Rincón de Lola

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Shawn

Updated November 2016

A very typical tapas bar by the Coso Viejo, with a terrace in the square itself. The food was good but not outstanding (though we quite liked the “matrimonio” and the grilled presa). The service was a bit patchy, but it seems to be a popular spot with locals (Lola greeted almost everyone by name). Prices are reasonable – most tapas cost about 2.50€ – but the wine I had was a whopping 3€ per glass for a fairly standard rueda.

Encarnación, 8
Antequera
Tel 625 040 997
€ € €

Food 6 | Wine 5 | Service 5 | Ambiance 6

rincon lola matrimonio “matrimonio” – Cantabrian anchovy and boquerón en vinagre

rincon lola hotdog grilled hotdog with pear alioli and tomato jam

rincon-lola-champi grilled mushrooms with jamón

rincon lola flamenquin avocado filled flamenquín

rincon-lola-rosada breaded rosada

rincon-lola-presa grilled presa Ibérica

rincon lola bar

Updated November 2016

Arte de Tapas

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Shawn

Updated November 2016

Just next to the Arte de Cozina restaurant, Arte de Tapas is actually a part of this authentically rustic old townhouse, which includes a guesthouse that has been lovingly restored. The theme of maintaining tradition also applies to the food (which is excellent), the menu including a number of dishes/recipes from medieval times, executed with love and care by chef Charo Carmona.

Every new visit here leaves me just as happy with both the food and the service as on previous visits. To me this is THE place to go for tapas in Antequera. Be sure to try the croquetas and breaded rabbit ribs. But DO NOT LEAVE without having the lomo de orza (cooked pork loin preserved in lard) that is served on garlicky confit potatoes, on toast – serious porky heaven. Desserts are also interesting (and that’s me saying it) and you will no doubt be given a recipe or two to take home with you.

Calle de la Calzada, 29
Tel 952 840 014
Arte de Cozina Website
€ € € €

Food 9 | Wine 9 | Service 9 | Ambiance 9

arte tapas bar
arte tapas tall tables

sardines in escabeche

arte tapas cheese goat cheese with tomato jam

arte-tapas-lomo-sal lomo a la sal with rosemary, poppyseeds, potato parmentier

arte tapas spinach pinenuts spinach and pinenut croquetas

arte tapas chorizo chorizo croquetas

arte-tapas-croquetas-setas croquetas de setas with beetroot mayo

arte tapas rabbit ribs breaded rabbit ribs

homemade meatballs in saffron sauce

large prawns wrapped in skinny noodles

arte tapas bravas papas bravas

arte-tapas-papas-payoyo papas with payoyo cheese

arte tapas fried fish battered fried fish

arte tapas morcilla tartare morcilla tartare with apple, served with mango-mustard sauce

arte-tapas-salchichon-burger salchichón burger with spicy tomato sauce

arte tapas chorizo burger chorizo burger

arte tapas lomo orza lomo de orza on confit potatoes and toast

arte-tapas-chorizo-espeto chorizo espeto with PX

arte tapas lemony frothy lemony foam dessert

arte tapas drunken bizcocho drunken bizcocho

arte tapas almojabana

almojábana (a dessert from medieval times)

arte tapas almojabana recipe the recipe for almojábana

arte tapas charo carmona owner and chef Charo Carmona

arte tapas seating

Updated November 2016

La Sorpresa

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Shawn

Updated March 2019

La Sorpresa, a few minutes away from the central market, is a small abacería (a shop selling mainly traditional specialties) and tapas bar, with the emphasis on jamón Ibérico, tuna almadraba (the eco-friendly sustainable seasonal catch off the coast of Cádiz) and sherry, here supplied by Bodegas Delgado Zuleta, with the casks making a “wall” between the bar and the back room. A nice unpretentious local to stop in for a few starters at the beginning of your tapeo.

Arbolí 4
Cádiz
Tel 956 221 232
€ € €

Food 7 | Wine 8 | Service 7| Ambiance 7

la sorpresa oloroso

Delgado Zuleta oloroso

la sorpresa jamon anchoa Cantabrian anchovy and jamón Iberico

chalkboard menu

la sorpresa window

Andreea, Soraya & Ana

Updated March 2019

La Bodeguilla del Bar Jamón

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Shawn

Updated July 2017

I fondly remember my first visit to La Bodeguilla back in the winter of 2013 – they had me at “crujiente de Ibéricos”. And while I was waiting for this amazing tapa I was given a complementary starter of lovely stewed lentils with chorizo. I happily slipped into a food coma after getting back to my hotel for a much needed siesta. Much later that evening I went back as I had been informed (via Twitter) that I’d missed that bar’s star dish – the tostada with jamón. A tostada? Special? Well, okay. Since it came so highly recommended I was ready to give it a go, and frankly a tostada was just about all I was up for after such a hearty lunch. And I was not disappointed. I had the half-portion of a slice of toasted country bread drizzled with garlic-infused olive oil, rubbed with fresh tomato and topped with top quality jamón that was slightly warm after being placed on top of hot toast, along with a glass of local Garum red wine. Heaven!

