MARABUNDA FOOD This is an excellent bar on a quiet street in the San Lorenzo area of Sevilla. It has tall stalls at the bar or tables and chairs opposite. The open kitchen allows you to see the food being prepared. The tapas menu is short but well-executed. We have been here three times now. Gilda acostada, anchoa, boquerón, piparra y aceituna kalamata (gilda lying down, salted anchovy, pickled anchovy, piparra and kalamata olives). A must-try is croquetas de pato. Duck croq

ROOSTIQ During a major snowstorm, we had an excellent dining experience here in Madrid’s Chueca district. It is a modern-style asador where they serve good, honest food in a wonderful setting with an open fire. All the tasty, healthy, and organic produce is from their garden farm in Ávila, in the rolling hills and countryside northwest of Madrid. To start, we had the highly recommended, Torrenznos Roostiq (Roostiq’s fried belly pork) There are many, many torreznos, but every

RESTAURANTE CASA TORIBIO PERMANENTLY CLOSED 2024 (The restaurant is now a new establishment) This is a very traditional restaurant in the heart of Madrid. In 1980, they opened as a pub called New Street, whose interior was based on a London street. After several years of making their name with Gin-Tonic with lemon peel, champagne cocktails, and Irish coffee, they began acquiring exclusive Rabo de Toro de Lidia (bull meat) from the nearby Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas (the

VENTA SANT JORDI After a fantastic bike ride in and around the mountains near Alcoy , Howard Goldsmith of Alicante Sunshine Villas ends with a revisit for Sunday l unch at Venta Sant Jordi, 4 km short of Alcoy. Venta Sant Jordi (St George) is our favourite; we haven’t been there for a while. So, we looked forward to Sunday and were not disappointed. The location is stunning. For motorbike lovers, it is on a wide corner, where you can watch the bikers take the corner with th

RESTAURANTE CHÉ RAGAZZI - GASTRO FUSIÓN ITALIANO ARGENTINO Review by our friend Howard Goldsmith of Alicante Sunshine Villas We have been a little spoiled this weekend. On Friday, we went to Elda to try a relatively new restaurant that we had heard good things about. I’m not sure we were convinced about the Italian/Argentinian fusion idea before we arrived, but we were believers afterwards. There are three Menu options: Italian, Argentinian, and mixed. I think they are priced

HOSTAL LA TORRE If you are looking for a great, chilled place to stay outside the hustle and bustle of Sant Antoni, head to Hostal La Torre. It is set high on a cliff called Cap Nde eget, about 4 km outside Sant Antoni de Portmany (San Antonio), looking out towards the luscious blue Mediterranean. Luscious gardens The terrace provides a stunning panoramic view of the beautiful surrounding area. It has a nice courtyard garden area to the rear and a lovely restaurant with a won

SA TRENKA RESTAURANT We decided to take a trip up north of the Island from Sant Antoni (San Antonio) to a beach and restaurant we had not been to before. We found a stunning beach, Calla Martina, and a charming, unpretentious chiringuito with a great vibe that specialised in rice dishes and seafood. The perfect ‘alternative’ Ibiza to some trendy, expensive places south of the Island. We booked a table for 2 pm and then walked along the beach. On returning to Sa Trenka, we ord

MESÓN TXISTU A Little off the beaten track, this is a very traditional Basque restaurant. With an old-school setting. Once settled in, we had Jamón Iberico de Bellota Almejas marinera (fisherman’s clams) Gambas con huevos revueltos (prawns with scrambled eggs) Calamare fritas (fried squid) You can also try, Tortilla de bacalao (cod omelette) Rape a la plancha (grilled monkfish) Solomillo (sirloin steak) Chuleta de ternera a la parrilla (grilled veal chop) Pierna de cordero (l

TERRAZA CARMONA Michelin Plate IIO This grand restaurant is a family-run business and the oldest in Vera. Vera is the main town in this area, located approximately 10 km inland from the coast. I believe it was once home to the only cinema outside Almeria. If you come to the open market in Vera on a Saturday, you will find this oasis in the thick of it. You can stroll around the market from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm and then sneak in before the rush. On arrival, you will enter

We returned to Sevilla for the first time since 2019 after many false alarms over the past couple of years due to covid, cancelled flights, etc. This was our second tapas tour with our friend, Shawn Hennessey of Sevilla Tapas. You can see our 2019 tapas tour HERE ;  all the bars are still valid. This time, we headed for the down-to-earth Tirana district of Sevilla, which the Mercado de Triana, a lively market hall near the arched Puente de Isabel II bridge, anchors. Many re