San Pablo, 29 Tel 954 22 70 14 12.00 – midnight kitchen open all day closed Tuesdays Azafrán Website [...]]]>  
This is my favourite of the Azafrán tapas bars, with its covered terraza (warm in winter, cool in summer). The tapas are good value for money and the service is pleasantly efficient.

San Pablo, 29
Tel 954 22 70 14
12.00 – midnight
kitchen open all day
closed Tuesdays
Azafrán Website
€ € €

photos

bread, picos and crisps on the house, but extra orders cost 1.50 each

croquetas de cabrales (blue goat’s cheese)

pavia de bacalao (salt cod in batter)

breaded aubergine filled with cream cheese and served with pisto

flamenquín with blue goat’s cheese (cabrales) and [...]]]>

bread, picos and crisps on the house, but extra orders cost 1.50 each

croquetas de cabrales (blue goat’s cheese)

pavia de bacalao (salt cod in batter)

breaded aubergine filled with cream cheese and served with pisto

flamenquín with blue goat’s cheese (cabrales) and smoked turkey

langoustines wrapped in potato threads and fried

wall mural showing where azafrán (saffron) comes from

indoor terraza

~ back to Azafrán Centro main page ~

~ comments are welcome on the main page ~

I’ve been asked more times than I can remember… “You haven’t been to La Madraza???”. As if I were missing out on some sort of culinery nirvana. So I finally made it over there yesterday with a friend. And I really wish I hadn’t. Walking in I [...]]]>

foto courtesy of Salir.com

I’ve been asked more times than I can remember… “You haven’t been to La Madraza???”. As if I were missing out on some sort of culinery nirvana. So I finally made it over there yesterday with a friend. And I really wish I hadn’t. Walking in I thought I was making a mistake, but then remembered that sometimes the most shabby of places can turn out the best tasting tapas (though to be honest, this seldom happens in the city anymore). So my friend and I ordered in hope that the food would make up for the tawdry atmosphere of a place that had perhaps been hip fifteen years ago but hadn’t painted or otherwise made any improvements since then. It wasn’t DIRTY exactly, but it gave off the feeling that it was. Ick.

I can’t remember the last time I had more lacklustre food. The “quiche” was a dense muddy slab of tasteless spinach in soggy pastry, topped with a sad bit of goat cheese. The tuna fajita might as well have been chicken and the beef ribs were dry and arrived cold. Last up were the carrilladas (stewed pig’s cheeks) which we needed a knife to cut through… slow roasted cheeks should fall apart at the touch of a fork. Even if these tapas had been cheap (they weren’t at 3-4 euros each) it wouldn’t have made up for how terribly disappointing they were. Nor would it have made up for the haphazard service. This is a place that has seriously seen its day, and that day is long gone. Don’t waste your time or money.

Peris Mencheta 21
Tel 954 908 188
Open:
€ € €

photos

tuna fajita

spinach & goat cheese quiche – dense and dry

beef ribs with sauce – also dry

carrilladas – needed a knife to cut them, heavy and greasy

~ back to La Madraza main page ~

tuna fajita

spinach & goat cheese quiche – dense and dry

beef ribs with sauce – also dry

carrilladas – needed a knife to cut them, heavy and greasy

~ back to La Madraza main page ~

~ comments welcome on main page ~

It was a day of firsts. Today Simún Vintage opened in Santa Catalina (it’s original location in El Juncal is no more) and my foodie friends Ana, Jorge and I were the first customers! It was also the first time I’ve visited a restaurant in the first week of opening (let [...]]]>

It was a day of firsts. Today Simún Vintage opened in Santa Catalina (it’s original location in El Juncal is no more) and my foodie friends Ana, Jorge and I were the first customers! It was also the first time I’ve visited a restaurant in the first week of opening (let alone the first hour) and found things running smoothly, both in the kitchen and out on the floor.

Simún Vintage is a charming spot just off a main road near the “real” centre of town, Plaza Encarnación. It has a short and stylish selection of tapas and raciones written on chalkboard menus. I will definitely be back for the “ropa vieja” and grilled presa on wok-fried rice noodles, and especially the grilled squid with ink and ajo blanco. A nice selection of wines by the glass, though a bit pricey. But definitely looking forward to future visits.

c/ San Felipe 11
Tel. 954 047 213
Open 13.00 – 16.00 / 21.00 – 23.30
Closed Sunday evening and Monday
€ € € €

photos

vinos

ropa vieja (old clothes) – really it’s fried potatoes, scrambled eggs and meat

sangre encebollada – fried blood with onions and potato olive oil purée

grilled chiperones with ajo blanco and squid ink

carrillada (stewed pork cheeks) in red [...]]]> the bar

vinos

ropa vieja (old clothes) – really it’s fried potatoes, scrambled eggs and meat

sangre encebollada – fried blood with onions and potato olive oil purée

grilled chiperones with ajo blanco and squid ink

carrillada (stewed pork cheeks) in red wine sauce with sweet potato purée

creamy rice with mushrooms and parmesan

grilled presa with wok-fried rice noodles and veg

Paqui, owner & chef Pablo, Nacho & Antonio

~ back to Simún Vintage main page ~

~ comments welcome on main page ~

Last summer Miguel Díaz and José Luís Carabias gave their Michelin-nominated restaurant a concept makeover and re-opened in August 2011 as Nuevo Gastromium, serving gourmet tapas and raciones. The tasteful minimalist dining area (by award-winning interior designer Francesc Rifé) remains the same, but [...]]]>

Last summer Miguel Díaz and José Luís Carabias gave their Michelin-nominated restaurant a concept makeover and re-opened in August 2011 as Nuevo Gastromium, serving gourmet tapas and raciones. The tasteful minimalist dining area (by award-winning interior designer Francesc Rifé) remains the same, but with more casual seating. And the menu is written on the front of a black envelope holding cutlery and napkin, with wines by the glass listed on the back.

Tapas are interesting and nicely presented, though I’m not sure there is any one dish that would make me trek out to the far edge of Porvenir for more. Some of the raciones sounded very good (we just tried the tapas) and may be worth another visit. Lots of vegetarian options.

Avenida Ramon Carande 12
954 625 555
Open 13.30-16.30 / 21.00-midnight
Closed Sunday evenings and Mondays
Gastromium website
€ € € € €

photos

window seating

menu

beef and vegetable spring roll with sweet chili sauce

pepito de gambas (prawn salad in pita bread)

carrillada (pig’s cheek) on toasted mini chapata topped with alioli

garlicky asparagus with fried egg and “crema de jabugo”

fried egg in panko with iberian pork and wild mushrooms

tempura langoustines with miso mayo

tuna tataky

Nazaret & Matias

Angela & Mohamed

bread [...]]]> Puerto Delicia Tapas

 

chistorras (little spicy chorizos) in tempura with raspberry sauce

fried egg in panko with iberian pork and wild mushrooms

tempura langoustines with miso mayo

tuna tataky

Nazaret & Matias

6 Sentidos

Angela & Mohamed

bread & wine

corvina en adobo with caper mayonnaise

duck breast salad with membrillo and pomegranate

crispy cannelone with bacalao and squid in ink

creme of alubias (pinto beans) with morcilla and berza

risotto with setas and gorgonzola

grilled beef with pimientos de padrón

Santiago pouring Botani

Alicantina Mar

marisco display

fritos variados

Abacería

Café Bar

Gastrosol

indoor seating

salon 1 (for events)

salon 2 (for events)

outdoor seating

~ back to GastroSol main page ~

~ comments welcome on the main page ~