Pura Brasa

It’s the happiest season of the year again and many people will be going around looking for Christmas eve dinner venues. I visited this place last year and really loved the atmosphere as it almost mimics the atmosphere at European Christmas markets

Located at level 1 of Guoco Tower, Pura Brasa is a Spanish chain restaurant originating in Barcelona since 2010. The Guoco Tower outlet is the 7th outlet and first overseas outlet which is able to sit up to 100 customers. Pura Brasa was created by Josper®, the internationally recognized brand of charcoal ovens to provide a place for customers to experience the Josper technology

The restaurant is decked out in warm wooden furniture with simple blue tiling partitions to create that rustic European atmosphere

There are also a couple of outdoor seating for customers who prefer to dine al fresco style although you will get many passers-by since the tables are just by the walkway

The menu is printed newspaper styled like a local European tabloid which is really cute to look at and although spots of oil can be seen, I feel it adds to the charm of the menu

The first dish we had was the prawn casserole sauteed with garlic, chilli peppers and olive oil which came served with a side of crusty garlic baguette. The prawns were huge in size and very fresh with a crunch in the bite. The olive oil was not greasy but provided a deep garlic flavour with a slight kick from the chilli peppers which then was a great dipping oil for the bread

We also had the grilled Octopus leg with potato truffle puree which was one of my favourite dishes. It is not that easy to find a restaurant serving perfectly grilled Octopus legs which are not rubbery but tender with a perfectly charred flavour. I was close to ordering the 2nd helping for this but was too full as Pura Brasa was our 2nd stop after dinner

We had to order a charcoal seafood paella since we were at a Spanish restaurant just to give it a try and I am glad we did it as it is extremely authentic in terms of flavours and doneness of the rice. It brought me back to my trip to Spain almost instantly

Lastly, you should never leave a Spanish restaurant without trying their Churros which was served with a side of chocolate dipping sauce. The churros were fried till golden brown with nice crisp which paired perfectly with the thick chocolate sauce. The sauce was bittersweet as they used a mix of dark chocolate but was great to end the meal

We also ordered the red wine sangria which was extremely delicious as the balance of the wine and sweetness of the fruits and slight citrusy sourness were very on point. It was the best accompaniment for the sumptuous food served

Overall, I really loved the food and drinks served at Pusa Brasa and would really love to visit them again since we dropped by with a semi-full stomach and could only try a few signature dishes. I highly recommend it for a great night out with friends or simply if you crave good Spanish cuisine

Address: 5 Wallich St, #01-16, Singapore 078883

Opening hours: 12 pm to 11 pm