Dance till the early hours in La Cabina tapas bar

Little did I know as I waited countless times at Laburnum Street bus stop in Kingsland Road that behind the yellow-rimmed door complete with telephone booth lies a hip subterranean cocktail bar, dishing up tapas till the early hours.

As you’d expect “out East”, the dark, narrow basement of La Cabina is kitted out with an eclectic mix of clutter which could have been picked up from a scrap yard.

The stripped-back brick walls – interspersed with grungy wallpaper, leather chairs built into the chimney, silver-embossed ceiling and stained glass window room divider – all combine to give an overall uber trendy vibe.

The eclectic menu is dotted with British and European favourites, giving a distinctive twist on traditional tapas.

We worked up an appetite with the succulent homemade marinated manzanilla olives and marcona almonds, before tucking into the delicious 15-hour slow-cooked pork belly with crackling served with home made chip wedges and apple sauce.

Grilled mackerel with sherry garlic and almond dressing on a beetroot apple and lettuce salad is just as good.

Braving the offal, I gave one of their most popular dishes a go, the Scotch eggs made with quail eggs and haggis, and was pleasantly surprised.

The only drawback is that veggies don’t have a huge choice, but it’s something they are apparently working on. My friend enjoyed the Guinness-infused Welsh rarebit, and the super-friendly and helpful staff whipped him up a mushroom dish off-menu.

Churros and chocolate for dessert should not be missed.

With its delectable cocktails and a revolving line-up of resident DJs playing till 5am at the weekend, La Cabina brings the enviable late-night culinary philosophy of Sevilla to Haggerston, offering a unique tapas experience without the time constraints usually associated with the London food scene.