Pintxos shine at La Boqueria

Anyone who has spent time in Chinatown knows the community is, if not struggling, working through it. It being the proverbial challenges that all neighbourhoods face — gentrification, rising prices, displaced people, but intensified due to how the area was shaped. 

The neighbourhood restaurants can be transient. One day a new oyster shop will appear, the next day it’s replaced by a wine bar. That Middle Eastern restaurant will be boarded up, replaced by something else.

So it goes. Some places remain. You try to hold onto them. I no longer live in the area, but return often. Luckily a few spots remain, pushing on, making a go at it even as issues outside their control buffet them. 

La Boqueria Tapas and Pintxos Bar, at 291 E Pender St., is one of those places. Tucked into a tiny slot, with bright blue trimmed awnings framed by closed-down shops, La Boqueria has outlasted many of its neighbours on the street, even though it opened right before COVID hit. 

Why it’s lasted is apparent once you walk in. Anyone who’s been to Barcelona will immediately feel at home. This is no modernist, minimalist design. It’s busy, eccentric and loud. Turquoise blue walls covered with pictures, bright orange hanging lights, a chaotic glass-encased front counter, the human-sized chalkboard proudly blares out the drinks and dishes right as you walk in.

As the owner tells me, like the neighbourhood, the restaurant has seen its own challenges. Rotating chefs, challenges stocking certain drinks and food, opening right before COVID — it’s the types of challenges you know exist, but never get to hear. 

This is my fourth time at La Boqueria but my first time with an eye as a reviewer. It’s a place where I always take my friends, to soak up the atmosphere and grab a drink before heading out on the town. It’s a little slice of Spain deep in Chinatown. 

The menu is simple, uncomplicated, a homage to Pintxos and the food of Spain. You’ll find dishes like a Spanish-style potato omelet Tortilla Espanola, and seafood items like prawns, ceviche and sashimi-grade octopus. They have Patatas Bravas, but come on, there’s more to life than fried potatoes.

Spanish snacks called Pintxos are their specialty. Often with thick-cut bread topped with an assortment of meats, cheese and sauce, they’re meant as bite-sized food to enjoy with drinks. Pintxos are finger food, elaborate or simple layers of ingredients. As a food writer in San Sebastian, home of the food in Basque country says, Pintxos are a way of life, a ritual for the community.

While expensive compared to what you’ll find in Spain at three for $22, La Boqueria doesn’t skimp. Expect a mess as the heaping layers of meat spill out onto your plate. 

I start with the Quimet, a layer of smoked salmon, honey, cream cheese and balsamic reduction, topped with roe. It comes together in a creamy, salty and sweet bite, hitting all the pleasure points.

The Ultimate Sardine was another winner. The little tobiko, flying fish roe, explodes in your mouth with each bite.

The real standout was the ironically named Italian. Usually with Albacore tuna, it was replaced that day with Hamachi tuna, along with the regular toppings of figs, pecorino romano and balsamic, with a little sprinkle of olive oil. 

Fresh figs and fatty tuna are not a combination I’ve ever tried. It worked. Oh my god did it work. Each bite resulted in a different flavour coming forward, some with the crisp fresh fig, others with the layered tuna fat. 

Other dishes like the prawns are a little less memorable but still worth trying. Simply and well cooked, surrounded by bright red oil, the sauce left a little heat in my mouth. Make sure to ask for extra bread to soak up the leftover garlic sauce.

You can also ask for the Gilda, a popular Spanish pintxos that consist of a skewer of pepper, olive and anchovy fillet. The salt of the anchovy and heat of the pepper hammer your mouth like a drill on cement. It’s a little dish, but the flavours will stick with you long after you finish. 

For wine lovers it’s a perfect spot to sample an array of Spanish wines. You can also try a Spanish tapas lineup for $46 per person, with additional dishes like clams, Patatas Bravas and octopus, an easy way to explore different Spanish flavours. But for my money, go with a friend and order the five-item Pintxos platter for $35.

It was a quiet Friday night, a real shame. Restaurants like La Boquieria don’t win awards, or catch the TikTok wave. A place like this isn’t quite a fancy restaurant or a classic dive bar, it’s in an area that some may skip, and occupies a type of cuisine that doesn’t get its due in the city. 

Instead, La Boqueria carves out a space in a neighbourhood, hoping to survive as the natural closing and opening of restaurants surround them, serving up good food and drinks and for a brief moment, allowing anyone to feel like they’ve spent an evening soaking in the Spanish lifestyle. 

Noise Level: Louder, but you’ll still hear your friends talk. 

Recommended: Italian, Ultimate Sardine, Gilda. 

What I should’ve ordered: The Charcuteria Y Queso, a meat and cheese platter, is a great way to explore Spanish meats and cheeses, with a heavy emphasis on Manchego, a dry white cheese (I’ve ordered this platter during previous visits).

Drinks: Wine, cocktails, beer. 

Price: $$-$$$, with most sharing dishes in the $18-$20 range.

Other details: Not many vegetarian options, mostly seafood based dishes.