Review Ekléctico Gastro | Restaurant in Las Palmas

In another quick trip to Gran Canaria, I managed to visit one of the trendy places in the fine dining scene in Las Palmas.

My good friend David Noel Ghosn, one of the best sommeliers and wine authors in Spain, recommended I visit a new restaurant called Eklectico Gastro.

Eklectico opened not long ago in the capital of Gran Canaria and is run by Chef Francisco J. Coque. I had the opportunity to talk to him briefly, and he said that after more than ten years of culinary experience in Asia, he decided to come back home. His style is a fusion of techniques, seasonal products and traditional recipes, and he affirmed that he has never copied a recipe. After such a statement, the expectations were high, and Eklectico delivered their promise.

Place

It is located just a few meters away from the famous Cantera’s Beach, one of the best-rated city beaches in Spain.

The decoration is minimalist but elegant. Dark colours with white counters and green hanging plants made me feel like I was in a cosy coffee shop. The glass lamps, in a circle form, are just beautiful.

Tables are big enough for four people, cutlery and plates are elegant too, but Napkins are not up to the standards of the rest of the experience. I am not sure if it is because of hygiene and covid measures, but I expect a sturdier paper napkin if cloth napkins are not allowed.

They open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, so you can imagine you need to make a reservation. You can do it here.

Service

We were welcomed by one of the waiters and the Chef. They checked on our booking and offered us a table near the entrance.

The service was always attentive and kind. They explained every dish in detail, helping us discover all the flavours on them. Unlike many other places in the Canaries, they are not understaffed, so the entire experience is fluid.

They serve on trays and some sort of collapsible gueridon next to the tables. That is something I like much more than just dropping the plates on the table. It gives you time to see the food and carefully listen to the explanations. Of course, since we had a tasting menu, they changed our plates frequently too.

They checked on our drinks regularly, and the pace of service was quite good. They were constantly there but without overwhelming us—an outstanding job.

Food at eklectico gastro

The menu at Eklectico, as in many Gastro’s, is not exceptionally long but is exciting. The dishes, including the naming, triggered my curiosity.

They have an exciting option for a tasting menu that includes five savoury courses and a dessert for just forty Euros. Wine pairing is also offered for twenty euros more, and I believe it consists of six wines.

With such an offer, I could not say no to the possibility of tasting six different dishes.

Appetizer

They served a bowl with paprika crisps and an aioli foam. The aioli was a bit warm, and it was super creamy. I loved it to the point that I had to dip my bread on it.

Octopus on its Sea essence, oyster vinaigrette, sea urchin, foam made from the water of the sea urchin and kombu seaweed.

The octopus was very tender. The touch of the sea urchin and the foam brought all the flavours of the sea into my mouth. A vibrant combination.

Rockfish and Sahara prawns croquettes with plankton mayo

Very creamy. The predominant flavour was the prawn. The plankton mayo gave it a touch but not too much. I am biased here because I love croquettes in almost any taste or form, but I must say that these were delicious.

Oxtail Ravioli and foie with a wine reduction. Celery pure and shitake.

The star of the meal. It is probably one of the creamiest things I have ever tasted. The ravioli soft, the oxtail on the inside melts in your mouth, the mashed celery is just on the perfect point and not to make it too weak, the shitakes are slightly raw. That plate is just outstanding.

Squid Meatballs with roasted seafood juice

These meatballs are mind-blowing, they look exactly like a Swedish meatball, but when you bite it, they taste seafood. What? Meatballs of seafood, yes!! Well done, Chef.

Double cooked, Corral Chicken, banana, and papaya chutney with reduction of its juices.

In comparison to the others, this was probably the most “average” dish. However, I enjoyed the combination of the chicken and the papaya.

Eklectico Miniburger: Iberic lard, mojo sauce, ketchup, cilantro mayo, Guia cheese, caramelized onion.

A delicious mini burger with sweet onions, fresh brioche, and other local products. I would have liked to ask the Chef why he decided to put a burger on the menu because I am sure he has his reasons, but I could not figure out a burger on this tasting menu.

Eklectico Tiramisu: Savoyards soaked in green tea, honey rum, yolk cream, mascarpone with passion fruit and toasted gofio.

A genuinely lovely creation. I could identify the rum instead of the traditional almond liqueur, but I struggled to recognize other flavours rather than passion fruit.

Custard with pineapple

It was very thin, almost like an English cream, it wasn’t too sweet, and I liked the texture to finish the meal.

What I liked about “Eklectico” Restaurant in Las Palmas

• The nice ambient in the dining room.
• A friendly and efficient service.
• Outstanding oxtail ravioli and the croquettes.

What I think could be better at “Eklectico” Restaurant in Las Palmas

• Cloth or Sturdy napkins
• More flavour depth on the dessert.

How do we rate?

Eklectico was a delightful restaurant experience in Las Palmas. I am incredibly pleased to see the well-travelled Canary chefs returning to delight the local crowd.  I want to come back in some time and hope to discover a new tasting menu for a unique experience.