El Porton

I had been wanting try this restaurant for a while. I’d hoped the outdoor seating had outdoors heaters but no. The decor was lovely, though didn’t lend to having quiet conversations as noise bounced off the hard surfaces. When we walked in for dinner it was so cold but we decided to stay as the food would warm us up. The big portón door was always open and a really cold breeze came through the whole place. Staff were really attentive. We were so thankful for the wine tastings to help decide. The food didn’t take long, thank goodness. Lots of gluten free and vege options. I would call the food Spanish inspired fusion rather than authentic. The txistorras seemed homemade, which was nice, but lacked depth (garlic, pimentón?) and the cider sauce was so sweet. Only chorizo should be cooked in dry cider and the dish should be renamed chorizitos and have smaller sausage sizes. Seasonal greens were nice, hot and tasty, just not very Spanish. Chargrilled peppers, zucchini and eggplant would be more authentic. Unfortunately, I think it’s hard to source the level of quality fresh produce they have in Spain in this country. There was a lot of garlic on many dishes. Love garlic but when it’s raw it can be overpowering. The bread also was not very Spanish with only 2 miniature buns, though they were heated nicely which was appreciated. Setas dish was very tasty, the star of the night. However, the biggest issue was the cold in the restaurant. We hinted about closing the portón but it didn’t happen. So many patrons were shivering, especially those seated at the bar. I wondered if it was on purpose to make people eat quickly so there’d be more turnover. I wish I could’ve given another star but the temperature inside was bordering on icy and really brought the whole experience down. If you decide to try this restaurant out book well inside in the cooler months. May be more comfy for lunch on a sunny day.

Food fantastic Lots of delicious gluten-free options Popular restaurant (Was very noisy on Valentines night)