La Viña is the new Spanish restaurant that's just opened in Wallingford and it's wonderful, if unexpected.

And before 'disgusted of Wallingford' writes in to complain about this apparent slur, that's not to say Wallingford isn't a lovely market town, but that the cosmopolitan La Viña is much more than a local tapas bar, both in size, décor and cuisine.

La Viña used to be Forno Vivo, an Italian pizza place that presumably didn't hit the spot.

Cleverly, it doesn't feel like a Spanish-themed restaurant but the real McCoy, mainly due to the varnished wooden interior, complete with vast sherry barrels and circular tables surrounded by high stools.

And while the kitchens are tiny, they certainly manage to produce the goods from the reasonably priced menu.

WHAT DID YOU HAVE?

Bread and olives were distributed first in wonderfully colourful Spanish dishes, along with two dips - a subtle parsley and garlic oil and a fragrant fresh tomato oil. Both of these were a first for me and delicious to boot.

These were followed by the 'three tapas dishes for £6.95' option, so we were able to try a bit of everything and be adventurous.

From the predictable patatas bravas to the more innovative pollo al estilo pedro (chicken cooked with onion and prunes) or the boquerones en vinagre (anchovies marinated in garlic and olive oil) as well as Spanish staples, chorizo al vino tinto (chorizo cooked in red wine) and judias al ajillo (white and green beans cooked in garlic), we ate them all.

AND WHAT DID YOU THINK?

Our tapas arrived quite promptly. My only criticism would be that the portions were very small, but for lunch they were just about adequate. A couple on a nearby table were sharing a mouth-watering looking paella served in a raised black dish, which I earmarked for my next visit.

The chicken was declared an instant hit by my Norwegian friend, who said it was the best food she'd eaten in England so far!

The rest of the dishes lived up to expectations, leaving us to conclude that La Viña was fun and the economical bill a pleasure.

VERDICT: This part of the county may be a bit further than you are used to travelling, but La Viña isn't just about good food. It's about the whole experience - and as such is really worth a visit.