You’ll have to drive to Orange County, but it’s worth it. After searching long and hard for an authentic Spanish restaurant in the Los Angeles area, I finally found it at Lizarran in downtown Fullerton. And it makes sense it’s authentic, because it’s actually a chain restaurant, which originated in Spain and now boasts more than 200 restaurants in Europe. Lizarran in Fullerton is actually the first to open in the U.S in June of 2008. There is now a second location in California, in Gilroy.

Right when I walked into Lizarran, I knew it was going to be authentic. I felt like I was walking into any restaurant in Spain, complete with its tapas bar with glass case showcasing the pinchos (or pintxos). The cool thing at Lizarran though, is they actually have labels on top of the case letting you know what each pincho is, a cheatsheet if you will. You don’t get that in Spain, but that’s because people there don’t really need it.

They have a large selection of cold and hot pinchos as they’re called. Pinchos are like tapas, just served on top of bread with a toothpick and are usually for one person. The cool thing at Lizarran is they go by the honor system. You put the toothpicks in a small glass and pay for them depending on how many toothpicks you have. They also offer a great deal anytime, which includes 3 pinchos and one beer or glass of wine for 10 bucks, or one pincho for $1.75. Pinchos include such treats as tortilla de patata wrapped with jamon serrano, stuffed red peppers and chorizo.

You can choose to start your meal off with some pinchos first to open up your appetite or get started with some tapas, small plates. At Lizarran, there is a wide selection of tapas ranging from $5-12. I started off with one of my favorite Spanish treats, Croquetas. They’re also very sinful, so I limited myself to two. If you’ve never had croquetas before, you’re in for a treat. They’re basically small fried delights filled with either minced ham, fish, chicken or mushrooms and mixed with bechamel, which is an incredible and sinful mixture of milk, flour and butter. The croquetas at Lizarran are tasty…not as good as my cousin’s in Spain, but it’s always tough to compete with a family member who, in your opinion, makes the best of whichever food in question.

After such a heavy start, I decided to go with something lighter and opted for the Boquerones, which were fabulous! Now these were just like my cousin’s. Boquerones are anchovies in olive oil, parsley and garlic. Anchovies often get a bad rap here, but they are absolutely delicious, especially prepared in this way. If you’ve never enjoyed them like this or were afraid to try them, I definitely recommend them.

Next I tried another Spanish staple, Patatas Bravas.  If you’ve been to Spain before, chances are you’ve had these. They’re deep-fried potatoes served with spicy tomato and alioli sauce, and Lizarran does them right, just like in Spain. It’s a good thing I only got a half portion, because they’re so good I could finish the whole plate, and I had to save room for all the other good stuff.

I also tried the Gambas al Ajillo, shrimp satueed in garlic and olive oil and they were fantastic! The shrimp were succulent and plump, and perfectly flavored with just the right amount of garlic and olive oil, with a little kick added to it to give it a touch of spice, just as they do it in Spain.

I was really eager to try to the Pulpo a “Feira”, slices of octopus served on a bed of potatoes finished with paprika and extra virgin olive oil, but they had unfortunately run out of octopus (or maybe Pulpo Paul, the psychic octopus got upset) so the waiter recommended I try the Sepia a la Plancha, cuttlefish grilled in olive oil, garlic and parsley, and I was glad I did. You don’t often see cuttlefish on many menus here, but sepia is quite common in Spain, as it tends to have more of a variety of fish, due to the richness of the Mediterranean Sea. Cuttlefish is very similar to calamari, but a bit softer in texture. At Lizarran, they cut it into slices, making it very easy to eat and it’s delicious.

You can’t forget the Jamon Serrano. Lizarran offers a variety of meat and cheese plates to start your meal off with, as well, where you can whet your palate with such Spanish delights as Jamon Serrano, Lomo Embuchado, queso Manchego, queso Idiazabal, and more. There is a variety of different combinations you can get ranging from $12-16, and they’re all served with Páamb Tomaquet (grilled sliced baquette spread with fresh tomato and extra virgin olive oil). I’m already getting hungry! This is the perfect way to start your meal, along with some pinchos or tapas, but pace yourself to save room for the main course.
 
