where shall we meet? Blanco's, W8

The Earls' Court Road is one of the few places in London which really fulfils its claim to be an international city. It could be just about anywhere - well, anywhere that's alive and busy and depends more on testosterone than oestrogen for its culture. Blanco's, at the Brompton Road end, is a little corker of a tapas bar with that genuine Spanish feel: red-and-black squared vinyl floor, black varnished tables, Iberian TV on satellite, Deportivo souvenirs, live music at weekends and a number of men with moustaches propping up the bar. Really delicious tapas, in industrial quantities, costs from £2-£4.50 a portion. A lovely place to while away some time while ignoring the rain outside.

Blanco's restaurant, 314 Earl's Court Rd, W8 (071-370 3101)