It’s fair to say that most towns around the world have hidden treasures and Totana is no different. In a time where brushed aluminium and clean lines reign supreme in many overpriced and soulless places it is totally refreshing to find a restaurant like Pacuco (pronounced Pah-kuh-ko).
Pacuco is very much a family affair and is named after the current owner Paco and is a play on words in Spanish with ‘cuco’ referring to the fact that he was a particularly fast runner and intelligent as a young man. Also working in the bar are his two children Celia and Luis. Celia works during school hours with special needs children in a local school and Luis hopes to become a policeman. Both are well educated and their father’s pride is clear for all to see.
Paco is renowned for his knowledge of wine
and brandy and the bar is adorned with collectors items and bottles (one of
which is one of only 2000 in a bottle designed by the famous Spanish artist
Antoni Gaudi) and even boasts a wine cellar or bodega which houses Paco’s
personal collection. This collection has grown through Paco’s nationwide
reputation as an expert in antique and rare bottles and he has various vintage
posters from the 1950’s adorning the walls of the bar which are often
accompanied by the original bottles in the pictures.
Paco was working in the Bahia Hotel in Puerto de Mazarron when he met his future wife Maria Luisa (whose love of fresh flowers is also a clear influence in the restaurant) who was also employed there. His father owned an empty commercial unit in Totana and Paco decided that he and Maria Luisa would like to open their own venue in it. As a family they opened Pacuco in 1988 with Paco’s parents working in the kitchens and preparing his mother’s recipes which are still used to this day.
The current decor is a big part of the ambiance of the restaurant and there are features within it which make this bar completely unique and tell the customers all they need to know about the strong family bonds and their importance as a family to the community of Totana. There is a chandelier which Maria Luisa has tried to copy from a similar one she saw in New York, it is made from painted bottles and held together by a frame. Each of the bottles was hand-painted by a family friend and has a special meaning to the family. One of the original doors from the building has been used as a canvas by a local artist and hangs proudly on a wall. To the casual observer it shows a selection of pomegranates but when we were told that each of the fruits represents a member of the family (some not even born yet) it felt as though something truly personal had been shared with us.
To guide us through the food available we turned to Celia, the 24 year old daughter of the family, who described it in fantastic English.
… The style of food is authentic Murcian and this type of food is becoming increasingly hard to find with the advent of modern and more global menus. Her father’s ethos is simple, “our customers should feel like they are eating in their own homes”. This passion has created a real community feel and an experience hard to find in many other restaurants.
There is a menu and a translated version of it appears on this site. For those of you who are unsure of what to try, Celia informs us the family are always happy to do a taster menu of smaller plates, recommending that newcomers try this on their first visit to gain a broader knowledge of everything on offer.
The restaurant can accommodate up to 80
diners and is rarely quiet but there is a reasonably quick turnaround on tables
with many locals using the venue as a chance for a quick bite and a catch up.
Tables are never booked and the family are comfortable serving meals to
vegetarians and those with food allergies alike. It is closed on a Wednesday
and Thursday in order to give Paco and Maria Luis the chance to shop and
prepare food for the rest of the week. All produce used in the restaurant is
locally sourced from the regions many farmers.
Special nights as below
Monday they cook a traditional thin soup called guiso, these are stews or familiarly known as "spoon dishes", ideal for the coldest times of the year. They are part of the most traditional Murcian cuisine and is undoubtedly a dish known for its consistency and great tradition.
Tuesday olla de fresca - is a traditional recipe from the orchards and fields of Murcia that includes as main ingredients, beans and pork which has become a classic of Murcian tables. In texture and appearance the English would compare it to a stew.
Pacuco Menu
APERITIVOS (Appetisers)
- Almendras. (Almonds)
- Olivas. (Olives)
- Patatas fritas. (Fried potatoes)
- Hueva y mojama. (Filetted tuna and roe)
- Pepinillos, pimientos del piquillo, anchoas, pepino y olivas. (Pickled cucumber, peppers, anchovies, cucumber and olives)
- Berberechos. (Cockles)
- Mejillones. (Mussels)
- Navajas. (Razor clams)
- Marinera (a bread stick topped with Russian salad and an anchovy
QUESOS Y EMBUTIDOS. (Cheese and Spanish sausages)
*Para dos personas. ( For two people)
- Queso manchego. (Manchego cheese)
- Queso de bola. (Cheese balls this is cheese cut from a cheese ball eg edam)
- Jamón y queso (Ham and cheese)
- Embutido variado. (Variety of sausages)
TAPAS
- Ensalada de tomate, pimientos asados y bonito, atún o ventresca (Tomato salad, roasted peppers…….., tuna or tuna belly)
- Pipirrana (Cured peppers in olive oil with cheese and olives)
- Costillejas de cordero. (Small pieces of lamb on the bone)
- Zarangollo (Scrambled eggs, courgette, onions)
- Acelgas fritas con cebolla y oregano. (Fried chard with onion and oregano)
- Sangre con cebolla (Black pudding with onion)
- Habas con jamón y cebolla (Broad beans with ham and onion)
- Pisto de huevo, tomate y pimientos. (Eggs, tomatoes and peppers)
- Sesos cocidos. (Cooked brain)
- Patatas bravas. (Cubes of potato in a mild spicy tomato sauce)
- Patatas con ajo. ( Garlic potatoes)
- Variado de tortillas (Berenjena, Espinacas, Cebolla, Guisantes, Patata) (Variety of Spanish omelettes with aubergine, spinach, onion, peas or potatoes)
- Ensaladilla mariscos (Seafood salad in a light mayonnaise)
- Ensaladilla rusa. (Russian salad)
- Michirones. ( Stew with beans)Ternera en salsa. (Veal in a sauce)
- Calamares en su tinta (sábados) (Squid in ink- Saturdays)
- Empanadillas fritas / 1 Ud. (Fried pasties- 1 piece)
- Berenjenas rebozadas / 1 Ud. (Breaded aubergine – 1 piece)
- Torticas de bacalao / 1 Ud (Cod patties – 1 piece)
- Boquerón frito según precio (Fried anchovy depending on market price)
- Bacalao con tomate. (Cod with tomato)
- Pimientos del piquillo rellenos con béchamel, gamba y bacalao / 1 Ud
- (Stuffed peppers containing mixed cod, prawns in a light béchamel sauce)
- Alcachofas con jamón (en temporada) (Artichoke hearts with cured ham, lightly seasoned and drizzled with olive oil) (seasonal)
- Sardinas saladas con ñoras y pimientos / 1 Ud (Salted sardines with both dried and smoked peppers)
- Montadito de longaniza, chorizo y morcilla a la plancha / 1 Ud (A piece of crusty loaf with cooked Spanish sausage, chorizo or black pudding)
