Abaco - Bluewater

Above: Abaco interior

There is now even more reason to visit Bluewater, Europe’s largest shopping centre, following the arrival of stunning new Spanish restaurant, Abaco.
Designed to welcome flagging shoppers with a real pick-me-up lunch enjoyed away from the crowds, or as a destination restaurant in its own right, it represents a real oasis of calm away from the hustle and bustle.
Part of the Village area, we were immediately impressed by how the bright lights of the centre seemed to fade once we’d crossed the threshold and entered a spacious yet intimate dining area characterised by low-level lighting, muted colour schemes, floor-to-ceiling wine cabinets and dramatic jet black chandeliers.

Al fresco
As well as the slightly more formal dining area offering an impressive 160 covers, Abaco also boasts a Champagne bar in the concourse area in front of the restaurant which can seat 80, plus 40 covers in an al fresco area outside the main building, so there’s scope here for all moods and appetites.
But back to us… foot sore and laden with shopping, we were definitely ready for a leisurely late lunch. Fortunately, our smiley, wonderfully helpful Egyptian waiter, Akmel Dalla, was on hand to guide us through the extensive tapas menu – which we decided would just fit the bill.
Choice was difficult with such a mouthwatering selection, but we eventually opted to share gorgeous fried goat’s cheese with honey and red onion, sardines marinated in chilli and garlic, pan-fried strips of chicken, wonderfully tender crispy pork belly and salt cod croquetas – helped along by one of the best tomato salads I’ve had in along while.

Try the wonderfully tender crispy pork belly and salt cod croquetas

If you want something more substantial, either at lunch or in the evening, there is a tempting à la carte menu with starter such as foie gras with Bacardi and coke jelly and seared diver scallops with cauliflower purée, followed by, say, hake with clams, chorizo and oven-dried tomatoes or sautéed fillet of veal with maize polenta cakes and a shallot red wine sauce.
Desserts are excellent here – my almond turron with coffee sauce was particularly light and delicious, while the Catalana crème brûlée was declared “just yummy” – and, as the walls of wine suggest, there is a comprehensive selection of wines and Champagnes. I can particularly recommend the Pinot Grigio Blush as a lunchtime tipple.
Chatting with restaurant manager Andy Latham, a convivial Mancunian now living in Whitstable, we learnt that despite having been open less than six months, Abaco (‘abacus’ in Spanish) has already become a firm favourite and is welcoming back lots of regulars.

Open all hours
The fact that you can eat here from breakfast until late is a big draw, and not just with shoppers: many people are making the journey over especially in the evening. And believe me, it is extremely hard to leave – our lunch stretched out over several hours and it’s easy to see why shoppers staggering in at 5.30pm for a quick drink and bite to eat often find themselves still there at closing time.

Words by Sarah Sturt, pictures by Manu Palomeque