Nestled within Federal lies Bellota, SKYCITY’s litle Spanish treasure. Celebrating it’s 10th anniversary this year, Bellota was opened in 2006 by Peter Gordon, a self confessed lover of Spanish cuisine and gastronomy.
Bellota, which directly translates to acorn in Spanish, was the name Peter chose for his first tapas bar. This intimate, warm and sociable space has you feeling as if you’ve walked into an authentic Spanish bar, and is proudly run by head chef Ernest Pientx, who I can easily say is one of the most genuinely passionate chefs I’ve ever come across. Bellota’s name was chosen in honour of one of the tastiest pork products I’ve ever tried - Jamon Iberico de bellota; the Iberico pigs that produce Jamon Iberico de bellota eat acorns for up to 18 months before being turned into the Jamon, which brings us back to Bellota’s english translation, acorn.
Bellota, which directly translates to acorn in Spanish, was the name Peter chose for his first tapas bar. This intimate, warm and sociable space has you feeling as if you’ve walked into an authentic Spanish bar, and is proudly run by head chef Ernest Pientx, who I can easily say is one of the most genuinely passionate chefs I’ve ever come across. Bellota’s name was chosen in honour of one of the tastiest pork products I’ve ever tried - Jamon Iberico de bellota; the Iberico pigs that produce Jamon Iberico de bellota eat acorns for up to 18 months before being turned into the Jamon, which brings us back to Bellota’s english translation, acorn.
We were lucky enough to sit down with Ernest to talk through the menu, and in hand enjoy some of the delicious offerings! To start, we tried the illustrious Jamon Iberico de bellotas, amongst loin, salchicon, and two different types of chorizo; the first chorizo was in the style found in the North of Spain, which has a minced meat base, and then we moved on to one in the style of Southern Spain, which is made up of pieces of pork which gives a totally different feel when eaten (or devoured in our case!).
Along with the selection of meats, Ernest then served the cheese platter; a selection of four different cheeses which were served with an accompaniment chosen to help balance the flavours and texture of each individual cheese. I think my personal favourite was the Idiazabal cheese served with a green tomato jam! A firm, nutty and slightly sharp flavoured cheese with a perfectly sweet & savoury jam; cheese lovers heaven.
Along with the selection of meats, Ernest then served the cheese platter; a selection of four different cheeses which were served with an accompaniment chosen to help balance the flavours and texture of each individual cheese. I think my personal favourite was the Idiazabal cheese served with a green tomato jam! A firm, nutty and slightly sharp flavoured cheese with a perfectly sweet & savoury jam; cheese lovers heaven.
We then moved onto the pintxo platter, which I was extremely excited for as pintxos hold a special place in my heart after being able to attend a pintxos cooking class in Spain last year! Pintxo is an altered version of the original term pincho, which in English translates to pinch or to pierce, which represents the stick that holds the pintxos together on a piece of bread; but nowadays bread isn’t always a key factor. Pintxos are a typical bar snack in Spain and are commonly shared with friends over a drink; the bar countertop will be covered in different pintxos plates, you pick whichever takes your fancy, enjoy them with a cold glass of sangria then pay according to the colour of the sticks left on your plate. It’s an incredible way of eating, and certainly interprets bar snacks in a totally different way.
I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach when Bellota’s pintxos platter landed on the table, and it’s safe to say they became harder to resist as Ernest walked us through them all. Each of the five were totally different from the other, and introduced classic but not overcomplicated flavour combinations that showcased each element spectacularly, and went hand in hand together. Think a slice of crusty bread, that is topped with sweet but tart caramelised onions, a piece of chorizo warm with heat, finished with a dollop of mustard mayonnaise. 3 simple components, paired together perfectly for the ideal mouthful.
Ernest also explained to us how Spanish cuisine draws influence from the rest of Europe in their cooking styles, for example, one of the pintxos was bread topped with (incredible) duck pate and sticky fig marmalade, or techniques such as concasse of tomato, which are both classically french.
I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach when Bellota’s pintxos platter landed on the table, and it’s safe to say they became harder to resist as Ernest walked us through them all. Each of the five were totally different from the other, and introduced classic but not overcomplicated flavour combinations that showcased each element spectacularly, and went hand in hand together. Think a slice of crusty bread, that is topped with sweet but tart caramelised onions, a piece of chorizo warm with heat, finished with a dollop of mustard mayonnaise. 3 simple components, paired together perfectly for the ideal mouthful.
