BAR RESTAURANT TOKI-ALAI Heading east along the coast road from Mundaka, you will find this lovely Restaurant, which is situated on a beautiful little surfers' beach. It is a reasonably large stone Restaurant/bar. One glass wall provides a fantastic view of the beach. It is an excellent spot for a nice, relaxing lunch, trying a few delicious pintxos at the bar, or having a more leisurely meal in the evening. There is a very good menu del dia for €25 (weekdays) and €30 (weeke

CERVECERIA CATALANA Michelin Plate IIO A return to this restaurant in April 2022 for a few tapas when Covid-19 restrictions were still in place. All tables were spaced out, and the bar area had plastic shields. A nchoas escalivar. V ieira y gambas . The restaurant was not as busy as on previous visits, which is understandable given the COVID-19 restrictions. A previous visit in more convivial times. This is an excellent spot for tapas at the bar or a full-blown meal in th

SHUNKA After arriving 15 minutes late, after some difficulty finding the restaurant, we were told there would not be enough time for the tasting menu. After a few pleading, encouraging words, they relented and served us the Shunka menu. It is a charming restaurant with good furnishings. Menu Shunka €75 per person. Raw oyster with ponzu sauce. Red Mullet with ponzu sauce. Deep-fried hake cheeks. Sushi of smoked sardine. Steamed cockles, with sake. Sashimi. Tuna belly, sea urc

ROSARIO VARELA During our visit to Granada for the Premios Andalucía de Gastronomía 2022 (The Festival of Andalusian Gastronomy 2022), we had a couple of free nights and spent our second one here. Due to the still-in-play Covid-19 restrictions, there was no standing/eating at the bar, and everyone had to be seated. This is a little Local pearl in Granada. We went on a relatively quiet Sunday evening, when many other bars were closed, but still had to wait 10 minutes for a tab

TABERNA LA TANA During our visit to Granada for the Premios Andalucía de Gastronomía 2022 (The Festival of Andalusian Gastronomy 2022), we had a couple of free nights and spent our first one here. Due to the still-played Covid-19 restrictions, there was still no standing/eating at the bar, and everyone had to be seated. We waited 20 minutes for a table outside. The restaurant is a very cosy, tiny, crowded, and noisy taberna on a side street. There are three tables inside the

RESTAURANTE ESCÁNEZ We returned to an old favourite, Restaurante Escánez. Located on the Almeria coast, in the municipality of Garrucha since 1982, it was remodelled in 2004. A few years earlier, we were invited to Almería 2019, a food celebration held after Almería was named Capital Española de la Gastronomía 2019. We toured the fish auction, then had a lavish feast at Castillo San Ramón/Las Escobetas on the outskirts of Garrucha. Local chefs, including Paco Escánez of Rest

We had been invited to attend "The Festival of Andalusian Gastronomy 2020", which, unfortunately, was cancelled in March 2020 due to the start of the COVID-19 restrictions. We now fast-forward two years to March 2022. After meeting the group at the Hotel Abades Nevada Palace de Granada, we board the coach for our first visit to the Costa Tropical (where there are dozens of beaches and small coves with crystal-clear water and 320 days of sunshine per year). It has an average

CASA SEVILLA This restaurant is in the middle of Almería, heading toward the port area. It is set in an alleyway off the main street and was full of locals on the evening we attended, which is always a good sign. There are tables outside in the alleyway, a restaurant in a room at the back, and tall tables with stalls in the bar area. They serve a very varied menu, including Almería's typical traditional dishes and specialities of the house. With every drink, in our case, a c

MUSEO DEL JAMÓN A few of these Museo del Jamón tapas bars are scattered around Madrid, and this one at Carrera San Jeronimo 6 is our particular favourite. They all offer an eclectic mix of traditional Spanish food, centred on ham, bread, beer & wine. This place can be a godsend for those concerned about how much they spend. A beer and a ham & cheese bocadillo (roll) can be bought for around €1; you cannot beat that. If you have more money, try one of the less expensive Jamón'

RESTAURANT GRESCA Michelin Plate IIO This restaurant is a hidden gem, but from its discreet, tiny entrance, you would hardly guess it could be a fantastic culinary journey. We arrived early Monday night for a 9 pm booking, but the place looked closed, so we went for a drink around the corner. On our return, there was still only one other diner. Within half an hour, the place was full, including ex-Barcelona footballer and TV pundit Gary Lineker. He had local knowledge.