Eterno

I first met chef José Luis Pastrana in 2023 during his stint at Balbuena y Huertas where, in the space of six months, he garnered both Michelin and Repsol Sol recommendations for the restaurant before moving on to start his own project in San José de la Rinconada… Eterno. Last summer he moved back to the city centre (maintaining the Rinconada location as a more casual bistro) first in the Barrio Santa Cruz and now to this latest location in calle Zaragoza. It’s a spot I know well as it has previously been home to two old favourites, Amara and Sahumo, and the new Eterno fits right in, in both style and spirit.

The L-shaped space is divided into three cosy dining areas, the third one in front of the open kitchen. The minimalist décor is fresh and inviting and makes good use of natural materials: wood, brick and marble. There’s a short select menu, with some daily specials. Or you can opt for a “chef’s choice” tasting menu of 8 dishes, with or without a wine pairing (advance booking required). We opted for the menu but, as you can see, we weren’t able to make it all the way through (!). It was all delicious but it’s a lot of food, so be sure to go hungry for this option.

Favourite dishes included the mussel and prawn salpicón, the egg bun and white prawns and tomato, and the duck rice. Everything was beautifully presented and service was great. There is also a very good wine list. Looking forward to see how things develop for José Luis, who I believe is one of the most promising young chefs in the city.