Paco’s Restaurant & Lounge - River City Area Magazine

Not long ago, Francisco Arrocha was simply trying to relax. Now, that’s what he’s trying to get others to do when they visit his new restaurant in South Boston.

Arrocha – nicknamed “Paco” since he was young – had been a successful businessman and restaurateur in his native Spain, as well as in Miami, FL, but was looking to slow things down. He wanted to retire – well, his version of retirement – and buy land where he could own and operate a chestnut farm.

As far as he was concerned, his days of operating restaurants were past him. As he headed toward retirement, a new endeavor was in front of him. He needed to find a place for that chestnut farm. As he trekked from Miami northward, discovering the right place for it was difficult. Too much humidity in Alabama and Georgia. Too many hills in Tennessee. He was getting discouraged. Until the right place just… hit.

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“I had been looking in many different places to start my chestnut farm, but had found nothing so far,” Arrocha said. “I was driving on (Interstate) 81 when a tree branch fell in front of our car. I got out and looked and – on it – chestnuts. Then I knew this was the right area for me to buy my farm.” He had found the perfect spot. Now he could relax. Well, kind of.

As he made friends and connections locally, those around him wanted him to bring a bit more flavor to the area – specifically a flavor that was lacking in South Boston. Paco was content to operate the chestnut farm on the land he purchased in 2019, but after some persuasion, was convinced that the South Boston area deserved Paco’s. “When I moved to South Boston, I didn’t have an idea I wanted to create a restaurant,” Arrocha said. “I was in Miami for many years looking for a spot for my retirement plan.”

So, the work began. No more relaxing.

Located at 306 Main St. in downtown South Boston, Paco’s is a meld of Spanish and Cuban cuisine, with a wide selection of tapas – small, savory dishes, perfect for ordering a few and splitting with friends. Arrocha and his partner Maribel Fragas spent months working through what needed to be done to make Paco’s a reality. The two have been together more than eight years, and she’s followed him along on this journey. Together, the two are trying to build something special.

“First you have to believe in yourself, so others will believe in you,” Arrocha said.

Paco’s opened in June, but it took a lot of work to get there. The space that is now Paco’s was essentially a blank canvas. After exploring options to contract out the design and construction, Paco decided it was best left in his own hands. “I have the hammer, I have the nails, I have the drill, I’ll do it all myself,” Arrocha said. “Everything you see from the ceiling down.”

Now, this is a place where you can relax.

As you walk through the front door, you’re greeted by soft, amber lights that set a calming mood. To your right is a bar area, topped with finished wood, inviting you to order a cocktail. To your left, round tables, neatly set, with light pink tablecloths. The walls are decorated with Spanish art. “I want this to be a place where you feel welcome,” Arrocha said.

Behind the dining room, through the hallway, the back door opens to a back porch area, a special project Arrocha has been working on. In the spring and summer, overhead vines will cover the entirety of the porch. It will provide patrons with an experience that is truly unique to South Boston.

Once you’re seated – no matter if you’re inside or outside – you’re free to peruse a menu filled with unique dishes, some of which you may never have encountered – let alone eaten before. Aguacate Relleno, Gambas Al Ajillo, Tabla de Embutidos, Pincho Moruno. Translated: Avocado Stuffed with Shrimp, Spanish-style Shrimp Scampi, Charcuterie Board, Spanish Kebab. Sounds delicious in either language. And they most certainly are. Paco makes sure of that himself. He is the executive chef, after all. “I wanted to make dishes I’m familiar with. I wanted to bring that to the people and stay in my comfort zone,” Arrocha said.

Paco’s menu is about “70 percent Spanish, and 30 percent Cuban-influenced,” he says, drawing inspiration from his childhood and young-adulthood in Igualeja, a small town of about 1,000 people in the Málaga province of Spain, and his time in Miami.

He has brought in a couple of understudies to the kitchen; two ladies to whom he’s teaching his methods. But for right now, he’s not yet relaxing when it comes to work in the kitchen. That’s evident as you make your way to the right side of the menu. If you’re really hungry, that’s where you’ll find the main courses, and of course, the paellas.

Paellas are savory dishes, a combination of rice, meat, and vegetables. The three paellas on the menu during this story’s visit were seafood, a mix of seafood and pork, and for the adventurous, calamari and black ink. A paella is perfect to share, and just fine to keep to yourself if you’re, in fact, really hungry.

The main course section of the menu is quite eclectic and just as delicious – a combo of meat and fish dishes that will satisfy any appetite. Steak, lamb, chicken, shredded beef, grouper, octopus, and shrimp. All phenomenal choices. The lamb shank is especially impressive when it arrives, laying on a pillowy mound of mashed potatoes. The lamb falls right off the bone and is as mouth-watering as you might expect.

And if you haven’t stuffed yourself full by now – and even if you have – the desserts are all made in-house. Spanish cheesecake, egg custard, crème brûlée and French toast – all incredible. The cheesecake is particularly delectable, drizzled with cherry syrup and topped with homemade whipped cream. Made without a crust, this cheesecake stands alone, firm on your fork, but melting in your mouth with each bite.

“We’ll be making new creations weekly,” Arrocha said. All the more reason to keep coming back. “You have to create a family,” Arrocha said. “With a business, you have to create a family, or you are nothing.”

It looks like Paco’s is already something. And the perfect place to simply come in… and relax.