01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Start with tapas to sample a few dishes, then move on to paella at the centre of the table. At EL BOGAVANTE 346, diners can put together a Spanish-style meal by choosing several plates. One diner who visited with friends for dinner ordered a tapas platter and ajillo, then dipped baguette into the olive oil left behind after the ingredients were eaten. With bread to savour the last of the oil, these are dishes suited to sharing over conversation. The menu also lists ajillo made with small shrimp from Kumamoto Prefecture, a specific option if you want to choose a tapas dish.
Paella options for the main course include seafood, squid and lobster. One diner enjoyed paella with seafood flavours carried through the rice; another ordered squid-ink paella with a starter at lunch. For sharing, consider the seafood paella; for squid ink, Arroz Negro; or, if lobster is the draw, Arroz Con Bogavante—the restaurant’s name refers to lobster. The lunch menu also lists a set of the day’s Spanish stew with homemade bread, offering another choice depending on your appetite and how much time you have.
There are Spanish drinks to choose from, too: dry cava from Catalonia, homemade sangria described as not too sweet and easy to pair with food, and sidra from Asturias. The wine selection includes house wine and sherry ranging from very dry to very sweet. Whether you choose your meal around the dishes or start with a glass and build from there, there is room to find a pairing. The restaurant is in Shioya-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, and lists lunch and dinner service. It suits both a meal gathered around paella and an evening centred on tapas and wine.
