Tip Top Tapas
Basics
Location
On Fb
No bookings, arrive before 10 at weekends to avoid a wait for a table.
Per Person
€20. Beers, half a bottle of Ribera. 6 shared dishes.
In Short
Hopes? Old favourites, well-cooked, to share.
Reality? Job done.
First Impressions? Busy.
A USP? Still an authentic space.
The food in three words? Tasty, very tasty.
Can they get the staff? Reliable, good radar, very hard working.
Service with a smile? Always a friendly atmosphere here.*
Would you take your friends? It's a regular stop-off.
Rating for a dating? For a relaxed one, it'd work. Not a canoodling ambience.
Tip? Yep, rounded up the bill to the nearest ten.
Change one thing? Would have left room for dessert.
Going back? We will, in the words of Arnie, be back.
*Interest to declare: we go back a long way with the boss.
Compare and Contrast
Similar offer, wider menu at El Puerto de La Cabreira.
Similar offer, more anglophone atmosphere at El Rincon.
In Pictures
On Google Images
In Depth
El Pico is a survivor. Over 50 years on its corner in Malasaña, still in the hands of the same family. It's a rare beast, but that doesn't make it a dinosaur. A bunch of old fellas gossip in a window seat while under-socked Malasana types pore over their handheld gadgets across the room. There'll likely be a family with a toddler at the bar. There's only the occasional tourist. This is a bar that still doesn't feel the urge to translate its menu.
The decor, lots of exposed brick and wood, was dragged up to date a few years ago, but, like the customers, it's a unique mix. Old and older. There's still the odd sign of the times on the wall, not to mention a giant mysterious wooden thing above the stairs. Mystery solved.
That monolingual menu is a mix of influence too, and rather shorter than it used to be. We went for five dishes tonight which give a pretty fair impression of its breadth. We're not sure about the mussels in red curry sauce, so didn't go for that. Ecletic though, that's the word for it.
Kick off. Mangetouts. A la plancha! If you can do it with asparagus, why not peas, taken before their time? You might think it's not easy, being green. But this is rather good. Griddled, there's a bit of caramelisation going on which, with sea salt added, means there's a winning combination of sweetness, saltyness and fresh veggy-ness. Think a sweeter vesion of what you normally get from griddled asparagus. Les mangetouts? Nous avons mangé tous!
Second up. Bravas. We've been gobbling down the EP version for years now. It's a winner simply because it comes with two sauces. There's creamy mayo on the base and the spicy tommy atop the pots. But, if you need spuds like you've never needed spuds before, give 'em a mix. Two become one. Creamy, but still with a kick. But there's still spice, girls.
And next. You're never going to be short of goat's cheese salad in this neck of the woods. But don't sit on the horns of a dilemma about ordering. Go at it. Fried green tomatoes and red berries provide the balancing flavours. Extremely good, if a smidge over grilled this time. We can forgive that.
There's more. Squid tails have their own story to tell. And it's a squid tale worth paying attention to. A lemony mayo here, plus something that looks pleasingly like a cone from the Martello Chippy in Dymchurch. Well cooked, soft enough, and a decent-sized cone. Good!
But our work is not done. We still have meat dishes for you to meet. Eggs is eggs and in this case they is smashed up eggs. Huevos Rotos, on the horizon, then. There's chistorra. There's ham. There's freshly fried spuds. There's a sprinkling of pimientos de padron. Talking of which...
And? Was there? Not a whiff of it, lads [Saaaad emoji]. In times of trouble, hot peppers fail to come to me. Someone, please, let it be. Hot, that is. Sooner rather than later.
Last up, and just a bit delayed compared to the constant and expertly timed flow of the other dishes, meatballs! Three of them, pretty plumptious and unquestionably granny-style were the offer, with a rice garnish and a garlic-rich sauce. No awards, but no complaints. Hearty. That's the word.
No desserts tonight, which hurt a little as the Pudding! is always serviceable.
Service is always good here, with owner and manager keeping a close eye on tables. You never need to ask twice, and they spotted our need for more wine without even making eye contact, so sometimes you don't even have to ask once. Top notch, that.
So. Peak performance at El Pico? Well it's a Survivor. Rising up to the challenge of its rivals.
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Basics
Location
On Fb
No bookings, arrive before 10 at weekends to avoid a wait for a table.
Per Person
€20. Beers, half a bottle of Ribera. 6 shared dishes.
In Short
Hopes? Old favourites, well-cooked, to share.
Reality? Job done.
First Impressions? Busy.
A USP? Still an authentic space.
The food in three words? Tasty, very tasty.
Can they get the staff? Reliable, good radar, very hard working.
Service with a smile? Always a friendly atmosphere here.*
Would you take your friends? It's a regular stop-off.
Rating for a dating? For a relaxed one, it'd work. Not a canoodling ambience.
Tip? Yep, rounded up the bill to the nearest ten.
Change one thing? Would have left room for dessert.
Going back? We will, in the words of Arnie, be back.
*Interest to declare: we go back a long way with the boss.
Compare and Contrast
Similar offer, wider menu at El Puerto de La Cabreira.
Similar offer, more anglophone atmosphere at El Rincon.
In Pictures
On Google Images
In Depth
El Pico is a survivor. Over 50 years on its corner in Malasaña, still in the hands of the same family. It's a rare beast, but that doesn't make it a dinosaur. A bunch of old fellas gossip in a window seat while under-socked Malasana types pore over their handheld gadgets across the room. There'll likely be a family with a toddler at the bar. There's only the occasional tourist. This is a bar that still doesn't feel the urge to translate its menu.
The decor, lots of exposed brick and wood, was dragged up to date a few years ago, but, like the customers, it's a unique mix. Old and older. There's still the odd sign of the times on the wall, not to mention a giant mysterious wooden thing above the stairs. Mystery solved.
That monolingual menu is a mix of influence too, and rather shorter than it used to be. We went for five dishes tonight which give a pretty fair impression of its breadth. We're not sure about the mussels in red curry sauce, so didn't go for that. Ecletic though, that's the word for it.
Kick off. Mangetouts. A la plancha! If you can do it with asparagus, why not peas, taken before their time? You might think it's not easy, being green. But this is rather good. Griddled, there's a bit of caramelisation going on which, with sea salt added, means there's a winning combination of sweetness, saltyness and fresh veggy-ness. Think a sweeter vesion of what you normally get from griddled asparagus. Les mangetouts? Nous avons mangé tous!
There's more. Squid tails have their own story to tell. And it's a squid tale worth paying attention to. A lemony mayo here, plus something that looks pleasingly like a cone from the Martello Chippy in Dymchurch. Well cooked, soft enough, and a decent-sized cone. Good!
But our work is not done. We still have meat dishes for you to meet. Eggs is eggs and in this case they is smashed up eggs. Huevos Rotos, on the horizon, then. There's chistorra. There's ham. There's freshly fried spuds. There's a sprinkling of pimientos de padron. Talking of which...
Last up, and just a bit delayed compared to the constant and expertly timed flow of the other dishes, meatballs! Three of them, pretty plumptious and unquestionably granny-style were the offer, with a rice garnish and a garlic-rich sauce. No awards, but no complaints. Hearty. That's the word.
No desserts tonight, which hurt a little as the Pudding! is always serviceable.
Service is always good here, with owner and manager keeping a close eye on tables. You never need to ask twice, and they spotted our need for more wine without even making eye contact, so sometimes you don't even have to ask once. Top notch, that.
So. Peak performance at El Pico? Well it's a Survivor. Rising up to the challenge of its rivals.
