Cunini

Posted on January 31, 2015 by Shawn

cunini

One of Granada’s best known fish and seafood bars (actually a bar in front, and a restaurant in the back, with a terrace outside), Cunini is appropriately located behind the cathedral and Plaza Bib Rambla in the old fish market square. It’s been an institution in Granada as long as anyone can remember, and the bar area in particularly is almost always packed and noisy.

We stopped in late after a bit of a tapeo around town and sampled a couple of the complimentary tapas (lukewarm soggy hake and some “okay” croquetas) so when we ordered a final round of drinks I asked the waiter if we could have something a bit nicer. We were promptly brought a big dish of ensaladilla rusa which was promptly taken away again when I said I couldn’t eat mayonnaise (lies, lies…). But then we were pleasantly surprised by the arrival of some fresh tasty prawns from nearby Motril. So, while we weren’t impressed overall, I think Cunini deserves another visit to try out some of the dishes from the menu.

Plaza Pescadería, 14
Tel 958 267 587
€ € € €

Food 6 | Wine 6 | Service 5 | Ambiance 7

cunini bar area bar area

cunini fritos complimentary fried hake

cunini croquetas complimentary seafood croquetas

cunini gambas complimentary gambas from Motril

cunini gamba hola!

cunini seafood display fish and seafood display

cunini bar the bar

cunini dining dining area

cunini sign

Pato Rojo

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Shawn

pato rojo

A stone’s throw from the Cathedral, I would’ve walked right past if it hadn’t come highly recommended by twitter pal @HERMANOPRIMERO, so I was on the lookout for a small “hole-in-the-wall” called Pato Rojo. There’s not much seating, a couple of tables on the sidewalk terrace and a few more in a small room at the far end of the bar. Most people cram into the narrow bar area and cheerfully order up.

This is totally my kind of place. Busy, buzzy ambiance, great food and friendly super-efficient staff. Also absurdly cheap. I went twice during my short visit to Jaén, once with a friend and again on my own. The first night my friend and I spent 12.90€ on drinks (3 beer, 3 wine) and were given about eight complimentary tapas. We were so full we didn’t get around to ordering any of the other mouthwatering dishes we saw coming out of the kitchen, so I took a few pics of them to show you.

Next day I stopped by at lunchtime and found a spot at the jam-packed bar. The barmen remembered me from the night before and started bringing me more “extras” until I told them I really wanted to order some food from the menu, specifically the grilled scallop with seafood. Which was stunning. By this time I was chatting away with the staff and the people on either side of me, and more food kept appearing that we all ended up sharing. What a great way to spend an afternoon. I loved Pato Rojo so much I wanted to take it home with me. There is nothing like this in Sevilla.

Bernabé Soriano, 12
Tel 953 23 40 99
€ € €

Food 9 | Wine 9 | Service 10 | Ambiance 9

pato rojo bar jam-packed bar

pato rojo fritos fritos variados

pato rojo albariño a very nice albariño

pato rojo langostinos langostinos a la plancha (complimentary)

pato rojo anchovy Cantabrian anchovy with evoo (complimentary)

pato rojo boquerones boquerones fritos (complimentary)

pato rojo gambas rebozadas battered prawns (complimentary)

pato rojo jose José pouring beer

pato rojo mojama mojama (cured tuna) with evoo and peanuts (complimentary)

pato rojo rejos fried rejos – baby octopus tentacles (complimentary)

pato rojo Tilapia, a type of sole tilapia, a type of sole, with padrón peppers (complimentary)

pato rojo rosada chocos fritos (complimentary)

pato rojo ricardo manzanilla spray Ricardo using manzanilla spray on fried rosada (complimentary)

pato rojo salmon smoked salmon (complimentary)

pato rojo scallop grilled scallop with barely cooked prawns and salmon

tuna ventresca (not ours)

pato rojo carabineros grilled carabineros (not ours)

pato rojo seafood platter mixed seafood platter (not ours)

pato rojo orujo orujo (complimentary)

