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El Pirata
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Budget choice
This spacious Spanish themed restaurant's splendid view over the Blackheath common wins hands down before you've even sampled the sangria and tapas, especially on a warm summer night when you can sit out front. The choice covers everything you'd expect from a tapas menu and dishes are usually big enough for two people to share quite happily. Patatas bravas, garlicky mushrooms, spicy chorizo and pincho de pollo (chicken skewers) were all enjoyable although we left plates of overly chewy calamares and pungent whitebait barely touched. The staff are quietly friendly and despite the few dud seafood dishes, the food and surroundings were enjoyed equally.
Time Out Cheap Eats in London Guide 2007
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Details
- 15-16 Royal Parade, Blackheath, SE3 0TL
- Area: Blackheath
- Tel: 020 8297 1880
- Book online
- Category: Spanish
- Travel: Blackheath rail
- Times: Meals served noon-11.45pm Sun-Thur; noon-12.30pm Fri, Sat.
- Price: £17-£20
- Credit cards: AmEx, MC, V
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littlemisscontent
Just a content girl happy to meet new people that will add to happiness not replace it. Some people call me fussy but I find I'd rather be single...
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This was one of the worst experiences ive had in a restaurant. Went on the 26th sep 09 for my mum's birthday. There were 6 of us.
We placed our orders and first of all the starters took very long to arrive (simple garlic bread with cheese) then half of us received our food which was warm. When we were almost finished the other half arrived, all the dishes being incorrect. apparently the chief got confused between salmon and sirloin?? then we were asked if we could just eat the incorrect dishes as the ohters would have to be cooked from scratch. Those dishes were also warm. I went to complain and was told that my mum would be sorted out. She got a happy birthday song and a slice of cake plus a bottle of wine for free which we thought was ok until we received the bill. We were charged £45.00 extra. After trying to sort out the bill we eventually got the over charge back. Never again will i even think about going to this place. What made it worse was that it totally ruined my mum's birthday
Felt rather let down by this tapas restaurant - felt like it was rather a commercial affair, and a restaurant which may have been more interested in their bottom line and existed purely on "new" footfall and not regular custom. Dishes were warm on arrival and lacked that depth and richness I expect from tapas. Service Charge is included in the bill, which we had to ask, to remove.
Whitebait was "odd" tasting - all dishes lacked sauce - bread was old and the tartare dish which came with the whitebait was smothered with a tomato sauce. There just did not seem to be any passion here - a let down.
Probabaly the worst tapas I have ever sampled. And I am not comparing "El Pirata" with Spanish tapas, I am benchmarking it against what you would get in London. The protions are small, my beloved bravas were nothing but boiled potatoes with slightly spicy tomato sauce sprinkled on top, spanish omlette was stodgy and for £5.20 you only get four very small "Pil-Pil" prawns! The only good thing was the wine selection at reasonable prices. Having said that, if it's the booze you want, you are definitely better off buying it at Threshers at half price and drinking it at home.
Service was excellent but the food was relatively poor - for example the fmixed fried seafood tasted reheated and rubbery.