On another visit we were invited to a sherry pairing event, held in one of the dining rooms, which was spectacular and left me wanting to go back even more. This time we got to sit out on the terrace, which was lovely (sorry, no photo – will have to go back again!). This is a real family-run place, with chef-owner Borja in the kitchen and his family also helping out – his mother looked after us on our most recent visit. A must-go place in El Puerto for delicious homestyle cooking, excellent wines, and wonderful friendly service.

Misericordia, 5
El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz)
Tel 946 85 03 22
€ € € €

Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 8| Ambiance 8

la bodeguilla bar

la bodeguilla jamones

la bodeguilla lentils complimentary starter of lentils and chorizo

la bodeguilla crujiente ibericos almond encrusted Iberian pork with potato purée and almond sauce

la bodeguilla crujiente the crujiente Ibérico sliced open

huevos a la flamenca

la bodeguilla jamon tosta toasted country bread with garlic olive oil, fresh tomato and jamón
(tapa above, ración below)

scrambled eggs (revuelto) with bacalao and red peppers

gambas “de la casa” with onions, green peppers, jamón

presa Ibérica with jamón and frites

la bodeguilla busy bar

chef Borja (right) with his family

la bodeguilla (9)

la bodeguilla postcards

Updated July 2017

Las Flores Freiduría

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Shawn

las flores

Las Flores, in the square next to the central market, is very much a typical Spanish fried fish bar, and obviously popular, with lots of people packed round the bar and a constant queue at the busy takeaway section. There’s also a section inside with small tables adn a sidewalk terrace. A menu of all the traditional goodies (we had chocos, adobo and puntillitas), cooked in bulk and served up hot. Not much of a wine selection but at least there was a nice dry fino and the beer is very cold. Service was brisk and efficient, but could have been a bit more friendly. So basically, cheap(ish) but not so cheerful.

Plaza Topete, 4
Cádiz
Tel. 956 22 61 12
Open 9.00 – midnight 7 days a week
€ € €

Food 8 | Wine 5 | Service 5| Ambiance 5

las flores bar the bar

las flores chocos adobo cazón in adobo (marinated dogfish) and chocos (cuttlefish)

las flores fritos los fritos

las flores puntillitas puntillitas (tiny squid)

las flores servietas there’s a second location on the causeway,
near the main beaches

las flores takeaway take-away section

La Candela

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Shawn

Updated July 2017

My first impression of La Candela a few years ago was “gastrobar” (and I am never being kind when I use that term), but once inside I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere is friendly and informal, and the food, a modern but not pretentious menu, is generally very good. On subsequent visits I’ve been pleased to see that things hadn’t changed in that respect.

Try the chicharrones de Cádiz (very different from the usual deep-fried version) and also the croquetas and tempura vegetables. As an unusual touch, if you like the furniture or the paintings you can buy them.

Feduchy 1
Cádiz
Tel 956 22 18 22
€ € €

Food 8 | Wine 7 | Service 8| Ambiance 8

la candela entrada entrance

la candela kitchen open kitchen

la candela croquetas jamón and setas croquetas

tuna tempura with tomato, parmesan & oregano sauce

la candela chicharrones chicharrones de Cádiz with cheese and sun-dried tomatoes

mixed green salad with tempura sardines, parmesan,
toasted hazelnuts,honey vinaigrette

la candela veggie tempura veggie tempura with soy mayo

la candela pulpo roasted pulpo with pimentón mashed potatoes and squid ink alioli

wagyu burger

la candela beef grilled beef platter

Santiago, Pejie, co-owneres Carmen & Victor, Carmen, Lourdes

la candela window seat window seat

la candela dining area dining area

la candela diners Sunday diners

Updated July 2017

Bar Gonzalo

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Shawn

bar gonzalo
This very typical neighbourhood bar was recommended to me by my hotel just around the corner. Nothing fancy, I was told, just some very good fried fish and home-style cooking. I got there around 2.30 pm, which turned out to be just before the “lunch rush”. I sat at a comfortable table and ordered a glass of sherry and a couple of frito tapas. A few minutes later the small bar was packed solid with locals ordering their favourite dishes. I wished I’d had time to try some of the delicious-sounding stews, but I had one other tapas bar to try that day and had to head out.

