Tag Archives: tapas

La Niña Adela

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Updated February 2017

So you know that feeling going back to a place you only visited once, almost five years ago, and you’re hoping it will be as wonderful as you remembered it? Well I am very happy to report that La Niña Adela is still just as wonderful and is a not to be missed spot in Ronda. Serving up fabulous home-style cooking in a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere, this family-run tapas bar specializes in seafood and traditional Spanish dishes with a few innovative touches. It’s a bit out of the centre, near the train and bus stations, but as Ronda isn’t that big it actually isn’t hard to get to.

When the weather is nice the buzzy terraza is the place to be where Alonso (son of Encarna – the daughter of Adela) greets you with a friendly “hola familia!” and takes very good care of you. The bar has had a make-over since 2012 and is all pretty white-trimmed pale blues and greens with soft lighting. La Niña herself is now retired, but as luck would have it she turned up while we were there so I got to update their photos.

I recommend the “gambas pil-pil”, sizzling plump prawns in hot garlicky olive oil, and the delicious pork meatballs in salsa. And be sure to check out the daily specials. This is the place to go when you feel like feeling at home.

Ricardo Navarrete 9
Ronda
tel 661 001 248
€ € €

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Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 9 | Ambiance 8

 

bacalao pavía

flamenquín in carbonara sauce

gambas pil-pil

pork meatballs

Alonso with Team Niña Adela 2017

Encarna (la niña de Adela) and her son Alonso – photo taken 2012

Alonso with mum & dad 2012

family photo 2017

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Updated February 2017

Granada Senzone

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senzone terraza

Tucked away inside the gardens of the Palacio de los Patos hotel, Senzone is a fabulous oasis in the centre of the city, with various fountains cooling the patio area where you can either sit at tables to eat a meal or curl up on sofas to enjoy a drink. Large trees and hanging wisteria provide natural shade and all the greenery running along the wrought iron fence shuts out traffic and city noise. My favourite was the gnarly pomegranate tree, which I was told was over 200 years old. If you don’t know, the pomegranate (or “granada” in Spanish) is the emblem of the city.

The Senzone Restaurant offers tapas as well as a full-service menu, and an intriguing tasting menu made of Riofrio caviar products.

Solarillo de Gracia, 1
Tel. 958 53 57 90
Senzone Website
€ € € €

senzone salmorejo salmorejo cordobés with chopped egg and jamón

senzone croquetacreamy bulltail croquettes

senzone mozarabepastela mozárabe: lamb & cinnamon in sweet pastry

senzone alpujarreño

designer alpujarreño: soft-cooked egg, jamón, chorizo, potato foam

senzone pomegranate200-year-old pomegranate tree

senzone wisteria

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El Mentidero

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Updated January 2015

mentidero
El Mentidero is just off Calle Navas, Granada’s famous street of bars next to the town hall in the city centre. With so much choice it’s hard to know which ones to head for, but El Mentidero is worth a visit. It’s a bit no frills, with a fairly typical layout of small bar, a few tables, and a small terrace outside, but the food is good. The house specialities are the “huevos rotos” and Iberian pork (presa) that you grill for yourself on a hot (and I mean HOT) stone plate, but there’s a full range of other tapas and larger dishes, both meat and fish. Like most places in Granada you get a small tapa “free” with your drink.

Piedra Santa 15
Granada
Tel
€ € €

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Food 7 | Wine 6 | Service 7 | Ambiance 6

mentidero bar mentidero mini tortillascomplimentary tortillas (for 2)

mentidero sausages

complimentary sausages in black pepper cream sauce (for 4)

mentidero broken eggs“huevos rotos” with jamón and fried potatoes

mentidero presagrilled presa Ibérica that we finished off on the HOT stone plate

mentidero hot stonethe HOT stone plate

mentidero tablestall tables in front of the bar

mentidero window

mentidero patio

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Updated January 2015

 

El Faro – Cádiz

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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
€ € € €

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Food 9 | Wine 8 | Service 7| Ambiance 7

marinated sardines on toast

el faro chocoschocos fritos (fried cuttlefish)

el faro croquetaspargo & bacaloa croquettes

king prawns in crispy pastry

el faro paviapavía de bacalao with wasabi over quince creme

el faro pavia on platepavía on plate

tortillitas de camarones

judiones with smoked fish

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Updated February 2017

Casa Manteca

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Updated July 2017


The perfect place to start a tapeo in Cádiz, Casa Manteca (literally “House of Lard”) specialises in excellent charcuterie. Favourites include the fried chicharrones (pork scratchings), mojama (air-cured tuna), and morcilla de higado (liver black pudding), washed down with a sherry or two. But for me the star dish is the chicharrones especiales (thinly sliced pork belly served with a sprinkle of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon).

The atmosphere is very old style, with walls covered in bullfighting photos and memorabilia, but despite a first impression of “only locals allowed”, the staff are very welcoming and the service is fast and friendly. There are always people coming and going so if it looks too packed when you first arrive just wait a few minutes for a space to open up at the bar or one of the small tables.

Also look for Antonio who has a permanent stall outside the bar selling seasonal treats such as erizo (sea urchins), camarones, ostiones and whelks. Buy a paper cone of his seafood delights and take them inside the bar to get a drink.

