El Pirata Detapas emerges triumphant from the shadow of its older sister, Mayfair’s famous El Pirata.

The Venue
From the same people behind Mayfair’s famed tapas restaurant El Pirata comes El Pirata Detapas, a snug, intimate venue on Westbourne Grove. Although El Pirata Detapas also serves tapas (unsurprisingly, given the name), it’s definitely different than the flagship venue. The decor is modern, with a blueish gray wall by the entrance, dark wood chairs and tables and interesting hanging lamps. A small bar towards the rear glitters with glass bottles and a large rack of wine on the wall further emphasises the restaurant’s commitment to a decent drink list. One wall is lined with bright, colourful canvases right next to two giant pieces of wood that look like old fashioned farming equipment. The space is small and somewhat narrow, but they’re achieved a good balance of getting in as many tables as possible whilst still keeping enough space for everyone to be comfortable. The kitchen is located downstairs, next to another dining room with hanging legs of ham in a glass case.

The Atmosphere
Although quiet early on in the evening, El Pirata Detapas fills up steadily – expect it to be completely filled by about 9pm, with anxious couples waiting at the door for a table to open up. For a restaurant this popular though it’s almost a shame that there’s no better place for people to wait, as those without a seat wind up hovering by the coat rack. There’s a refreshing mix of clientele here, from families celebrating birthdays to trendy young couples on a night out, right up to older couples that seem so familiar with the staff it’s almost as if they’ve been coming to the restaurant longer than it’s been open. Staff are helpful, spot on with recommendations and efficient – and you have to give them credit for bringing up dish after dish from the basement kitchen.

The Food
The restaurant serves a well priced tapas menu, commendably with lots of vegetarian options. Most tapas dishes range from about £4 to £7.50, with the most expensive option being a seafood paella for two at £22. From their selection of nibbles, bread with aioli (£1.50) features several slices of rustic bread with a big dish of creamy garlic mayo – don’t fill up on too much of this though, as there are loads of great choices on the menu. Endives with Valdeon cheese (£4.50) are listed under the salads section but are actually more like a dip, with fresh endive leaves served standing up in a bowl and a scoop of blue cheese on the side, so light that it’s almost like whipped cream.

From the selection of seafood, the octopus carpaccio (£6) looks beautiful, an extraordinarily colourful dish served traditionally on a round wooden board. The purple-edged slices of octopus are paper-thin, covered with orangey red paprika, green capers and small yellow globes of mandarin caviar. Crispy fried squid (£6.50) are slightly salty, crisply breaded on the outside with a firm, but not rubbery texture. Pan roasted cod (£5.50) is interestingly served with braised red cabbage and red wine jus – the tangy cabbage works surprisingly well with the soft but meaty fish. Scallops and seasonal greens (£6) are another pretty colour combination, the pale yellow scallops and vibrant green asparagus as nice to look at as they are to eat, surrounded by a delicate, foamy sauce; the scallops are cooked well, slightly firm but still retaining their sweet taste.

Vegetarians can go for vegetable croquettes (£4), four plump round balls of fried cheese and diced piquillo peppers – they’re no doubt incredibly unhealthy but their gooey texture is incredibly moreish. Grilled asparagus and Manchego cheese (£6), on the other hand, is much lighter, with a bouquet of bitterly fresh asparagus layered with fluffy gratings of the aromatic cheese – it’s so fine it almost looks like shredded coconut. The classic tortilla (£5) has a perfect egg-y consistency and slightly runny in the middle. Slow cooked vegetables (£4.75) are served up like a stew, in a thick, peppery tomato sauce. Fried potatoes (£3) are another standout dish, with half a dozen small potatoes, skin on, lined up on a long plate in size order. A tiny hole has been dug out of the centre of each and filled with a deep orange mojo picon sauce – the fiery taste of the sauce is so flavourful that the small amount they’ve paired with each potato is a good match.

From a selection of about six meat options, broken eggs with potatoes, chorizo and garlic prawns (£6.50) is delicious. The chorizo infuses the rest of the dish with meaty, savoury flavours and the pieces of prawns are succulent and generously portioned. Pork cheeks with new potatoes (£6) are well cooked and incredibly tender, with a sweet but earthy glaze. A sprinkling of beetroot chips are a cute, colourful touch. For dessert, the chocolate brownie (£4) is accompanied by a scoop of meltingly soft, slightly bitter chocolate mousse, and the brownie itself is moist but not too dense. Caramelised pineapple (£4) is layered in a Martini glass with coconut foam; the smoky, heady flavour is balanced well with the creamy foam.

The Drink
An all Spanish wine list is full of interesting varieties from across the country and well priced, too, from about £3.50 a glass and £13.50 a bottle. The Fontal Crianza (£5 a glass, £20 a bottle) is a spicy, cinnamon-y red wine, whilst the Villa Narcisa (£6 a glass, £22.50 a bottle) is a refreshing, pure tasting white. A section of fine wines go up to about £240, and sherries, dessert wine, Champagne and Cavas are also available, with the two Champagnes on offer coming in at a reasonable £36 a bottle. Cocktails are reasonable as well, £6 for Bellinis, Martinis, Cosmos and Mojitos. Some of them are designed as an after-dinner drink, such as the Toblerone (made with Baileys, Frangelico, Kahlua, honey, chocolate and cream) and the Appel Strudel Martini (a mix of vodka, apple liquor, vanilla syrup and apple puree.

The Last Word
With its well priced, successfully executed dishes, El Pirata Detapas is well worth a trip for tapas fans. Just be sure to book ahead, lest you wind up lingering by the coats.

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