Micaela Aramburu 26
El Puerto de Santa María
Tel 687227596
Closed Tuesdays
€ €

Food 7 | Wine 7 | Service 8| Ambiance 8

bar gonzalo carta the menu

bar gonzalo chocos chocos fritos

bar gonzalo fino fino Valeroso Grant

bar gonzalo mero breaded mero (grouper) with chips

bar gonzalo bar

El Churrasco

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Shawn

Updated February 2017

el churrasco (1)

El Churrasco was founded by Rafael Carrillo senior and his wife Mari in 1970 as a small mesón specialising in grilled meats with two typical “mojo”-style red and green sauces. It’s come a long way since then, expanding into two patios, a main dining room and tapas area upstairs, and a number of private lounges in different styles. The menu has expanded too, with a few tapas, and a full range of fish, seafood and vegetable dishes, though the original grilled meat and Arabic sauces are still the speciality of the house. The largest dining room is the traditional Cordobés patio on the ground floor, and there are two more dining rooms upstairs, including a patio with a fruiting lemon tree.

The bar area at the front is my favourite place for tapas, with exposed brick pillars and arches, wood beams and tile floors, and fridges displaying the day’s meat and fish selections. It’s also fun to watch the chef in action in front of the grills. Would really like to go back sometime with a small group of friends and do a full-on meat feast.

Romero 16
Córdoba
Tel 957 290 819
€ € € €

Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 7 | Ambiance 8

el churrasco atrium el churrasco bar the bar
el churrasco berenjenas fried aubergines with salmorejo and jamón

flamenquín cordobés

el churrasco chorizo grilled chorizo

el churrasco sardina smoked sardine on toast with guacamole and tomato jam glaze

lomo de orza

el churrasco dining area

el churrasco meat MEAT

rabos de lagartija (“lizard tails” really pork strips in sauce)

el churrasco lamb chops

lamb chops

el churrasco salsas

las salsas

el churrasco solomillo grilled solomillo

grilled presa Ibérica

el churrasco view to kitchn view into open kitchen

el churrasco nook nook

el churrasco tapas area upstairs tapas area

el churrasco outside

Updated February 2017

La Regadera

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Shawn

Updated February 2017

Since my first visit to La Regadera back in 2013… well, I just keep coming back. Now in more spacious digs, just around the corner from the original location, and still very close to both the Mesquita and the Roman Bridge, chef Adrian Caballero continues to serve up delicious Andalusian dishes with his own special twist. First bit of advice – make sure you book (or show up early) as it’s a very popular place that fills up fast. Second, don’t leave without trying the cochinilla (roast suckling pig) and the puntalette “risotto style”. Oh, and that ceviche!

I love the fresh and fanciful décor, with lots of natural light from the street-facing windows. Service is very attentive and helpful. The menu is short but spectacular with an equally good wine list. Also ask about the cocktails…

Ronda de Isasa 10
Córdoba
Tel 957 101 400
€ € € €

Food 9 | Wine 9 | Service 9 | Ambiance 9

the bar

the Big in Japan gin cocktail

jamón Ibérico croquetas

la regadera cod bacalao in tempura with chive sauce and paprika oil

sea bass ceviche with red onion, green apple & lime foam and cilantro

la regadera puntalette puntalette “risotto style” with boletus and duck confit

la regadera pluma roasted pluma Ibérica de Bellota with smoked potato purée

cochinillo confitado with crispy skin and potato millefeuille au gratin

violet icecream with strawberries, lime crumble, leche merengada

the kitchen

la regadera horario

Updated February 2017

Isabella Taller de Cocina

Posted on August 7, 2013 by Shawn

Updated February 2015

Just off buzzy Plaza Uncibay, Isabella T de C is a charming spot with a bar area on the main floor, an upstairs dining area and a little sidewalk terrace. The market-kitchen menu features both traditional and trad-fusion food that can be a bit hit or miss. Their house speciality of free range fried eggs with gambas pilpil and fried potato straws didn’t work for me, and I’ve yet to have a decent caesar salad in Spain. But in general the dishes (more large plates than tapas) are good, along with knowledgeable and welcoming staff, and a fun ambiance.