Spain without the weather: Inside Manchester's newest tapas bar

If you’ve ever visited the Basque Country you’ll know they take their gastronomy very seriously.

While it is a Michelin-starred mecca, in the old town of San Sebastian it’s much simpler, though no less sophisticated fare that you’ll find both locals and tourists tucking into.

Packed in like sardines into tiny side street bars, diners watch on in awe as waiters who hardly break into a sweat pour wine and cider from great heights, while plates of Pintxos are slung out of the kitchen at an incredible pace.

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Pintxos (in Basque) or pinchos (Spanish spelling) comes from the Spanish verb ‘pinchar’ meaning to poke or stab. These tiny snacks, pronounced ‘pin-cho’ are traditionally served on bread with a toothpick piercing the middle to hold it all together.

You might not be able to get a seat in one of San Sebastian’s bars, you can often perch by the counter and grab a drink and Pintxo - and you’ll soon see the allure. While the style and offer varies from bar to bar, the concept has evolved over the years, and you’ll no doubt get the chance to try everything from the much-loved Gilda (guindilla pepper with anchovy and olive on a skewer) and Rabas (squid in a light batter), to beef cheeks and tortilla de patata.

It is this style of dining that is serving as the inspiration for a brand new tapas spot here in Manchester City Centre. El Kabron has taken up residence in the unit formerly occupied by popular breakfast and lunch spot Bowlers, which was long a reliable stop-off for hungry Mancunians.

It comes from the team behind award-winning Spanish restaurant La Bandera and is being billed as the flagship’s “younger rebel brother”. Drawing on the culture and cuisine of the Northern Spanish taverns, the new bar opened last week and is serving up takeaway sandwiches, cured meats, small tapas and pintxos, alongside beers, sangria and cocktails.

“We’ve been working on this project for quite some time and we’re building on La Bandera being ten years old in November so we’re finally opening our second site,” explains Javier, the manager at El Kabron, who, like the rest of the team, is originally from Tenerife.

“I believe we are the first Pintxos bar in Greater Manchester. In terms of the culinary side it’s not so different from La Bandera but it’s more the style that is a bit different for people. It’s small portions or bites and is a lot cheaper.”

Heading though the restaurant with a red-brick aesthetic, it feels similar to those Northern Basque bars that have served as inspiration. And the nods to the culture continue with rustic barrel tables, bold and colourful tiles and a series of soft light fixtures to create a relaxed and welcoming space.

Over at the bar, diners can select their pintxos, which change daily and start from just £1.50. Classics such as anchovies with roasted peppers will no doubt be popular, as will the Spanish potato omelette with aioli. There’s also a tribute to Bowlers too - a special sausage dish with mustard and mayonnaise.

“They’re as low as £1.50, then ranging to £2.25 and £3, and between Sunday to Thursday in the afternoon we have an offer that every drink you order you get a free Pintxo as you would do in Spain. There’s a big selection for people to try as well as tapas in the kitchen that are served warm.”

Other pintxos lining the counter include Txaka, crab sticks also known as surimi sticks served with egg mayonnaise; black pudding served with caramelised onions; Iberian ham served with tomato rub, which is generously spread across soft and freshly cut rolls of bread; and smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers.

“We have an exclusive partner Cinco Jotas, which is the best ham in the world as we’ve come to an agreement to be premiering that here. And while we have lots of produce from English farms, any specific ingredients we can’t source for here we get from Spain. Even though they’re expensive to export, we want to make sure our customers can try them.

All of our wines are Spanish and on tap we have Victoria Malaga and Rosa Blanca, the former is a stronger lager, while the latter is more of a session lager. We’re also building up our deli by the bar too where customers can buy Spanish produce such as tinned goods like stews, plus cheeses and charcuterie.”

On the main menu, there’s a series of dishes served with bread and an assortment of Spanish cheeses and cured meats from £2.95 up to £14 for 100% Iberian, acorn-fed cured ham. Then there’s the fish dishes like the fried baby squid in batter (£4.50), fresh cod fillets cooked in a traditional peppery Catalonian sauce, and juicy Gambas al Ajillo(£6.50).

Staples like patatas bravas (£4.25) can be found on the menu too, as well as Spanish omelette (£4.20), chorizo cooked in a rich red Rioja wine with potatoes (£5.50), and an impressive variety of croquetas and lunch deals from £9.95.As well as Spanish wines, sangria and beers, the team has also curated a cocktail list with some La Bandera favourites making the trip over too.

“In terms of our aim with the new site, at the moment we just want to please our customers on a day-to-day basis,” says Javier.

“El Kabron comes from the word alpha male goat, and goat is also quite a Millennial word too, which is often used to say ‘greatest of all time', so we’ll see what people make of that.”