I made sure to save room for Paella. At Lizarran, you could get Paella de Marisco (just with seafood), Paella Mixta (a mix of chicken and seafood), Paella de Arroz Negro (with seafood and squid ink) or Paella de la Huerta, which is the vegetarian option and just includes the saffron rice with vegetables. The paella at Lizarran is authentic…the rice is a little sticky, with some of the rice stuck to the bottom of the paellera pan, just as they do it in Spain. They also use rice from Spain to make it, which is key to its authenticiy.

Lizarran also offers grilled meat dishes, such as Angus rib steak and Angus T-bone steak or grilled chicken. They also have fabulous Spanish fish dishes, like grilled Calamari steak, Bacalao a la Vizcaina (codfish and clams sautéed with peppers and onions),  and Pescado en Salsa Verde (Grilled fish in a garlic-parsley green sauce), among others.

If you’re in the mood for soup, or when the weather gets cooler, Lizarran offers up some delicious Spanish soups you’ll only find at an authentic restaurant like this one. I’m so excited they have Cocido, Tomato based stew or garbanzo beans, with garlic, and Chorizo de León. This is a typical soup from the province of Leon, where my parents are from, and something I never thought I’d be able to find here. I can’t wait to go back to try it when the weather calls for it. If you want some soup now, though, they do offer up a cold soup, similar to gazpacho called Salmorejo, which is tomato and bread soup garnished with jamon serrano and hard boiled eggs. There are also salads on the menu, just in case you were wondering, but being that it’s a Spanish restaurant, I chose to mainly write about all the heartier stuff.

By the way, one of the main reasons the food at Lizarran is so authentic, is that all the recipes come from the head chef of the chain in Spain, and any new menu items or additions have to be approved by him, so you know you’re getting the real thing.

Okay, now let’s get to the dessert. Lizarran offers a delicious homemade Crema Catalana, rich custard topped with a layer of caramelized sugar. They also have typical Spanish desserts, such as Arroz con Leche, and Flan. They only have Churros on special occasions. But I was very excited they had Tarta de Santiago con Chupito de vino de Oporto. This is an exquisite almond cake, which is actually imported from Spain, and they serve it with a small glass of port wine. It’s absolutely divine!

Another thing that’s divine at Lizarran is the Sangria. I have never had a sangria as good as my dad’s…not even in Spain, and I must say this is the first one I’ve tried that’s come so close! It’s delicious with a mix of a variety of fruits and fruit juices, and also includes brandy, sherry and port, so it also packs quite a punch! You’ll be feeling happy in no time and it’s so yummy, you won’t even notice, so be sure to drink responsibly. Oh yeah, another thing that makes it so good is that they actually use good red wine to make it, not the cheap stuff, as some restaurants tend to do with their sangria.

I’m also very excited to find they’re the only Spanish restaurant I’ve ever been to here that actually has Kalimotxo on the menu! If you’ve ever been to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls, you know what this is. It’s basically just red wine mixed with coke. It may sound weird, but it’s delicious!

Lizarran has Happy Hour from 4 to 7 pm every day, where you can get sangria for 4 bucks and draft beers for 3 bucks. Tuesdays all appetizers are discounted, Wednesdays all bottles of wine are 25% off, Thursdays they have all you can eat pinchos for $19.95. They have live music, flamenco entertainment, the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month and recommend reservations especially on those nights. You can make reservations for parties of six or more. They are open every day except Monday.

Lizarran is located at 221 N. Harbor Blvd. in downtown Fullerton. You’ll see the Spanish flag right out front, so you can’t miss it. For more information, call 714-879-8775 or visit their website at www.lizarran-ca.com.

Spread the passion for all things Spanish!  All you have to do is serve your clients a good glass of wine, some great tapas, an inviting atmosphere and let the fiesta begin!

As with almost all great ideas, Lizarran was the product of the vision, enterprise and dedication of its founder, Mateo Ferrero.

He opened his first tavern in order to create a space in which his friends could feel at home while enjoying the best of Spanish gastronomy.  Today, hundreds of people all over the world share his vision.  They are people who share the same dynamic and open spirit that communicates the pleasure of good living.  They are the Lizarran franchisees.

Thanks to these entrepreneurs, Lizarran is the world leader in tapas.

If you would like to establish a franchise, please fill out the form below:

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