Spanish vibe at Pica Pica in Sunway Iskandar

 

One of my fondest memories of a Spanish tapas experience in Johor Bahru was at EightLido, a cool destination for dining, drinks and special events, a place with a delightful vibe which sadly has since, ceased to exist.

 

Facade of Pica Pica Spanish Tapas Bar at
Sunway Commercial Area in Sunway Iskandar

This memory stayed so fresh in my mind that when I received the invitation to a review of Pica Pica Spanish Tapas Bar, I had a flashback to my experience at EightLido. Needless to say, I did not hesitate to accept.

 

There may be several meanings to the word, Pica Pica, but here it is Spanish for, “finger foods or snacks,” while tapas specifically refer to, “small Spanish savory dishes, typically served with drinks at a bar.”

 

Raising our glass tumblers
of Sangria for a toast to friendship

It did not take long for me to round up a few foodie friends and after a scorching hot Friday, we headed over to the Sunway Commercial Area in Sunway Iskandar Puteri, just as the sun was setting.

 

Bordered by ample parking spaces, Pica Pica is located in a corner unit which looked open and spacious, where diners were already seated at tables set up along tiled pavements, safely shaded under canopies. Posted on a pillar in front, a sign clearly announced, NON-HALAL.

 

In the tradition of Spanish tapas bars, Pica Pica serves their own recipe of refreshing chilled Sangria by a glass or in a one-lite carafe. So for us, it made sense to have a carafe of Sangria to share.

 

A glance at the other tables revealed that diners were not only enjoying Sangria but also a choice of alcoholic drinks as staff were helping to serve wine and whiskey in wine glasses and iced tumblers.

 

Padron Peppers on the serving of
Huevos Estrellados

Harish, the manager, was quick to inform us that Pica Pica welcomes diners to Bring Your Own alcohol – with no corkage charge – for a minimum spend of RM50 per person with a small service charge of only RM3.90 per person for the provision of ice and glasses.

 

As the tables around us quicky filled up that Friday evening, the mood was convivial with conversation, laughter and the taste of typically Spanish fare.

 

I observed that the kitchen was open on two sides and diners could see what was going on inside, which to me was also proof that the chef and his culinary team were clearly confident about performing their various tasks, in full view of diners.

 

As we sipped our tumblers of craft Sangria, our tasting meal kicked off with bowls of Gazpacho, refreshing chilled soup served with bread rolls.

 

Chef KT [Left] and culinary team working in
the kitchen, in full view of diners at Pica Pica

More Cold Tapas items to savour included smoky, thinly sliced, delicate cured meats from the Cured Meat Platter: Chorizo 60g (spiced and savoury) and Jamon 60g (smooth, buttery texture).

 

Aware that the chef was keen to let us taste as many items in their menu, I made a mental note to carefully pace myself so that I could enjoy every morsel I tasted.

 

Peppers – the very word warned of a spicey burn on the tongue – but it was not so for Padron Peppers that were deep-fried, lightly blistered and salted.

 

A serving of Gambas al Ajillo;
Note: Mop up the olive oil
with the bread rolls

It was easy to pop one tasty Padron Pepper after another, into my mouth but I consciously saved space (in my stomach!) to savour dishes that were arriving at our table.

 

Another dish that also featured Padron Peppers was Huevos Estrellados, topped by Padron Peppers and soft-cooked fried egg, drizzled over crisp fries.

 

Meanwhile, the name of the Spanish Bikini Sandwich raised some eyebrows probably because the thinly sliced, triangle shaped sandwiches resembled the bottom piece of a bikini.

 

When I sank my teeth through the crispy toasted sandwich, I could taste layers of the filling made up of aromatic black truffle, jamon and melted cheese.

 

A serving of Paella de Marisco
to share among us

More tapas dishes to enjoy included a Classic Spanish Tortilla stuffed with caramelized onion and golden Jamon Croquetas, croquettes filled with Iberico ham and silky bechamel.

 

When it was served, it was easy to recognize the tender spears of asparagus in the dish of Esparragos a la Parilla, topped with mojo rojo sauce and melted cheese.

 

It was likewise for the Patetas Bravas, crisp quartered potatoes topped with smoked bravas sauce and aioli.

 

As we passed the plates around the table to have a taste of each item, one particular hot tapas dish stood out as a firm favourite. This was Gambas al Ajillo, a dish of succulent whole prawns, sauteed with garlic, chilli and olive oil.

 

Pincho de Cordero, skewers of juicy lamb cubes
with honey mustard mayonnaise for a dip
 

When the Sharing Plate items were served, it started with a platter of Paella de Marisco. The slice of lemon was squeezed and its juice drizzled over the rice cooked in seafood stock. The rice was mixed with dollops of aioli and shared, topped with king prawns, mussels and squid.

 

This was followed by Pincho de Cordero, three skewers of juicy lamb cubes with a side of honey mustard mayonnaise for a dip and slice of lemon.

 

When the Chuleta de Cerdo was served, we agreed that it resembled a mini version of a tomahawk. This juicy grilled pork chop was served with a side of golden fries, Padron pepper and Djon Mustard sauce.

 

For fish-lovers, the Pan-seared fillet of Seabass with topped with tangy Mango Chimichurri sauce, just hits the spot.

 

The taste of fresh ingredients certainly made a difference to each dish and I did not hesitate to compliment the chef when he asked for my comments.

 

“Call me KT,” said the young chef, whose name was Kathiravan Thachinamoorthy, a Malaysian who acquired his culinary skills from working with restaurants abroad.

 

Chef KT's version of
Basque Cheesecake

After our chitchat, he was ready to serve us dessert of two separate items: Churros with chocolate and mango dip sauce, and Basque Cheesecake, a classic vanilla burnt cheesecake with creamy center.

 

I could hear the pride in his voice when Chef KT told us that he had perfected the recipe for this Cheesecake and was sure that his version was only served at Pica Pica.

 

I know it was not just this Cheesecake, the chill-out ambience or the food, but a certain Spanish vibe that will keep diners coming back. In fact, many there that evening were repeat diners since its recent opening.

 

As we were about to leave, Harish reminded us that Pica Pica is also a pet-friendly place as they will make everyone – diners and furry-friends – very welcome.

 

Pica Pica Spanish Tapas Bar [Non-Halal] is at 21-01, Laman Niaga Sunway, Persiaran Medini 3, Bandar Sunway, 79250 Iskandar Puteri, Johor.

 

Open from 3pm to 11pm on weekdays, from 12pm to 12am on Saturday and Sunday. Closed on Monday. For enquiries and reservations, Tel: +6012 700 0469.