From the outside, Malagón seems pretty unassuming. The converted single-family house is painted beige. The only signage is a round brown panel with a single tall M on it, though “Malagón” is inscribed in stylish but discrete gold letters on one plate glass window and “Mercado y Tapería” on the other.
Against that modest facade, the bright-red door really stands out. What waits behind it is a remarkable exploration of Spain’s many culinary regions. Each visit begins with a complimentary dish of quicos, fried corn kernels that are very salty and hard enough to rattle your fillings, yet surprisingly addictive.
Chunks of tender spiced lamb ($18) arrive in a flat brown bowl, speared with toothpicks for easy dipping or, rather, for undipping, since they’re half submerged in an oily pool of paprika-laced marinade. Top 10 waterfront restaurants in the Charleston area More primly plated is La Bomba del la Barcoloneta ($15), a golden brown orb topped with a piped swirl of white aioli and bright green parsley leaf. Beneath the crisp-fried crust, a layer of soft mashed potatoes encloses crumbles of savory ground pork with a sneaky but pleasant surge of spicy heat.
Some of the small plates can only be described as odd. One would expect bold flavors from smoked lamb shoulder ($19) that’s sliced thin and layered with fermented peaches. There’s barely a trace of smoke or fruity sweetness, though, and the soft yellow slices of peach fade almost to nothingness on the tong.