StyleNest visited the sleek and modern sister restaurant of El Pirata Mayfair, and we weren’t disappointed. With a tasting menu that reinvents the very idea of Spanish tapas and offers a truly unique experience, it’s a must visit.
El Pirata Detapas on Westbourne Grove might share its name with the better known El Pirata Mayfair, but that’s pretty much where the similarities stop. This tapas spot is relaxed, with a young and modern vibe. Not only is the décor fresh but the modern menu opened our eyes to a whole new approach to tapas and Spanish cooking.
There are several menus to choose from, including the Chef’s Tasting Menu but we simply had to try the Modern Vs Classic Tasting Menu. Each course serves up two dishes – one classic and one the modern interpretation.
Our first course arrived, traditional marinated anchovies in olive oil with garlic, vs escabeched Mackerel, Idiazabal Cheese & Pine Nuts Mousse and Veil Of Basil Gelatine. Both dishes were fresh, zesty and a great way to begin our culinary exploration. However, the modern dish of escabeched mackerel was utterly delicious. The textures and flavours opened our eyes to modern Spanish tapas and we knew instantly we were in for a real treat with this tasting menu.
The tasting continued with a spicy Cod Pil-Pil and traditional Cod Vizcaina. Again, the modern dish was a delight and we began to really understand the chef’s fresh approach to these classic favours that we know so well.
Our third course however, the classic Spanish Omlette was a hard one to beat. Whist we admired the chef’s bold dish of a deconstructed omlette, a poached egg with in-between layers of caramalized onions and topped with potato foam, the classic dish really can’t be beaten.
On to our fourth and last savoury dish, Braised Oxtail, with a Pumpkin & Ginger Purée vs the Classic Oxtail Stew. This was a tough one to call. Both versions were superb. The oxtail was rich in flavour and fell right off the bone. In truth, we could have eaten both dishes again.
After such a burst of flavours and textures we weren’t sure we could quite manage desert. however the dishes were the perfect choice and finish to our meal. Pear Cooked in Red Wine vs Fruit Salad Impregnated in Mint, Vanilla and Chocolate with a Yoghurt; as you can probably guess by the description the fruit salad won it for us. Our eyes told us it was melon, but our tastebuds screamed out mint, it was fresh, innovative (I nearly forgot to tell you about the pineapple topped with popping candy), and was a great way to finish off one of the most interesting and unforgettable meals we’d ever experienced.
You may think that a menu such as this comes at a price, think again. The Modern vs Classic Menu is just £25 pp which was a steal for such a gastronomical feast.
Whilst we will always love El Pirata’s classic dishes of croquettas and grilled chorizo, there is definitely a place for their bold modern dishes and we can’t recommend the tasting menu highly enough.
£25 Per Person (Available For Tables Of 2 Or 4 People Only)