With top-class tapas, Alora has earned its AA Rosettes

WE SAMPLE AWARD-WINNING EATERIE

- By LYNETTE PINCHESS

WHEN a restaurant is awarded two AA Rosettes within nine months of opening, you hope you're on to a winner.

Nottingham city centre has some brilliant tapas restaurants, both traditionally authentic, like ViDa by Lorentes, and those pushing the boundaries with global influences, such as Baresca, Iberico World Tapas and Bar Iberico.

But for some unknown reason it was out-of-town eatery Alora that attracted the attention of an anonymous AA inspector. She was clearly impressed, hailing it a “unique culinary experience on the outskirts of Nottingham”.

We were invited to sample it for ourselves so we headed to Mapperley, where the high street’s culinary delights have come on leaps and bounds recently, with restaurants, bars and bakeries cropping up.

Alora, in Plains Road, was transformed from a former bank - you'd never guess. The makeover created a bar and open kitchen and a look that’s part rustic with bare bricks and wooden floor in one part and part plush with a fancy tiled floor at the entrance and a snug with patterned wallpaper and carpet.

Although it’s a sizeable building (nearly 80 seats) it’s sectioned off so it has the feel of a much cosier restaurant, with four or five tables surrounding you.

We're seated in a spot beneath a roof light, so during the day it feels bright, airy and bang-on for taking the all-important social media photos. If it hadn't been so windy, the new outdoor seating would have been the place to sit and pretend we were on holiday.

We're too early for Mapperley Cocktail Club, a new venture with four cocktails at the reduced price of £7 between 5pm and 7pm, so we pick thirst-quenching mocktails (£5).