The Spanish swept the Americas, and now they’ve taken Singapore. Here is our tribute to the restaurants and chefs that go beyond the basic tapas dishes to showcase the best in what Spanish food brings to the table. We put paella, croquetas and tapas to the test at four Spanish eateries.
Gaig
In the kitchen:
Head chef Marti Carlos is originally from Barcelona and he brings a wealth of Catalonian culinary insights. From time to time, the patriarch of the family of restaurateurs, Carles Gaig, visits from Spain – and puts on an apron, too.
On the table:
Gaig has an amazing assortment of truly tasty tapas, as well as main courses straight from Barcelona. The jamon ibérico croquette ($4.50) and bomba de la Barceloneta ($16.50), a spicy beef and potato dish beautifully prepared to look a bit like, well, a bomb – tickled my taste buds, but my hands-down favourite was Gaig’s traditional cannelloni ($16.50), a recipe that’s been in the family for five generations – with good reason! It’s a meat-stuffed pasta with an absolutely delicious sauce. For mains, we tried the incredibly fresh roasted octopus with cauliflower puree ($32.90) and the quail “Alcántara” style ($36.50), prepared in a porto and foie gras sauce – yum! Dessert was Our Catalan Crème Brûlée ($10.50), the restaurant’s heavenly take on the classic dessert, and unlike anything I’ve ever had. Divine!
Everything else:
Gaig is the real deal, folks. If you want to know what Catalan flavours are all about, this is the place to go. The owners’ family have had a restaurant in Barcelona since 1869 and have brought all their knowledge to our shores, even importing special foods from time to time such as the pan-seared “Morcilla de Burgos” ($5.50), a yummy version of blood sausage. Put this one on your list of must-tries.
Giag
16 Stanley Street
6221 2134 | facebook.com/gaigsingapore
– Melinda Murphy
La Pepa
In the kitchen:
La Pepa is helmed by Singaporeans Hanafee Wahab and Kerman Kong, who both met for the first time six years ago while working at a Spanish restaurant called Vida Vino. Both of them parted ways for other roles (Hanafee was the sous chef at FOC Sentosa) until they came together again at La Pepa. The two also visited Spain last year to source new ingredients and train at an authentic Spanish restaurant, Lali, in Segovia.
On the table:
La Pepa’s menu of hot and cold tapas isn’t extensive, but that just makes choosing more fuss-free! We tried the pan con tomate con sardina ahumada ($20) – toasted bread with tomatoes and sardines – which was simultaneously fresh and salty, the tortilla Espanola ($10) served with garlic aioli, and the mushroom croquetas ($8) coated in Panko breadcrumbs. Although every dish was packed with wonderful flavour, the favourite of the night was definitely the squid ink paella ($28 to $46, depending on size), served with tiger prawns and clams. Instead of being added to top off the dish, the squid is finely chopped up and served inside the rice, which created a really interesting texture I’ve not had before. For dessert, the churros with chocolate ($10) are both crispy and chewy, and worth every sinful bite!
Everything else:
The restaurant is on the smaller side, but this adds to the charm and makes it great for intimate conversation or a date night. Also, I was pleasantly surprised to find white wine sangria on the menu ($14 per glass, $60 per jug), as not everywhere offers it. The sangria is made in-house and to order, so you can ask for it to be as sweet or as dry as you want!
La Pepa
10 Gemmill Lane
9830 0908 | lapepa.asia
– Susannah Jaffer
Binomio
In the kitchen:
Born in Almeria, a city in southeast Spain, executive chef Gonzalo Landin helms the kitchen at Binomio.
On the table:
Kick things off with a wide variety of tapas; we recommend the fresh cheese terrine served with honey olive oil and homemade bread ($25), or you can go with the grilled bone marrow and aged steak tartar ($28) for something richer. We also utterly enjoyed the squid ink croquettes ($14), served piping hot and bursting with flavour. Then, move on to the star of the show: the chicken and seafood paella ($67). A delightful mix of fresh seafood, tender chicken pieces and rice cooked in a heady seafood broth, this was no doubt one of the best paellas we’ve ever had. One portion can easily feed two to three people, so you’ll want to share!
Don’t leave without nibbling on the churros with chocolate ($14) – crispy churros with a rich dark chocolate sauce that thankfully wasn’t too sweet. But if you’re up for something punchier, go for the tarta fria al whisky ($14): cake served with toasted egg yolk and shaved almonds, and doused with a shot of whisky.
Everything else:
Binomio blends two different concepts – a casual tapas bar and a fine dining area – in its cosy restaurant space. We chose to sit at the formal dining area, which proved to be a popular pick for couples and families for its intimate setting.
Binomio
#01-02, Craig Place, 20 Craig Road
6557 0547 | binomio.sg
– Anthia Chng
El Tardeo
In the kitchen:
Hailing from southern Spain, Chef Houssein was initially the head chef of sister restaurant Binomio.
On the table:
Having recently launched a refreshed menu, this urban, upbeat tapas bar offers a mix of traditional and modern Spanish fare, plus a lineup of drinks. Here, the patatas bravas ($14) comes in the form of a crisp waffle with pockets generously filled with aioli and bravas sauce. Served in the same manner as the ball-shaped Japanese snacks known as takoyaki, the tortilla de patata (Spanish omelette; $12) is delicious and topped with strips of Iberico ham. We also liked the classic gambas al aljilo ($22) – sautéed shrimp with garlic, olive oil, parsley, white wine and prawn broth – which came sizzling hot; its savoury sauce was the perfect dip for the side of bread. Though I’m usually not big on octopus, I was pleased with the pulpo a la gallega (octopus with potatoes; $28), which was incredibly juicy and tender.
We also enjoyed the calamares fritos ($18), set atop squid ink and red peppers. For something more substantial, order the hamburguesa de cerdo Iberico (pork sliders, $16). If you love sweets, you’ve got to try the XXL Sneakers ($16), a huge homemade chocolate bar filled with yummy hazelnut ganache, peanut butter and toffee – it really hit the spot!
Everything else:
You can choose to sit inside in one of the cosy booths, at a regular table or at the bar, or opt to eat alfresco. Note that El Tardeo is closed on Sunday.
El Tardeo
#01-01 Craig Place, 20 Craig Road
6221 6288 | eltardeo.sg
– Lindsay Yap
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This article first appeared in the May 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
