Author Archives: Shawn

La Tana

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Updated August 2018

I have to say that La Tana is my favourite wine bar in Granada, compact and cosy and festooned with traditional knick-knacks – shelves full of bottles of wine, with a couple of massive jeroboams on the bar, and lots of garlic, tomatoes, sausages hanging on the walls and from the ceiling.

As you’d expect, they have an excellent wine selection, including a local white wine I loved called Mencal (chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, moscatel), and staff are very helpful with recommending wines. The complimentary tapas are delicious, though the lovely subdued lighting means that most of my food pics never turn out here (they tend to be a smaller version of what’s available on the menu – see below). It’s always super busy, so best to get there early.

Rosario, 11
Granada
Tel 958 225 248
€ € €

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Food 9 | Wine 10 | Service 9 | Ambiance 9

la tana (3)

la tana (4)

la tana avocado butifarraavocado on toast, butifarra

tomatoes with olive oil, sausage

la tana mencalMencal from Granada

carne mechada with sundried tomatoes

la tana menuthe menu

la tana (1)

la tana window
la tana (2)

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Updated August 2018

Bar Ávila

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avila

In the lower San Matias, in a little side street halfway between the Cathedral and the River Genil, Bar Ávila is one of those great little neighbourhood bars that always seems to be packed with locals enjoying a beer and “free” tapas. In fact, this is one of the few tapas bars I know of in Granada where you get to choose your complimentary snack.

There are a few tables in the back, but mostly it’s standing room only at the bar, and lots of folks coming and going. It’s nothing fancy, either in décor or cuisine, but the food is good, and good value too. If you’re looking for authentic (much abused and overused word), this is as authentic as it gets. Make that extra bit of effort to come here and make sure you try the house speciality, jamón roasted on a spit, that’s always on the go.

Verónica de la Virgen, 16
Granada
Tel 958 264 080
€ €

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Food 7 | Wine 6 | Service 7 | Ambiance 6

avila (2)

avila salmorejosalmorejo

avila adobocazon in adobo

avila morcillagrilled morcilla (black pudding)

avila pulpofried octopus

avila paparronespaparrones

avila puntillitaspuntillitas (baby squid)

avila roast jamonroast jamón

avila slicing the jamonslicing the roast jamón

avila roast jamon (2)

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Taberna Gamboa

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Updated August 2018

After having come here for years, on every stay in Granada, this time was a bit of a disappointment. I’d heard that Taberna Gamboa had changed hands since my last visit, but we were determined to have the hot sizzling gambas pil-pil….

The bar looks the same – it’s quite small and cosy, with a buzzy atmosphere that’s both typical and traditional. It can be a bit of a struggle to get a place at the bar or tables, especially at peak times, also typical of popular bars in Granada. Anyhow, the food. Our gambas pil-pil arrived “unsizzly” in a dish of tepid olive oil, served by a waiter who seemed to be wishing she were somewhere else. We were then joined by friends and tried a couple of the complimentary tapas (meh), and when we decided to have another round of drinks we weren’t brought the usual complimentary tapa. Finally we mentioned this to the waiter, who begrudgingly brought us a plate of cheese. I hope this was just an off day, as I used to really love this place. But friends in Granada say it hasn’t been the same since the change in management. Oh well.

Lepanto 11
Granada
Tel 958 229 237
€ € €

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Food 5 | Wine 7 | Service 5 | Ambiance 6

gamboa (2)the bar

gamboa menuchalkboard menu

gamboa tortillacomplimentary tortilla (4 people)

gamboa serranocomplimentary serrano (4 people)

complimentary rice (2 people)

gamboa flamenquinflamenquín de la casa

stewed pork (complimentary)

gamboa habascomplimentary beans with jamón (2 people)

spicy gambas pilpil

complimentary cheese (4 people)

gamboa (5)

gamboa (4)

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Updated August 2018

Blanco Enea

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blanco enea

Located in the Casa de Galicia, Blanco Enea is both a visual and gastronomic delight. The charming rustic chic “tavern” area on the main floor, and the somewhat more formal dining room upstairs, both have a minimalist style with cool white walls and “galician blue” trim throughout. A few white tables and chairs make up a small terrace out in the square. Owner and chef José María González Blanco was an affable host, taking us on a tour of the premises before we settled into our seats downstairs to sample the more casual tavern menu.

Basically, you want to eat here. I think the food can best be described as traditional Andalusian with a few Galician touches along with some tasty and innovative twists. Definite “must-haves” (and in my case, must-have-agains) are the croquetas of suckling pig & turnip greens (!!!), and the tender octopus “al feira” with a super-silky parmentier.

