WebOctNov17

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ELENA’S
Image I Gregor Reid
Reviewed by David McPhee
You know that feeling you get when
you’re on holiday in a hot country?
You’re sitting outside late in the evening,
the warm air soothing your soul by the
second, a cold beer at your hip, waiting for
your meal to arrive and you think: ‘Why can’t
it be like this back home?’ Elena’s is a little bit
like that.
Somehow they’ve managed to export
the thing you’d consider to be the least
transportable. How they got it through British
customs is anyone’s guess.
On the night in question I was with a few
friends enjoying a couple of Finnieston
libations when the subject of food came up –
but it was 9:15pm, who would still be serving
food at such an ungodly hour?
‘Not a problem’ came the answer from our
amiable innkeeper at Elena’s. Not only were
we welcome, they didn’t even rush around
trying to squeeze everything in before the
kitchen closed, it just stayed open a little
later. Here you get the sense that nothing is
worth getting worked up over, and getting
worked up makes no sense.
On this particular evening we were in a
sharing kind of mood, which is handy
because Elena’s serve ‘raciones’, small
dishes which are a bit bigger than tapas and
perfect for group dining.
The Tortilla española is as dense and
satisfying as anything you’ll experience in the
Cantabrian region from which these dishes
derive. While the Patatas bravas (fried potato)
comes with a delicious accompanying spicy
sauce it’s the Galician style octopus you
won’t be able to take your tentacles off. The
dish is cooked just right so it’s crunchy on the
outside and soft on the inside.
The main course of Chuletas de cordero
a la parrilla or grilled lamb cutlets are truly
sublime and a favourite of the house, they
melt in the mouth and are seasoned perfectly.
The Tempranillo we ordered was so damn
good, we ordered another bottle. It worked
with everything, including the level of
conversation at my table
A dessert of Crema Catalana was a fitting
end to the great meal and a wonderful
Spanish take on the French classic crème
brulee. The consistency and flavour are so
moreish it will have you dancing back up
Old Dumbarton Road sometime soon for a
second sitting.
Any successful establishment needs a
person who exemplifies what that place
rightly stands for. Elena Xavier has brought
the food from her Spanish region to our
fair city for you to sample, and sample you
should.
Like Elena herself, this restaurant is full
of passion, brimming with flavour and, on
occasion, just the right amount of ‘loco’.
Elena’s Spanish Bar & Restaurant
90 Old Dumbarton Road G3 8PZ
0141 237 4730
elenastapas.com