Ernest also explained to us how Spanish cuisine draws influence from the rest of Europe in their cooking styles, for example, one of the pintxos was bread topped with (incredible) duck pate and sticky fig marmalade, or techniques such as concasse of tomato, which are both classically french.
Now onto the tapas! In Spain, dinner is eaten quite late (sometimes not until 9-11pm) so there is a wee gap in between work finishing and dinner time, so tapas are the perfect snack in between. Ernest explained to us that it can be common in bars to buy a few drinks and they will give you a tapa on the house, then you order more drinks and the tapas will keep coming. They are an extremely sociable eating experience, and are nearly always made for sharing.
I also asked Ernest what their best selling tapas were, and he said 100% the Cesta Crujiente, or the plethora of deep fried finger food (I can see why it’s so popular, a whole lot of fried Spanish goodness?! yes please!). The basket is made up of croquettes, patatas bravas, empanadas and goats cheese balls, and each had their own matching sauce or dip to dive the item into. The patatas bravas had a spicy tomato based dipping sauce along with an AMAZING aioli which worked extremely well together, and my favourite part of the dish had to be the fried goats cheese balls, which were lightly crumbed and drizzled with honey and sliced almonds. Indescribably good.
I also asked Ernest what their best selling tapas were, and he said 100% the Cesta Crujiente, or the plethora of deep fried finger food (I can see why it’s so popular, a whole lot of fried Spanish goodness?! yes please!). The basket is made up of croquettes, patatas bravas, empanadas and goats cheese balls, and each had their own matching sauce or dip to dive the item into. The patatas bravas had a spicy tomato based dipping sauce along with an AMAZING aioli which worked extremely well together, and my favourite part of the dish had to be the fried goats cheese balls, which were lightly crumbed and drizzled with honey and sliced almonds. Indescribably good.
The next tapa we were able to try was (I kid you not) life changing, pimientos del piquillo rellenos con setas al jerez, or in short, piquillo peppers stuffed with mushroom and sherry which are then grilled with a slight amount of cheese on top. I can put my hand up and say I am not the biggest fan of capsicums or peppers, but these were honestly one of my favourite things I tried. The pepper was so plump, and was surrounded by a sweet, smokey and creamy sauce that was finished with the nuttiness that grilled cheese gives. These will bring you back to Bellota again and again.
Lastly we were surprised with Bellota’s offering for restaurant month, seafood & pork belly paella, the empanada of the day and an ice cold glass of sangria. The paella was unlike any other I had tried, tucked within the al dente grains of rice were mussels, prawns and tender pieces of pork belly, all perfectly cooked. You can get both the paella, empanada and sangria for $25 this month! It’s a killer deal.
Lastly we were surprised with Bellota’s offering for restaurant month, seafood & pork belly paella, the empanada of the day and an ice cold glass of sangria. The paella was unlike any other I had tried, tucked within the al dente grains of rice were mussels, prawns and tender pieces of pork belly, all perfectly cooked. You can get both the paella, empanada and sangria for $25 this month! It’s a killer deal.
Little chef’s tip from Ernest! When making paella, don’t be tempted to stir the paella during it’s cooking time. Give it a few little shakes, and you will avoid a heavy, gluey paella!
If you have never tried Bellota before, like I hadn't, youneed to make it a priority to make a reservation! Whether you have a spare hour in the city for a catch up with friends over a few Pintxos, or you want a new place to try for dinner within SKYCITY, I can now highly recommend Bellota. Ernest Pientx has created a beautiful menu with tremendous amounts of knowledge behind it, and I can’t wait to be back sitting in one of Auckland’s Spanish gems.
If you have never tried Bellota before, like I hadn't, youneed to make it a priority to make a reservation! Whether you have a spare hour in the city for a catch up with friends over a few Pintxos, or you want a new place to try for dinner within SKYCITY, I can now highly recommend Bellota. Ernest Pientx has created a beautiful menu with tremendous amounts of knowledge behind it, and I can’t wait to be back sitting in one of Auckland’s Spanish gems.
