El Quijote

Home-style cooking in a small rustic room with the aim of offering a ‘real’ taste of Spain.

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Established by friends who moved to Edinburgh in 2003, El Quijote serves unpretentious, home-style cooking in a rustically decorated, tavern-like room with the aim of delivering the ‘real’ food of Spain as an alternative to the ‘normal’ tapas experience (tortilla and paella aren’t available here). Iberian pork plays a central role, imported from Spain and found on the menu cured as chorizo and salchichon, simply griddled as presa and secreto, and in more involved dishes like flamenquin cordobes, a flattened, rolled pork loin stuffed with serrano ham and manchego cheese which is breadcrumbed then fried. It’s crunchy, juicy and delicious yet hard to finish because of its sheer size. There’s plenty for veggies here too and wine drinkers are very well-catered for. Like its namesake, El Quijote can appear a little unsettled – chaotic one minute and calm the next. Its stated mission may seem lofty and idealistic, but eating here is a deeply down-to-earth experience. There’s a palpable passion and pinch of playfulness, which makes it an energetic, entertaining and enjoyable place to be.

• High point: Home-style cooking with passion and energy
• Low point: What? No paella!?
• Notable dish: Iberico pork