Pintxo
- Food served: Sun–Fri 5–10pm; Sat 1–10pm.
- Pre-theatre times: Mon–Sun 5–7pm; Sat 1–7pm
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 8
- Also offers: Gluten-free options, Children's portions, Pre-theatre menu, Outdoor tables (smokers welcome)
- Music on stereo: Soul
- Capacity: 40
- Largest group: 40
- Open since: 2007
- Average price 2 courses:
£12 (lunch)
£12 (evening meal) - Pre-theatre price: £8.95
- House wine: £11.95 per bottle
This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.
Secreted in Dumbarton Road’s back pocket, Pintxo is something of a clandestine haven for mavens of authentic, passionate Spanish cuisine. Despite drawing its identity from the Basque region, Pintxo offers a panoramic view of Spain’s culinary highlights, with some superlative dishes gilding a comprehensive, seasonal menu. Baby squid in a crisp, golden, saffron batter, boisterously seasoned and served with green apple alioli is truly transcendent; there can be no better accompaniment to an ice-cold bottle of Cruzcampo. The freshness of apple in aioli is a masterstroke, with apples something of a leitmotif for the restaurant, reprised in fridges stocked with the convivial fizz of Asturian cider. Fizzy holiday beer and great food can suspend reality, while devouring wholesome salt cod croquettes and Valencian rice cakes you would be forgiven for trying to settle the bill with unspent Pesetas. Rice cakes will never sound sexy, yet dressed up with pequillo peppers, black olives and the ubiquitous saffron they are most comely. With an extensive list of wines and sherries, stellar tapas and a welcome warmer than the Spanish sun, Pintxo is proof, if needed, that Spanish food doesn't begin and end with paella, and Partick isn't just pie suppers and Irn-Bru.
- High point: Imaginative seasonal menu
- Low point: Deciding what not to have
Comments
- 1. hechopolvo, Pintxo – 27 March 2009, 10:46pmReport
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Pintxo has pleasant and attentive staff and a reasonable atmosphere, it does not, however, serve good food. The food - for anyone who knows anything about pintxos, fabada Asturiana, gambas al ajillo or anything about Spanish, Catalan, Gallego or Basque cuisine - is ordinary.
The fabada Asturiana had a residual taste of cooking oil and the morcilla was bland; the gambas al ajillo was passable but not sufficiently seasoned with hot paprika; the chick peas with spinach and mint was bland; the chicken pintxos lacked seasoning and the mussels with corriander and white wine fought a losing battle with an over-abundance of olive oil.
Like all the other leading restaurant critics- as far as this establishment is concerned - The List's critic has fallen into the trap of praising something of which they (evidently) have no real knowledge or experience.
Why don't you employ someone who does or at least find out?
- 2. Mark1967, Glasgow – 15 June 2009, 9:52pmReport
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I'm not sure what the other reviewer expects. My fiancee is from Madrid and she was familiar with most of the dishes was had. Where each dish was from, how it's cooked, etc. She thought the food was excellent.
The staff were very pleasant and friendly. We got a good vibe from the place the minute we walked in the door. The only problem is the new Mexican place across the road is really good as well.
But we'll definitely be back to Pintxo. Highly recommended.
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