to have modelled himself on Graham Norton. I guess the appeal of wise cracking gay men is international! On the next table a couple tucked into a very expensive parillada of seafood. Visually they looked like what some people in England might refer to as ‘chavs’ or ‘white trash’. Lots of tattoos, unisex died hair, unisex beer guts and lots of brightly colored man made fibre. The woman was in her late 30’s and by the way they looked and behaved I imagined the man was her boyfriend rather than her husband. She looked like an extra from a porn film and had really obviously fake boobs. He had peroxide hair and around his wrist wore the sort of wristbands you get at a rave or a festival. They were loud and a little drunk, but from what I understood their conversation largely revolved around the quality of the food. I had tried to eat a parillada before and it takes a level of expertise not to look like an idiot. This couple were obviously experts and at the end of the meal the man very carefully (and very tenderly) demonstrated to his lover some very advanced crab shell clearing.’ Enjoying food is not just for Nigel Slater reading young professionals! (click images to enlarge)