Pikoteo: A Slice of Spain in Esher
Pikoteo in Esher, formerly Don Luis, is now owned by Raúl Domingo Guerrero, who has been head chef since it opened in 2021. Janine and I had lunch there last Sunday, and it surpassed all expectations.
We love Spain and Spanish food, and knowing that Raúl buys bread from Thames Ditton Bakery made us even more eager to try it. I only wish we’d done so sooner.
The star of the show - well, one of them - was the Gambas al Ajillo: king prawns sautéed with garlic, chillies and a touch of Manzanilla sherry. Raúl recommended a basket of bread to go with it. He uses Thames Ditton Bakery’s white bloomer, which he cuts generously, two fingers thick, he insists. No thin, meagre slices here! He then chargrills the bread and finishes it with seriously good olive oil. The result was even better than I could have imagined: charred on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside and perfect for soaking up the sauce.
The other dishes we had were equally well-executed:
Pan con tomate was perfectly seasoned and served on pan de cristal, an airy Spanish bread with a paper-thin crust - not one of ours, but delicious nonetheless!
The fried squid tentacles from the daily specials were light and crispy.
The Pluma Ibérica, a pork dish from the daily specials, was outstanding. The meat was tender, juicy and surprisingly light. As someone who rarely eats meat, I sometimes find it too heavy – not this time.
The tenderstem broccoli with Romesco sauce and grated Manchego was the perfect combination of flavours and textures. All too often vegetables are overcooked and lose their flavour, but the broccoli had just the right amount of bite.
The Tarta de Santiago was beautifully buttery - even the ice cream was of excellent quality.
My only regret was the wine. Because I was driving, we only had a few small glasses of Albariño - one of my favourites. Next time, we’ll take a taxi and enjoy a whole bottle, perhaps with a Pikoteo spritz to start.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had food this good. This is authentic, refined Spanish cooking. Raúl carefully sources the best ingredients, and it really shows.
Pikoteo also serves steak and paellas, cooked to order - more reasons to return, and we certainly will. Aren’t we lucky to have a slice of Spain so close to home?
To find out more and book, visit the website: https://pikoteotapas.co.uk/
