Martirio | Azahar Sevilla Tapas Martirio

The first time I tried going to Martirio on a mid-week January afternoon I was told that all the tables inside were booked (I hadn’t made a reservation – oops!) and that we’d have to sit outside. And when I asked if by chance there was a late booking so maybe we could at least try a couple of things (we had arrived at opening time) the waiter pointed at the terrace and said “No, I TOLD you that you have to sit outside!” Hey guess what? We didn’t actually HAVE to sit anywhere there and so instead we popped over to Mariscos Emilio next door and had a few nice tapas with friendly service, and I vowed never to go back to Martirio. Because if there is one thing I cannot put up with, it’s rude service.

But then you know, I started reading some good things about the place, including things written by friends of mine, so I thought what the heck, why not give it another chance? And so I wisely made a booking and there was no problem. My friend and I arrived and we were seated at our table, with me happily in front of the door, taking advantage of the extra ventilation. It was time to order food.

I liked the décor, which is minimalist-chic and quite attractive. Inside the dining area is a mix of high and low tables, and there’s a good-sized terrace out on the pedestrianised street. I was also impressed by the wine list. As for the food… it’s a clever eclectic menu, apparently market-based that changes on a monthly basis, and the dishes are all very prettily presented. But in terms of actual flavour it was very hit and miss. And frankly, at these prices you really don’t want to miss.

We enjoyed the ensaladilla and the mollejas de cordero (though the “herb salad” was overpowering and we had to remove most of it), but the rest fell flat. The tuna fin gilda was unpleasantly chewy and their famous “no-croquetta” was simply a crispy pastry shell filled with “carabinera” sauce, more gimmicky than tasty. The pancetta Ibérica taco came out as pulled pork, but when we mentioned this we were flatly told that WE WERE WRONG. And not in a nice way.

Which brings me to why I won’t be back. The service was appallingly rude. I mean, so much so that we almost couldn’t believe it. And it wasn’t just one bad server having a bad day, because we experienced all three that were on duty that afternoon and all of them made us feel unwelcome (suffice to say there’s a laundry list of the rest of the rudeness). Just by chance a neighbour was sitting at the next table with a couple of friends, so I popped over to ask how they were enjoying their lunch (that’s their tortilla down there) and they said the same. Okay food, unfriendly service.

So there you have it. I honestly hate writing a negative review and often just don’t write anything if I really don’t like a place. But when somewhere is so “popular” I feel it’s almost like a public service announcement. Especially when there are so many more pleasant places to go in Sevilla.

Bread/Service Charge: 1.20€ PER PERSON