HOW OFTEN DOES ONE GET TO TRAVEL TO Spain and eat at an authentic tapas bar? If you’re lucky, many times, but if you’re of the norm, probably zero to one — maybe.
No need to book your airfare to Spain to sample authentic tapas because Santa Monica is all the rage with its new hot spot called Bar PintXO (peen-cho). Located just next door to Boa Steakhouse on Santa Monica Boulevard, this tapas bar has a line out the door during dinner hours. Standing room mostly with several bistro style tables and bar stools gives foodies a sense of how social and intimate a tapas bar in Spain would be like.
Decked out in mahogany wood furniture and shelves, tchotchkes indigenous to Spain adorn the space while the entrance greets customers with the actual “tapas” bar and an open kitchen. The shelves lining the walls are filled with imported Spanish products that are for sale to the public. This eatery is open for lunch and dinner. My suggestion, if you want to experience the menu without the wait, visit during lunch hours while it’s not so crowded.
Representative of an authentic Spanish tapas bar is the Jamón Iberíco which is cured pork leg, sliced thin, from the acorn-fed black-footed (patta negra) iberico pigs — a culinary treasure like the white truffles of the Piemonte and the endangered beluga caviar. This ham is darker in color and has more of a caramel sweetness. It is also less salty and can be more or less chewy than prociutto, depending on the particular ham and how it is cut. Visible to the eye in Bar PintXO are actual jamón and serrano hams hanging from the ceiling above the bar.
The menu at Bar PintXO is broken up by tapas ranging from $2 to $6 per tapas; platos (entrées) ranging from $2 to $9; postres (deserts); café (coffee drinks); cava/sparkling by glass or bottle; and vino tinto and blanco by glass or bottle. The wines by the glass are reasonably priced and they give a generous pour.
I had the pleasure of being invited by owner, Joe Miller (famous for Joe’s Restaurant on Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach) for a tasting and candid interview one afternoon. He served me the jamón and serrano hams to compare the difference. I must say, I stay true to my expensive tastes … I preferred the ever-so pricey and hard to get jamón because it was milder and buttery as opposed to the serrano ham which was a bit chewier and saltier but has lots of flavor.
Other menu items include tapas like grilled shrimp, piquillo pepper; tomato yogurt and orange; tuna stuffed tomato, garlic and parsley; dates wrapped in bacon with cabrales cheese; tapas of chorizo and fried quail eggs; crimini mushroom, jamón and diced vegetables; and tortilla Española. Most tapas and platos on the menu are in Spanish so don’t be afraid to ask your server what they are.
The service is warm, friendly and helpful. From what I’ve heard from my foodie friends who’ve actually been to Spain, tapas QUICK QUIZ Q: How would you describe the cuisine at Bar PintXO?
A: Traditional Spanish tapas bar cuisine. In Spain they specialize in tapas such as jamón, cured pork leg, sliced thin from the black footed pig which is very expensive, paella, ban-derillas (skewers), and tortilla Española. All of our tapas are displayed in a clear case at the bar, somewhat similar to a sushi bar. We also cook everything on a plancha which is a big flat-top griddle that creates more heat than a typical stove.
Q: What are your plans for the evolution of Bar PintXO?
A: I would like to systemize things. Use the best ingredients that I can find, using lots of things from Spain. All of our products for sale on these shelves in front are imported from Spain. Also, expand this concept to other states.
Q: What do you think significantly sets this restaurant apart from others serving “tapas”?
A: Staying true to traditional Spanish tapas bars that one can find in Spain. We only serve Spanish wines and beers, unique one’s that are hard to find in L.A. bars allow you to just throw things on the ground. I don’t get it. Tapas are small bites so how would you have anything left to throw on the ground? Guess I need to book that flight soon to find out. My friends weren’t great research tools unfortunately but Joe Miller, owner of Bar PintXO had some insight to shed.
Bar PintXO is located at 109 Santa Monica Blvd. For more information visit online at barpintxo.com or call (310) 392- 5655.
MARIA ROHLOFF is a food enthusiast and one heck of a cook. She
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 6, 2008. Read the original PDF.