Also pending is a return visit in the evening to see the patio lit up with long strings of white fairy lights and try the dinner menu upstairs, with a window seat overlooking the square.

Plaza San Pedro 1
Córdoba
Tel 957 10 06 75
€ € € €

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Food 9 | Wine 9 | Service 9 | Ambiance 9

blanco enea bar (1)downstairs “taberna”

blanco enea bar (2)

blanco enea (2)

blanco enea croquetassuckling pig & turnip greens croquetas

blanco enea chocosmonster fried chocos with mojo de manzana

blanco enea (4)open kitchen facing the patio

blanco enea cochifritacochifrito with padrón peppers

blanco enea pulpopulpo a feira with silky parmentier

blanco enea (3)
blanco enea (1)

blanco enea dining (1)upstairs dining room

blanco enea dining (2)

blanco enea terraceterrace

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Garum 2.1

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Updated September 2015
garum

With a name like Garum 2.1 Bistronomic Tapas Bar it’s a wonder I went in at all. Actually, I had walked in on a couple of occasions during previous visits to Córdoba but didn’t feel inclined to stay. Something about, well, the name. And the outside walls festooned with posters of their “prize winning” tapas. But it kept being recommended to me so I finally decided to give it a go. And I’m happy I did.

Despite its über-hip name the bar is quite traditional on the inside, with dark wooden furniture and slate floors. Not so traditional is the expanse of original Roman wall on one side of the room – quite a cool feature. There is also an upstairs dining area (which I forgot to pop up and see – oops).

The menu offers both tapas and raciones, with the tapas at rather high “bistronomic” prices. Not sure how the larger plates compare in terms of value for money, but the tapas we tried were good quality with some nice innovative touches. I especially liked the TNT potatoes, which lived up to their name. Good service and some very interesting wines on offer. And be sure to try the oxtail churro with chocolate sauce. Really.

San Fernando 120-122
Córdoba
Tel 957 48 76 73
€ € € €

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Food 8 | Wine 9 | Service 7 | Ambiance 7

garum dining area (2)

garum roman wallRoman wall

garum cheesecomplimentary cheese & almonds

garum berenjenasfried aubergine with salmorejo and scrambled eggs

garum pulpo fried hakefried hake

garum px

garum papas tntpotatoes TNT with hot sauce, wasabi and fried chilis

garum presapresa Ibérica with potatoes, scrambled egg, jamón

garum pulpo (1)tender octopus with pig ear

garum pulpo oxtail churrooxtail churro with chocolate sauce

garum dessertmystery dessert! can’t remember what it was…

garum stairs

garum dining area (1)

garum entrance

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Updated September 2015

Casa Pepe de la Judería

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casa pepe

I can’t believe I am just writing up Casa Pepe for the first time. I’ve actually eaten here a few times in the dining room but it was early days on the blog and, looking back at the photos I took back then, I decided it was better to start fresh. This visit we just stopped in for a couple of (excellent) tapas and had a look around.

Casa Pepe is one of those traditional places which has become a part of the fabric of its locality, with a perfect position at the beginning of the main street leading into the Juderia from the Mezquita. It was founded in 1920 as La Taberna del Triunfo, but owes its name and fame to José Jiménez Aroca (popularly known as Pepe el de la Juderia), who took it over in 1930.

It has now expanded into seven small dining rooms in the traditional style of the building, one larger more modern room on the 2nd floor, and a large rooftop terrace with views of the belltower of the Mezquita. It’s fairly formal, with efficient uniformed waiters and good quality tableware, but still friendly, and reasonably priced. The cuisine is mainly traditional, from cold soups and fried berenjenas to roast meats, including an excellent shoulder of lamb as well as pork dishes. Some nice fish and seafood, too.

Calle del Romero, 1
Córdoba
Tel 957 200 744
Casa Pepe Website
€ € € €

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Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 8 | Ambiance 7

casa pepe (1)tapas area

casa pepe (2)

casa pepe chocostender chocos with garlicky salsa verde

casa pepe cochifritoslow cooked suckling pig, fried with potatoes

casa pepe plateummm…

casa pepe (3)

casa pepe (5)

casa pepe (4)

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Macsura

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macsura

Despite the unfortunate decision to call itself a gastrotaberna (shudder), and the equally unfortunate bread charge, Macsura proved to be a worthwhile stopping place. The name derives from an architectural feature of the Mezquita – it’s the place next to the mihrab, the holiest place in the Mosque, and would be occupied by the Caliph during the services – and the inner part of the dining area is a large alcove set behind a pair of arches in a conceptual imitation of the original. We sat in the bar area, which is light and open with high ceilings.