Corralón de los Carros 66
Cádiz
Tel 956 213 603
Open: 12.00 – 16.00 / 20.30 – midnight
€ €

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Food 10 | Wine 9 | Service 8| Ambiance 10

casa manteca bar (2)
casa manteca bar (1)

casa manteca cervecacervecitas!

casa manteca cutting chicherronescutting up chicharrones

casa manteca chicharrones sherry fried chicharrones and sherry

chicharrones “especial” with sea salt and fresh lemon juice

casa manteca especiales closeupwish you could taste these…

casa manteca chicharrones closeupseriously good…

casa manteca morcilla higadomorcilla de higado (liver black pudding)

longaniza (chorizo) picante

casa manteca butifarrabutifarraaaaa!

tuna and tomato montadito

casa manteca mojamasuperb mojama (air cured tuna)

casa manteca carne hornoexquisite “carne al horno”

casa manteca anchoasCantabrian anchoas

casa manteca cutting jamoncutting up a jamón

casa manteca Nelson MantecaNelson Manteca

casa manteca photos

casa manteca photo corner

casa manteca antonioAntonio selling camarones, whelks and ostrones

casa manteca facade

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Updated July 2017

La Cosmopolita

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Updated August 2015

cosmopolitaOpened in October 2010 and run by chef Daniel Carnero, La Cosmopolita is just off the calle Granada in the centre of Málaga. The decor is fresh and fun, with a twist on traditional. As are the tapas, which have become more inventive each year (though there are fewer tapas these days, and they are only available at the bar and selected outdoor tables). The food is very good – past favourites include the bulltail meatballs and the “pan de cristal” options (long chapata-style bread scooped out and filled with meat or cheese and then toasted). I also really like the croquetas (not something I say often) and the bacalao fritters.

Another innovation is the seasonal specials menu, usually a new one each month, and this is really worth checking out. The grilled bone marrow with prawn tartare and artichokes with pork jowl we tried were especially stunning. Also ask for recommendations from the terrific wine list.

José Denis Belgrano 3
Málaga
tel. 952 215 827
Open: 8.30 – midnight
(kitchen open 13.00 – 16.30 /  20.00 – midnight)
La Cosmopolita Website
€ € € €

Food 9 | Wine 10 | Service 8 | Ambiance 8
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cosmopolita dani

chef and owner Dani Carnero

cosmopolita bulltail albondigabulltail meatball in gravy

cosmopolita pucherocroquetas de puchero

cosmopolita buñelos de bacalaobuñuelos de bacalao (little cod fritters)

cosmopolita ostrasGuillardeau oyster

cosmopolita ventrescalightly grilled tuna belly (ventresca)

cosmopolita pared

cosmopolita bone marrowbaked bone marrow with prawn tartare

cosmopolita patataspatatas a la importancia with king crab

cosmopolita chistorragrilled chistorra with potato purée

cosmopolita ravioli aubergine with mojo rojoravioli filled with smoked aubergine,
topped with red mojo picon

cosmopolita calamarcalamares en pepitoria

cosmopolita pringa roll quail eggpringá in a warm bread roll, topped with quail egg

cosmopolita pan de cristalgrilled beef with pesto on “pan de cristal”

cosmopolita pringa winter truffle pringá with winter truffle

cosmopolita lagartitalagartijo Ibérico with fresh herbs and sriracha sauce

cosmopolita jamon

cosmopolita dining areadining area

cosmopolita terrazathe terraza

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Updated August 2015

El Refectorium Malagueta

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Updated July 2018


This is a fabulous neighbourhood bar just behind the bullring and a stone’s throw from Malagueta beach. Always busy and bustling, always serving excellent food. The tapas menu is small but, as with the longer restaurant menu, it’s all high quality stuff, and the service is top-notch, fast and friendly.

Sister bar to chic El Refectorium Catedral this original location has its own special charm. Make sure to try the gambas pil pil, the grilled chistorras and the rice of the day. Aside from the bar area and dining room inside there is a spacious sidewalk terrace.

Cervantes, 8
Tel. 952 21 89 90
12.30 – 16.30 / 20.30 – 23.30
Closed Sunday and Monday lunchtime
€ € €

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Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 8 | Ambiance 8

boquerones al vinagre

caña de lomo

arroz del día

prawn & jamón brochette

grilled chistorras

flamenquín

gambas pil pil

stewed oxtail

beef “albondigón” with spicy almond sauce

biznaga seller

Belén, Horacio, Curry, Julio, Belén, Alberto & Sergio

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Updated July 2018

Quitapenas

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quitapenas

There are four Quitapenas locations in the Málaga area. This one is located in Málaga city, just off the Calle Larios. Excellent seafood and very efficient service. Wines from the Quitapenas bodega are on offer, as well as from the rioja and rueda regions.

Calle de Marín García 4
Málaga
Tel. 952 602 357
Quitapenas Website
€€

quitapenas bar

quitapenas conchas finas, musselsconchas finas and steamed mussels

quitapenas rosada and gambasbreaded rosada and battered prawns

quitapenas bacalaofried bacalao (salt cod)

quitapenas jibiajibia (squid)

quitapenas calamarestender calamares

quitapenas door