The Casa bar and restaurant, set amid the awakening Charter Quay development in Kingston town centre, is like two venues in the same room, writes Tracy-Lee Driscoll.

Casa seems a social meeting point first and foremost. When I paid a visit on Friday lunchtime, the place was heaving with families and young professionals enjoying a bite to eat, coffee or a drink.

The long curvaceous bar sweeps drinkers into an inviting beige den where tapas and nachos are available alongside drinks for those who do not fancy a full meal.

The low brown leather sofas and sand coloured pillars make this a fresh and funky retro snug, which is both spacious and cosy at the same time.

What struck me was the apparent lack of right angles in the design, which gives the area a soft, chilled-out feeling just right for groups of friends who want to have a drink and a chat

Manager Robin Kay says the staff are dab hands at cocktails and highlights the frequently changing cocktail list.

While I was there, tropical concoctions such as Barrier Reef, made with gin, Cointreau and blue Bols, was on offer, as well as the better known tequila sunrise.

By contrast, the glacial blue and green dining area, complete with measured spatters of abstract art, light beech interior and a weathered wooden floor, serves well as a city eaterie.

Here you will find a minimal but appealing menu, which includes fresh soup of the day and tortilla espanola a classic Spanish-style potato and pepper omelette for starters.

For mains there is a tempting sirloin steak at £10.95 or chicken breast wrapped in ham and mozzarella.

For vegetarians there is Mediterranean style vegetable skewers grilled skewers of mozzarella cheese, courgette, red peppers and plum tomato service with a spicy tomato sauce.

Pasta and salads are available as well as a range of sandwiches, baguettes and paninis.

Desserts are also on the cards with a luscious sounding Toblerone fondue for £4.95, which is served with fresh banana, strawberries, marshmallows and wafers for dipping.

Robin is delighted with the success that the bar, which opened at the end of July, has had.

"It's been great. We have a lively business crowd coming in at lunchtime and families coming in for coffee and it has been very busy in the evening.

"We're a looking forward to the whole development being finished, as it's a bit of a building site at the moment.

"Residents moving into the news flats are starting to come down and we're looking forward to seeing more of them."

The Casa lot are a charitable bunch and last Friday hosted a charity night named Heaven and Hell.

In the restaurant, angels served dinner while in the bar was a mock casino and other devilish fun.

Proceeds from the night were spit between the New York Firefighters' Fund and a charity for Afghan refugees.

Casa is open 11am to 11pm, with the full menu available from noon till 10pm.

q The Casa is at Unit 6, Charter Quay, 22-28 High Street, Kingston. 020 8549 441.

November 12, 2001 13:00