El Tragon

Tucked along a backstreet in Nishi-Shinbashi, El Tragon immediately catches the eye with its glass-fronted kitchen, where logs crackle and snap as open flames lap around wide paella pans. The house speciality is authentic paella cooked uncovered over intense wood fire. Options range from the traditional Valencian recipe made with chicken, rabbit, and flat green beans to arroz a banda, where the rice absorbs a concentrated seafood broth and pairs with garlicky alioli to shift the flavor profile as you eat. Every grain takes on deep savory broth and the fragrant char of the hearth.

A solid tapas lineup fills the time while the rice cooks. Highlights include paper-thin fresh mushroom carpaccio, sizzling ajillo enriched with savory shrimp tomalley in olive oil, and sweet cured Spanish ham, all crafted to kick off the meal. Pouring Mahou draft beer straight from Spain provides an authentic toast, while glasses or bottles of fruit-forward Spanish reds and whites complement the subsequent meat courses and paellas.

Beyond dry paella, the kitchen prepares brothy caldoso cooked in iron pots, short-pasta fideuà, and wood-grilled Iberico pork, rounding out a menu steeped in Spanish dining traditions. Finishing with Basque cheesecake alongside gelato makes for an unhurried, satisfying close. From weekday lunches to lively dinner gatherings, it is an unpretentious spot to savor the depth of Spanish cooking fueled by wood fire.