pato rojo jose rachel ricardo Dream Team: José, Rachel & Ricardo

pato rojo (17) the red duck

pato rojo busy bar busy buzzy bar

pato rojo dining area dining area

Bar Navarro

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Shawn

navarro

Bar Navarro was recommended by many as an absolute must-go-to fried fish place with the best acedias (small sole) in the universe. Possibly such high praise contributed to a degree of disappointment by raising unrealistic expectations. The bar itself was a rather ordinary neighbourhood bar just outside the old town, and nothing wrong with that per se, but they could at least have cleared away the detritus of earlier meals from the next tables. Also, serving the manzanilla a plastic “jerry-can” might be quaint, but to me it just added to the can’t-be-bothered ambiance. There’s a bar section with a few tall tables along one side of the L-shaped space and a “dining” area in the other. It’s all self-service.

So we had to try the acedias, of course, and they were actually quite good, though not especially special. The chocos were tough and chewy – I would’ve sent them back but didn’t get the sense that the barman cared that much. We also had the tapaculos (a flat fish similar to sole), which were delicioius – I would definitely have again if I came back. Authentic? Yes, I suppose so, whatever exactly that means. Not sure that’s quite enough though.

Menacho 28
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Tel
€ €

Food 5 | Wine 4 | Service 4 | Ambiance 4

navarro bar the bar

navarro acedias acedias (small sole)

navarro chocos chocos (cuttlefish)

navarro tapaculos tapaculos (curiously translates as “butt plug”)

navarro dining room “dining” area

El Faro – Cádiz

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Shawn

Updated February 2017

For obvious reasons Cádiz is a fish and seafood kind of place, and with great tapas at the bar and a dining room for full meals, El Faro is a local classic, one of those places that everybody knows about and which is almost always busy. Lots of typical dishes from tortillitas de camarones to bacalao frito, and if you’re in the restaurant try the rice with squid ink. Just what you need before a walk along the sea front.

San Félix 15
Tel 956 211 068
Cádiz
€ € € €

Food 9 | Wine 8 | Service 7| Ambiance 7

marinated sardines on toast

el faro chocos chocos fritos (fried cuttlefish)

el faro croquetas pargo & bacaloa croquettes

king prawns in crispy pastry

el faro pavia pavía de bacalao with wasabi over quince creme

el faro pavia on plate pavía on plate

tortillitas de camarones

judiones with smoked fish

El Caleño

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Shawn

el caleno playa

Another fabulous seafood restaurant in the old fishing quarter of Málaga, Pedregalejos. Right on the beach you get wonderful food with a view. Best to call ahead and book a table.

Paseo Maritimo (El Pedregal)
Malaga
tel. 952 299 148
€ € €

Food 9 | Wine 8 | Service 8 | Ambiance 7

el caleno conchas finas conchas finas

el caleno bolos bolos

el caleno salad a “small” house salad

el caleno salmoretes salmonetes

el caleno puntillitas puntillitas (baby squid)

el caleno pimientos roasted red pepper salad

el caleno coquinas coquinas (cockles)

el caleno gambas gambas a la plancha

el caleno espeto sardines “espeto”

el caleno boquerones fried boquerones (anchovies)

Andrés Maricuchi

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Shawn

Updated August 2018

Superb seafood, great wines, a fabulous sea view and friendly efficient service. Could you ask for anything more? I’ve been going to Andrés Maricuchi in the old fishing village of Pedregalejo since 2008, and it never disappoints. These days it always feels like going home, being greeted by Andrés with a big kiss on the cheek. And the food is always outstanding.

Favourites include the perfectly fried boquerones al limón and, in season, the espeto de sardinas (BBQ’d onna stick). Garlicky urta and whole BBQ’d squid are also fabulous, and the tomato and garlic salad is a must have. Nice wines by the glass or bottle – the Mar de Frades albariño goes especially well with the fish and seafood.

Be sure to call ahead and book a table as the terrace fills up fast.