Cara discovers authentic Spanish tapas, homemade chips and a curated wine list in a cozy English style pub.

Hidden away on a quiet street in Mayfair, not far away from Park Lane is El Pirata of Mayfair. A Spanish tapas place that misleads bypasses with its pub like appearance.

It’s like a solid oak tree amongst porcini, boletus and chanterelles. They come and go but the oak remains.

With porcini season in full spin I’m really into my forest analogies. It’s a fast turnaround of opening and closing restaurants in London El Pirata has remained put for over 30 years now. 

Like a quality hard wood tree – oak. It’s humble, solid quality fresh tapas and very reasonable prices. Perhaps the latter can’t be said about oak flooring. 

But will ignore that bit. It’s how I remember my school summers in Spain – unpretentious meals, quality, and staff who felt like friends. There is no sun here but El Pirata brings a little warmth to the table anyway.

On that nostalgic note some tapas are in order – cod cheeks with a gentle hint of perejil or parsley as we know it are just excellent. They are marinated, just enough to leave them moist and flaky, a great portion too, 2 skewers for £12.75.

The skewers also come with homemade alioli, not that it’s needed as they are perfect as they’re but it’s there if one wants it.

The staff member also recommends I try their mini bun chorizo, it’s a bite size burger with chorizo and a fried quail egg. The paprika oils from the chorizo sink into the warm golden brioche, a small but luscious bite.

I also can’t resist the classic Spanish omelet, it’s full on flavour and my favourite part – a runny middle, just the way it should be.

I decide to skip another popular tapa – croquettes and go straight to some mains, Secreto Iberico is a dish I’ve been craving lately, and this one hits the spot just perfectly.

Slightly crisp coating finished with an aromatic rosemary branch and just enough salt crystals to cut through the richness of the meat.

This is an excellent cut with a good ratio of meat to fat ratio. However, I’m particularly impressed by the crisp homemade potato chips.

They’re usually served with just about every meat dish in Spain – golden, hand-cut and impossible to resist. By the end of my stay, though, even their perfect crispiness can’t stop me from admitting defeat.

And like with many dishes I thought those don’t quite exist here perhaps because the potato varieties are not the same. But here I am looking at them.

And these’re just like I remember. At this point I’m just curious how far I can push my luck with authentic dishes.

Paella is next to be tested. I choose a limited edition with pork ribs, something I definitely never had. As all paellas do it’s served in a paellera. The rice has a natural orange-brown hue – it should never be bright and a graceful, delicate bite that shows it’s been cooked just right.

It’s topped with a copious amount of meat that’s so tender, it falls off the bone. Artichokes are also at abundance in this paella, if I knew I would have skipped my grilled artichoke side dish.

But both are nice enough, so they come with me home for a later dinner snack or brunch even.

Like any true no-frills gem, El Pirata doesn’t bother with fragile, fine-stemmed glasses that make you nervous to hold.

They are built to handle a slightly rougher use in a tapas place or an English pub if you may

The glass doesn’t change the content though, mine is white rioja, a classic, a little acidic and refreshing that pairs right with all my sampled dishes.

The wine card is a pleasant and helpful surprise, complete with a map of Spain’s wine regions, tasting notes and grape varieties that make choosing a bottle feel like a mini journey across the country.

The churros, however, are a little disappointing. The dipping chocolate is a little lumpy and lacks the rich darkness I was hoping for but eaten solo they still hold their own.

El Pirata of Mayfair is a little gem, the Spain away from Spain. And for a weekday lunch it’s busy with business lunches downstairs, locals and their cheeky red glass of wine at the outside benches, to casual dates and even some tourists.

If you haven’t been yet, this is the cue to visit if not for Spanish tapas for some unjustifiable crazy reason then at least a cocktail or a glass of Spanish wine by the striking old dark wood bar.

El Pirata Of Mayfair – Tapas Bar Español, 5 – 6 Down St, London W1J 7AQ