Celebrating ‘La Tomatina’ at El Pirata – Mayfair, London

‘La Tomatina’, Spain’s annual tomato throwing festival, might be one of the country’s most well known events. But if you aren’t able to head to Valencia to take part, why not celebrate with some tomato based dishes?

This year, El Pirata have launched a ‘Tomatina Tapas’ menu to celebrate this tradition. Tucked away on a leafy terraced-lined street just minutes from Piccadilly, El Pirata is local gem that’s been serving up fantastic, traditional tapas for over 20 years and the menu really brings out the heart and soul of what the institution is all about – a celebration of Spanish culture.

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to visit El Pirata to try out these dishes alongside some of its more permanent menu items, starting off with some pan con tomate, iberian ham croquettes and one of my favourite dishes from the ‘Tomatina Tapas’ menu, the risotto stuffed tomato.

Some larger dishes soon followed, including the the decadent black rice and squid, which was just perfect with a little aioli. However, the highlight of the visit had to be the Bacalao con Pisto. A dish with humble origins, the slow-cooked vegetable stew was just bursting of flavour and together with the roasted cherry tomatoes, the perfect accompaniment to the silky cod fillet. A must order.