THE RESTAURANT WITH A TOUCH OF CELEBRITY IN THE HEART OF BLOOMSBURY

There's a reason that celebrities are flocking to an unassuming Spanish Restaurant in the heart of Bloomsbury. Gillian Anderson, Clive Owen, David Thewlis, Ralph Fiennes, Neil Tennant, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Everett, Ron Howard, Michael Palin, Hugh Grant and Gok Wan are regular visitors.

Apart from its regular celebrity clientele, the restaurant itself has featured in a movie, the 2003 film ‘I'll Sleep When I'm Dead'with Charlotte Rampling. This close association with the glamorous world of showbiz does not, however, mean a hectic dining experience as Cigalaprides itself on being discreet. A meal at this restaurant will be served in functional, stripped-down surroundings where the food is very much the star.

This smart but no-frills little gem is the brainchild of Jake Hodges, former head chef at River Café and The French House and co-founder of Moro. The son of the English novelist and film director Mike Hodges, (of Get Carter and Flash Gordon fame), Jake is celebrating 17 years at Cigala this month.

Jake's phenomenal success is built on his uncompromising attitude to the preparation and sourcing of only the finest ingredients. Jake is an enthusiastic Hispanophile, and has spent years travelling around Spain to research his dishes, a passion which began in his family home in Andalucía. A dedicated chef, Jake remains as committed to the delivery of authentic Spanish cuisine as the day he opened Cigala's doors in 2000.

Jake presides over a kitchen which offers classic Spanish national and regional cuisine complemented by an excellent wine list. Only the finest ingredients make it as far as the menu. In addition to the bona fide Spanish foodstuffs sourced from regional Spain, the head chef takes daily trips to Billingsgate and New Spitalfields Market to browse for the most garden-fresh produce available. This allows for a unique menu every day, sometimes twice a day. Originality is at the core of Cigala's cuisine so that the chorizo, the bread and the desserts, even the ginger beer is all made in house, every day.

The current menu features:Buey a la brasa, a perfectly grilled aged ribeye steak served with handcut chips and chuasco sauce;Pimientos de Padron, fat, sweet Padron peppers ripened in the Spanish sun and deep fried;Parillada demariscois a dish which features the chosen seafood of the day, grilled and simply served with a fresh green salad. Unsurprisingly,Paellais the star of the menu and is prepared with bomba rice direct from Valencia and a choice of monkfish, squid (with ink), chicken, chorizo, prawns and mussels, (including a vegetarian option which will vary daily). Traditional choices of course include a selection of tapas, regular highlights beingTzangurro, baked crab with cayenne, brandy, tomato and parsley and the classicPatatas Bravaswhich disappear at speed the minute they are served.

And while Hodges is keen to include the best in class from across the Spanish regions, he regularly puts his own twist on the menu. The mouth-watering desserts are created with the confidence of a chef at the top of his game.

Whilst Cigala provides a relaxing and tranquil atmosphere for an intimate dining experience, it also offers a well-appointed private room and bar for hire. Catering for 28 people seated or a party of 40, with the added option of a disco ball!

For more information contact Melanie Faldo atsocal.uk@gmail.com

Notes to editors: Cigala is located at 54 Lamb Conduit's Street, Bloomsbury,WC1N 3LW