Pura Brasa launches new pinchos menu with Spanish bites from S$5

If your idea of Spanish snacks stops at tapas, allow us to broaden your horizons. Meet pinchos (or pintxos), bite-sized delights hailing from Spain’s Basque Country, typically served atop bread and skewered with a toothpick.

Unlike tapas, which are often shared from a central plate, pinchos are meant to be individual indulgences, perfect for casual grazing with drinks and good company.

These flavour-packed morsels are beloved for their inventiveness, often combining bold regional ingredients in creative ways — from seafood and sausages, to cheeses and pickled vegetables.

In Spain, they’re a cornerstone of the after-work social scene, best enjoyed at a bustling bar with a cold drink in hand.

A Spanish snack bar experience

Now, you can get a taste of this lively tradition at Pura Brasa. The Barcelona-born restaurant, helmed in Singapore by Spanish chef Lluc Brossa Argany, has just launched a dedicated pinchos menu at its Guoco Tower outpost — featuring over 10 new creations priced from just S$5.

Drawing from his roots and experience showcasing Spanish cuisine both in and out of the kitchen (including guest stints at At-Sunrice’s Sunday Luxe series), chef Lluc brings an authentic, spirited approach to these snacks.

Available on weekdays from 3pm to 6pm and weekends from 12pm to 6pm, the new menu offers a playful, flavour-forward way to experience Spain — with optional caviar add-ons (S$15 for two teaspoons) for that cheeky touch of indulgence.

Small bites, refined flavours

To get your appetite going, the panceta crujiente (crispy pancetta bites, S$5 per plate of two pieces) feature exceptionally crunchy pancetta balanced atop Josper caramelised onions, apple puree, and crisp thin bread.

The saltiness is unmistakable, which makes this a perfect pairing with a cold pint — just the right way to beat the mid-week blues.

Of course, if you’re looking for a more savoury bite, the Anchoa Ahumada (smoked Spanish anchovies on toast, S$5 per pair) will seal the deal. Don’t worry about fishiness; these are incredibly moreish, thanks to their smoked treatment, San Marzano tomatoes, and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.

Alternatively, there are lighter options available, such as the txaka (crab salad pincho, S$5 per pair) and pincho de gamba (prawn on toast, S$7 per pair). Both have very mild flavours — mostly from the sweet-saltiness of the fresh crab and prawn.

It’s honestly so light and easy to eat; we wouldn’t blame you if you ordered a few plates at once. And yes, that is real, fresh crab meat (as opposed to crab sticks, also known as surimi sticks, which are widely used in the Basque Country).

Meatier morsels

Aside from seafood options, meatier bites, such as the pincho Mallorquin (cheesy sobrasada sausage on toast, S$7 per pair), are also available on Pura Brasa’s pincho menu. Sobrasada is a raw, cured sausage from the Balearic Islands of Spain, giving it its distinct flavour — especially since it’s cured and made with a variety of spices.

What makes this bite stand out, also, is the use of Taleggio cheese and honey, which adds a touch of sweetness and creaminess to this pincho.

If you’re a fan of salty, tangy flavours, the tapenade con vinagreta de manzana y nueces (tapenade with apple and walnut vinaigrette, S$7 per pair) will dance on your palate. It’s salty, mildly sour, and aromatic — flavours brought to life with the use of black kalamata olives, chef’s vinaigrette, garlic, apple, and walnut.

To accompany that meaty bite, consider the pincho moruno (marinated iberico pork skewer, S$7 per pair). Fashioned similarly into a kebab, it’s honestly our favourite pincho at Pura Brasa. It uses a special sauce, which we learned is escalivada (a Catalan dish of roasted vegetables) juice mixed with olive oil.

This jus of roasted vegetables gives the pork a subtle sweetness, amplified by the Biquillo peppers on which the skewer rests.

Still feeling peckish, even after all the pinchos? The charcoal seafood paella (S$35 for small, S$55 for big) isn’t part of the pinchos menu, but will certainly fill three to four hungry bellies for the evening.

Cooked in the restaurant’s Josper charcoal grill, we recommend letting it sit in the pan for a little longer before serving, for extra-crispy rice bits at the bottom of the pan.

Snack, sip, and stay awhile

Whether you’re here for an after-work treat, a weekend indulgence, or simply to explore Spanish flavours beyond your usual tapas fare, Pura Brasa’s pinchos menu is a bite-sized journey worth taking.

With wallet-friendly prices and bold, inventive pairings, it’s an invitation to gather, graze, and toast to the good life — preferably with a cold cerveza (beer) in hand.

This was an invited tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on modern Australian eatery, Club Street Laundry, and The Coconut Club’s new sister restaurant, Belimbing.

You can book a table at Pura Brasa via Chope, then a ride to the restaurant at Guoco Tower.