RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
/ESPAÑA RESTAURANT
A taste of Spain on Denman
by Jacqui Birchall
(click images to enlarge)
Under the ownership of Edward Perrow, a knowledgeable London lad, España Restaurant has been a star of Denman Street since 2012. It’s a go-to tapas restaurant for Vancouver foodies and discerning visitors. Take a friend, or two, sit at the bar, chat with the friendly staff, share the tantalizing tapas dishes, and sample the extensive Spanish wine and sherry selection.
Edward Perrow.
Your taste buds will applaud!
If there’s a restaurant one can judge based on the first morsel to enter one’s mouth, España is it. A few evenings ago, as the flavour of the Spanish tortilla of the day exploded onto my taste buds, I requested marriage to the chef. The tortilla was that delicate and delicious.
It was only the beginning of course. The chicharrones are pork belly made into an art form. If you are used to the chicharrones of Cuba and Mexico, these are superior. Far more meat. The preparation, which includes curing and pressing, takes three days.
I am a sucker for patatas bravas. España’s are a generous, piping hot, flavour-filled version. How can the modest potato reach such a pinnacle?
Try the popular and delicious crispy anchovy stuffed olives, or the marinated white anchovies on toast. The charcuterie choices include chorizo, dry-cured pork tenderloin, and an excellent cheese selection.
The popular Paella varies from day to day.
Full plates include squid, prawns, chicken legs, duck breast, rib-eye and the daily paella. Edward tells me the paella varies from day to day, with a base of saffron, chorizo or arroz negro with squid ink.
For a special treat check out their Paella Tuesdays. $75 for a bottle of wine and paella for two. Reservations are a must!
There are daily specials, so be sure to ask your server!
Chatting with Perrow revealed his years of experience in the Vancouver restaurant scene. Perrow managed Bin 941 for several years. This tiny, iconic, tapas restaurant, was the brainchild of ex-punk rocker and chef Gord Martin.
Perrow shared that after an article in Bon Appétit, folks came from all over the world. David Byrne once waited three hours for a table. He wasn’t alone. There was a tiny corridor where customers sat, sipped and regularly waited for three hours.
Martin became an absentee owner and Perrow ran Bin 941 and later Bin 942 for ten years, only taking five weeks off in all that time.
MANY TASTY TREATS ON THE charcuterie BOARD.
The rent for the restaurant and a small apartment/office upstairs was only $1,200 a month. Bin 941 was averaging $1.6 million a year in a 28-seat restaurant! During the late hours, workers from all the cool restaurants came to dine. Shades of Anthony Bourdain.
Later Perrow was enticed by Stephen and Michael Wiese to help open The Brasserie on Davie Street. Perrow persuaded them to make it an Alsatian French restaurant. Perrow purchased a rotisserie from Paris and they served rotisserie chicken and suckling pig. The opening chef was the brilliant Joel Watanabe from Bin 942. Joel is now the chef/owner of Kisa Tanto.
Perrow spent a year at the Brasserie and then moved to manage Uva Wine and Cocktail Bar. The owners of the Brasserie later begged for his help and Perrow revamped their menu.
One day, the linen delivery guy to the Brasserie informed Perrow that Cosca, on Denman, was going out of business. Perrow, wanting a restaurant of his own, called the landlady and after a day’s delay, he and chef Neal Taylor, another Brit, took possession of what is now España.
They spent the summer painting and remodelling.
The wonderful local artist, Jay Senetchko painted the mural which includes the face of Manuel, the much-abused Spanish waiter in the British sitcom, Fawlty Towers. One of Perrow’s past Brasserie customers, Sergei Petrov, an ex-physicist, now artist of ironwood masterpieces, created the bar.
Perrow explained that Spain is the third-largest producer of wine in the world and he works hard to bring a wide selection of very good Spanish wines to España. His sherry selection hopes to prove there is more to sherry than Bristol Cream and Two Pepe!
The restaurant seats 43, and 28 more can sit on the sidewalk and patio in the summer.
Neal Taylor, Perrow’s business partner, was head-hunted by a B.C. winery so Perrow promoted his sous-chef, Mark Egger, and Perrow also began to learn to cook the dishes himself. Sadly, in 2022 Egger passed away at the age of 34.
Perrow now spends part of his time as the chef, and part of the time in front of the house. When you own a restaurant you need to be a plumber, an electrician, a chef and an accountant Perrow explained.
España Restaurant is a top choice for the food, the ambience, and the staff. If you’re lucky, Perrow will be in front of the house. He is a charming conversationalist.
Stay tuned. Perrow has more ambitions in the restaurant world.
España Restaurant
1118 Denman Street
Closed Mondays. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m.
604-558-4040 / website
