Tag: restaurants

Bread Baskets – WTF?

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So here is a typical sight in most tapas bars and restaurants. Bread baskets stacked up just like this. And it happens to be a personal peeve of mine because, well, ewwwww…

Have you ever thought about it?

Bread baskets are used repeatedly day after day and are seldom if ever washed out. Just stacked up again and again after use, after being on dirty tables, cleared away on dirty plates, being handled by all and sundry, and on one memorable occasion, even used to practice football moves and then returned to the stack after having landed on the floor several times. Ick.

Adding insult to injury, we are sometimes charged up to 1.50€ per person to have bread served to us in filthy baskets. What gives?

And what can be done about it?

Sunday & Monday Tapas Bars

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Finding good non-touristy tapas bars that are open on Sunday and Monday can be a bit of a challenge in Sevilla. Many of the best family-run places are closed on these days, though some will open for Sunday lunch (1 – 4pm). This is something I always point out to my Sevilla Tapas Tour clients, and so I thought it would be helpful to also post a short list here of my favourite places to eat out on those “difficult days”.

I’ve tried to cover a few different barrios (neighbourhoods) but for some reason the Arenal is a bit of a dead zone on those two days, so I’m giving “honourable mentions” to Bodeguita Romero (open for Sunday lunch) and Enrique Becerra (open Monday).

Remember that tapas bars usually close between 4 – 8 pm, or if they stay open all day their kitchen will probably be closed then. Also, some places close for summer holidays during either July or August, so call ahead those months. It’s also a good idea to call and see if you can book a table on Sundays, which tend to get very busy with families going out for lunch, or else get to the bar right when they open (usually 1pm for lunch, 8pm for dinner).

Barrio Santa Cruz
Vineria San Telmo
Paseo Catalina de Ribera, 4
Tel. 954 410 600
Las Teresas
Santa Teresa 2
Tel.954 213 069
Modesto (restaurant not tapas bar)
Cano y Cueto, 5
Tel. 954 416 811
(all-day kitchen)

La Alfalfa
La Bodega
Plaza Alfalfa, 4
Tel. 954 22 783 62
Casa Antonio / Bar Los Caracoles
Pérez Galdos 13
Tel. 954 213 172

Triana
La Primera del Puente
Bétis 66
Tel. 954 27 69 18
Las Golondrinas II
Pages del Corro 76
Tel. 954 33 82 35

La Alameda
Bar Antojo
Calatrava 44
Tel. 955 425 337
Al Aljibe
Alameda de Hércules 76
Tel. 954 900 591
La Parrilla del Badulaque
Alameda de Hércules, 37
Tel. 954 91 55 24

Seville Orange Days

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It’s a sure sign of spring coming in Sevilla when the orange trees lining the streets and squares are harvested.

This year for the first time there will be week-long “Seville Orange Days” festival (starting Monday), sponsored by the provincial tourism board and Hosteleria Sevilla, with 38 restaurants in and around the city taking part by creating special dishes made from Sevilla’s emblematic bitter oranges.

I think it’s a great idea and some of the dishes sound terrific. Check out the PDF list of participating restaurants and their offerings here…

I Jornadas Gastronómicas de la Naranja de Sevilla

Tapeo Extremo II

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So this is what I did yesterday! Met up with some Twitter pals and fellow bloggers for a Tapeo Extremo, a term coined by travel writing legend and hardcore tapeo phenomenon Annie Bennett. Taking part were Fiona (Scribbler in Seville), Kate (Tales of a Brit Abroad), Kate’s friend Nicki, and Kim (Becoming Sevillana). I’ve known Fiona for quite awhile now, and Kate and Nicki had been on a tapas tour with me last summer, but it was the first time meeting Kim. Everyone knew that this was going to be pretty darn demanding and they had a lot to live up to if they were going to reach “extremo” standards. And well, the girls did good.

MY challenge was that nobody in the group ate meat, and one only tolerated fish in small amounts, so it had to be a pescatarian/vegetarian affair. Was I daunted? Hell no. Though it has to be said that the tour focused more on fish and seafood until the fourth and final tapas stop. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Continue reading “Tapeo Extremo II” →

II Gastronomic Festival of Wines & Spirits

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The second Gastronomic Festival of the Wines and Spirits of the province of Seville will take place 1 – 9 October and aims to promote local gastronomy to the tourist industry by pairing the products of local bodegas with a selection of dishes in numerous bars and restaurants around the province.

During this week, participating restaurants will offer a choice of menus, consisting of a starter, first and second course and a dessert, paired with the Seville wines and liquors that they recommend for each dish.

This festival will coincide with the Second Exhibition of Wines, Spirits and Aniseeds of Seville being held from 7 to 9 October in the Patio of the Diputación (c/Menendez y Pelayo 32) to show the range and variety of these products, and encourage an appreciation of their important historical role in local cuisine.

 

Participating Restaurants and Hotels:
(subject to change)

  • La Alicantina- Plaza del Salvador, 8 Sevilla
  • Puerto Delicia- Muelle de las Delicias s/n Módulo Sur Sevilla
  • Al Solito Posto- Alameda de Hércules, 16 Sevilla
  • Enrique Becerra – Gamazo, 2 Sevilla
  • El 3 de Oro- Santa María La Blanca, 34 Sevilla
  • El Espigón- Bogotá 1 Sevilla.
  • Barajas 20 – Conde de Barajas, 20 Sevilla
  • Casa Robles – Álvarez Quintero, 58 Sevilla
  • Robles Placentines – Placentines, 2 Sevilla
  • Robles Laredo – Sierpes, 90 Sevilla.
  • Robles Aljarafe – Ctra. Castilleja-Bormujos Km. 2 Castilleja de la Cuesta (Sevilla)
  • La Raza – Av. Isabel La Católica, 2 Sevilla
  • La Hosteria del Prado – Plaza de San Sebastián, 1 Sevilla
  • Rest Deli – Plaza de Andalucía, 10 Montellano Sevilla
  • Pando Cuna – Cuna, 5 Sevilla
  • Pando Centro -San Eloy, 47 Sevilla
  • La Dehesa del Marqués
  • Hotel Inglaterra Plaza Nueva, 1 Sevilla
  • Taberna del Alabardero Zaragoza, 20 Sevilla
  • Restaurante Nueva Victoria Sevilla Este (Plaza de la Acogida 2)
  • Restaurante Nueva Victoria Centro c/ Torneo 85 Sevilla
  • Restaurante Nueva Victoria La Palmera (c/ Manuel Siurot 34)
  • Restaurante Nueva Victoria Aljarafe (Autovía Sevilla-Huelva km. 16. Benacazón)
  • Abaceria Reino de Taifas C/ Bécquer nº9