Iberian affair

Following the success of his small-but-perfectly-formed Bermondsey Street tapas and sherry bar José, José Pizarro, the Spanish chef with a penchant for eponymous restaurant names and incredible Jamón Ibérico, has just opened Pizarro.

José Pizarro on Bermondsey StreetSituated just a few metres further down on the ever-evolving Bermondsey Street, Pizarro is the bigger, sit-down version of the tiny José, to which Londoners have flocked, queued, squeezed into or taken over the pavement outside since its opening in spring this year. Like José, Pizarro doesn’t take reservations and judging by the queues during its soft opening, you can expect to wait. Luckily, it’s entirely worth it.

They say you can judge a Spanish restaurant by its croquetas and the ones at Pizarro are utterly delicious, a crisp outside giving way to a silky interior dotted with salty pieces of ham. Quail with romesco sauce was difficult to share but the nutty, moreish sauce coupled with the salty, crisp meat was worth any fiddle involved. Of the other starters the stand out dish was the plump, gently pickled boquerones with roasted red peppers and black olives, topped by a cooked egg with a dark-orange yolk.

Of the bigger dishes, the highlight is the Secreto Ibérico – strips of crisp, fatty, pork on olive-oil mashed potato with piquillo peppers. Lamb with lentils came a close second – slices of rare, charred meat which melt in the mouth. Hake with black cabbage and clams was excellent, as was the rich, decedent manchego cannelloni. 

Chef Pizarro is dedicated to sourcing the best local ingredients and the quality of the produce is evident in every dish – from the Jamón Ibérico to the smoked salmon with beetroot salad and egg yolk – a deliciously fresh kind of salmon tartar. On the evening we attended he manned the open kitchen’s pass with meticulous attention but took time to meet and greet guests at the end of the evening.

With a superb wine list, including an impressive range of Cavas and, of course, sherries, and a small but excellent selection of desserts – including the unusual but delicious pear sorbet in Cava – Pizarro is a treat from start to finish and a welcome addition to London’s list of excellent Spanish restaurants.

One of the most attractive aspects of Bermondsey Street is that it has retained a neighbourhood feel despite becoming the heart of one of London’s most fashionable areas. Pizarro retains this neighbourhood feel with its no reservations policy and friendly service, but packs enough of a culinary punch to compete with any restaurant in the capital.

Meal for two with wine, around £80. 194 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ; josepizarro.com