seafood | Azahar Sevilla Tapas

Jaylu. Over the years the name always came up whenever I asked friends (and especially chefs) where they went out for a special meal in Sevilla. A family project that began in 1967, it is now run by Enrique Caballero, son of the founder, and his daughter Ana. It is product-based cuisine focused on fish and seafood from Huelva and Cádiz and it couldn’t be fresher or better prepared, a mix of both traditional and contemporary dishes.

And so after almost 30 years here I finally made my way to Jaylu to celebrate my birthday and wasn’t sure what to expect. What I hadn’t expected was a rather modest but elegant space with a side walk terrace on the outskirts of Triana. As you walk in there is a long bar area with a handful of seats and then the dining area, like a blast from the past, all white linen and pale walls, tastefully decorated. Somehow I’d pictured something more, well, intimidating. But this felt both cosy and formal at the same time.

It’s a small menu, changing seasonally with several daily specials. And make no mistake, it’s spendy, as you would expect with this quality of fish and seafood. But it’s also easy to pick and choose if don’t want to totally splash out. On my birthday we had a fabulous plate of Jamón Ibérico de Bellota from Enrique’s personal selection at renowned producers Cinco Jotas, paired with Papirusa manzanilla from Bodegas Lustau. We followed with a plate of the sweetest and most succulent gambas fritas I’ve ever had. Then some breaded Ibérico bites and a lovely grilled swordfish with a lemony sauce. The service was top notch, very professional but not stuffy. And omg the wines. I found one on the list that was rather obscure and that I had been wanting to try for ages, so that was also a plus. I mean, you know me, I’m more of a tapas bar girl, but for a special occasion this was a fabulous experience.

BUT THEN I realised after getting home that I had just ordered the “ordinary” exquisite plate of Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. Yes, there is an even more exquisite one, the special cuts option by Enrique whereby you get to sample five different parts of the jamón. So of course I had to go back and try that. This time we asked to sit at the bar and had a couple of snacks, the smoked sardine aperitif and their famous king crab ensaladilla (possibly the best ensaladilla I’ve ever had) before being presented with total piggy joy on a plate. I’ve only enjoyed this sort of jamón tasting at bodegas out in the dehesa, so it was a real treat to have it available here in the city.

Excellent food and service, an impressive wine list and a lovely ambiance. Not for every day, but go on and treat yourself, you’re worth it.

Bread/Service Charge: 4€ PER PERSON