As this was a second stop of the afternoon, and there are no tapas on the menu, we only tried a couple of dishes: one of the daily specials, pan-fried seasonal wild mushrooms (níscalos) served with raw egg yolks, and crispy fried chocos with a wonderful olive oil mayo. Both were terrific and the wine was good too, but 1.20€ for one tiny bread roll? I was told by the waiter that I should have refused it when he brought it to the table. I suggest you do the same.

Cardenal Gonzalez, 43
Córdoba
Tel 957 486 004
€ € € €

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Food 9 | Wine 10 | Service 9 | Ambiance 9

macsura (3)

macsura niscalospan-fried níscalos with raw egg yolk

macsura chocosbreaded chocos with olive oil mayo

macsura (4)

macsura (2)

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La Posada del Caballo Andaluz

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caballo andaluz
Perhaps unfairly, the Caballo Andaluz, a relatively new establishment that’s the member of a small local chain (including nearby Puerta de Sevilla and La Viuda), is going to get a mixed review. The restaurant itself is a pleasant enough space, light and open with a central courtyard and a main dining area to one side, and another upstairs. Our one dish, a huge flamenquin, was very good, and came with a tasty mayonnaise that we ordered more of. If the rest of the menu is as good then this is is certainly up to scratch on the food (it certainly all looked good at neighbouring tables).

But. We arrived early and were seated in the patio area where there was a flamenco guitarist performing. He was actually quite good but I prefer to give my attention to the food and my companions. Also it gave the place a “tourist trap” feel, which was exacerbated when a coachload of elderly Spanish ladies arrived and completely filled the dining area next to us. Nothing against elderly ladies, who in this instance fitted right in with the general ambiance, but between the guitarist, 45 women all chatting at once and the (really loud!) caged singing canaries hanging from the rafters, it was all a bit too much, and we fled after eating our excellent flamenquín.

Bodega San Basilio, 16
Córdoba
Tel 957 290 374
€ € €

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Food 8 | Wine 7 | Service 7 | Ambiance 4

caballo andaluz guitaristflamenco guitarist in patio

caballo andaluz flamenquinflamenquín

caballo andaluz dining

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Bar Santos

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Updated February 2017
bar santos

It’s easy to dismiss Bar Santos as just another of the many touristy bars around the Mezquita, but one look at the impressive display of massive tortillas just inside the door will tell you that you are in for something special. In spite of its location it still manages the look and feel of a little neighbourhood bar with just one table inside and standing room only at the bar.

Their trademark dish, a 30-egg tortilla de patatas, is served by the slice for 2€ and goes great with either a cold beer or a bowl of salmorejo. A typical sight at midday is people sitting along the cathedral wall with plates of tortilla. Makes a great start to a tapeo.

Magistral Gonzalez Francés, 3
Córdoba
Tel 957 48 89 75
€ € €

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Food 8 | Wine 7 | Service 8 | Ambiance 8

bar santos bar

bar santos corner

bar santos tortillas (1)30 eggs & 5 kilos of potatoes in each one

bar santos tortilla slice

bar santos tortilla beerslice of tortilla with beer

bar santos salmorejosalmorejo topped with chopped egg and jamón

bar santos menuthe menu

bar santos photos

bar santos tortillas (2)

bar santos founded 1966

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Updated February 2017

Balandro

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balandro
The last few of times I’ve been to Cádiz I’ve passed up on the opportunity to pay a first visit to Balandro, despite the fact that it came recommended and well-reviewed, and seems to be well-frequented, but this time I felt I could no longer evade my responsibilities. In the end, it turned out pretty much as I expected. The U-shaped bar and main dining area are in a slick modern style, and pleasant enough, but seem lacking in real warmth and personality. The staff likewise.

The menu was typical gastrobar – more style than substance –  and a menu this long (you order by number) makes me think that there’s bought in, pre-prepared food involved. The tapas we had were good enough, but I didn’t find that “something special” that would bring me back. In the last analysis, if you like this trendy style of “concept” bar, you’ll like Balandro. If, like me, you usually prefer something with more character, this isn’t for you.

Alameda de Apodaca, 22
Cádiz
Tel 956 220 992
€ € € €

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Food7 | Wine 7 | Service 6 | Ambiance 6

balandro (3)
balandro filo cheese baconfilo with cheese and bacon

balandro lubinasea bass in “tempura” with rice noodles and stir-fried veg
in a mess of store bought “Asian” sauces.

balandro menuorder-by-number menu

balandro (2)

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