Category Archives: gastronomy

percebes!

10 Friday May 2019

Posted by in food & drink, gastronomy, sevilla

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It’s been awhile since I had percebes (aka gooseneck barnacles). These creatures are caught off the coast of Galicia, often in dangerous conditions, and they are not cheap. In fact, you seldom see them in restaurants here, let alone tapas bars. So when I saw some on display at Cafetería Donald, and when I found out that Ania @writtenfromseville had never tried them… well, it was a date.

Percebes are simply boiled in salt water (sea water for preference) and you eat them by holding them by the “claw” end and then give the longer end a twist and pull, exposing the meat. At this point you might be squirted with escaping sea water, but no problem. They taste of the sea and have a tender-chewy texture. Really good.

la cochera del abuelo

05 Friday Apr 2019

Posted by in andalucia, friends, gastronomy, restaurants

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[Cinta, daughter María, Inma, Estela]

My lovely friend, and former WLT colleague, Cinta Romero (on the left) has been running La Cochera del Abuelo since May 2016. Originally a coach house, for many years it was a small family-run bar called El Abuelo. When Cinta took it over she transformed it into a charming spot for private gastronomy and wine events, catered by some of the best chefs in the city.

This week her project has taken a new turn, with Cinta opening La Cochera to the public with set menus on Thursday-Friday-Saturday evenings. Chef Bosco Benitez Ruíz del Pozo is at the helm with sous-chef Pepe Muñoz. I was invited to opening night and this is what we had…

  • Artisanal butter and tumeric bread
  • Grilled chicken heart skewer with pancetta
  • Red tuna, watercress salad, pineapple and peanut mojo sauce
  • Scalded egg “flower” with truffle sauce
  • Sea bass with a cream of peas and sautéed baby leeks
  • Grilled beef with Café de Paris sauce, baked beetroot
  • Cheese cake flan

The set menu is fantastic value at 30€ per person (drinks not included) and there is also a vegetarian menu available. We enjoyed some lovely manzanilla, cava and albariño with our meal – the wine list is short but very well thought out. Service is both professional and personal. It’s a great place to go for a special Sevilla dining experience. Reservations are a must as the cosy venue only holds 28 people.

La Cochera del Abuelo
Álvaro de Bázan 2
Tel +34 664 440 636
Website

[chefs Bosco & Pepe]

duncan

18 Monday Mar 2019

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Back in November 2010 I was invited by my friend Annie Bennett @anniebennett to join her for dinner at Gastromium. And it turned out to be one of the best meals of my life. Not only because the food was gorgeous, but the service was impeccable, with a lovely Scottish man called Duncan as our maître for the evening. It was such a memorable experience that I have kept the Gastromium post up on Sevilla Tapas, even after they sadly closed their doors and the three chefs moved on to other projects.

So imagine my surprise when I stopped for lunch at Tradevo Centro and one of the waiters said to me in perfect Spanish… hey, you have a website about tapas, don’t you? I told him my website was called Sevilla Tapas and has been going since 2007, and then he said he remembered me having dinner at Gastromium with a friend of mine. IT WAS DUNCAN. And well, we ended up having a nice chat and I thanked him again for having made that evening at Gastromium so memorable. Love when stuff like this happens.

botellas & bellotas

05 Tuesday Mar 2019

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I mean what could be better than an evening hosted by 12 jamón ibérico de bellota producers and 14 wineries, along with some fabulous cheeses? Well NOTHING much that I can think of. I think this is an annual event, though the last time I went was in 2016. It was great catching up with friends while sampling some amazing jamón and terrific wines. In fact, after a few of these wines my pal Esteban (Vermutería Yo Soy Tu Padre) even convinced me into taking a selfie with him. I’ve had worse Mondays!