16 Thursday Mar 2023
Posted in andalucia, gastronomy, restaurants, sevilla
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The Andalucia Academy of Gastronomy & Tourism held its annual awards this week at the Hotel Alfonso XIII, hosted by Academy president Iván Llanza and broadcaster Pepe da Rosa. It was a pleasure to celebrate the award presentation with friends and colleagues in the sector and later enjoy local dishes and wines at the reception in the beautiful orange blossom scented courtyard. Congratulations to all the winners.
07 Tuesday Mar 2023
Posted in friends, restaurants, sevilla, sherry, tapas bars
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I was so happy to be invited to the Premios Solera Sevilla presentation honouring the best of Sevilla’s sherry ambassadors. The event was hosted by the Consejo Regulador de Jerez (Sherry Council) at the fabulous La Fortíssima rooftop terrace. And what made this so special for me was that all the recipients of the awards are not only friends who work together to support sherry wines here but they are also friends of mine. To be included in this event was very special indeed. See the winners below…
15 Wednesday Feb 2023
Posted in birthdays, gastronomy, restaurants, sevilla, wine
Don’t ask. Perhaps because of all the sad stress of this week with Loki, or maybe for no reason at all, when I met up with Lucy to try out a new cheese bar (new to me, been here as long as I have – since 1993) we then ended up back at Jaylu to try the amazing jamón selection I’d missed when I was there on my birthday lunch with Peter. Then Lucy said, as she is wont to do, LET’S HAVE SOME FIZZ. Well, I don’t know what I was thinking so when I asked the barman which Cava they had by the glass he told me a couple of names and then I asked if he had any Corpinnat and he said Yes! Recaredo! Well, said I, let’s have that one! You serve it by the glass?? He said not usually but that he’d happily open a bottle for us and we could drink as many, or as few, glasses as we wanted. Ha. Too easy. And no, I didn’t ask the price. He left the bottle in a bucket next to us and said we could help ourselves. I think we all know what happened next.
Anyhoodle… who cares? It was Wednesday after all and Lucy and I realised that this was just a continuation of our Birthday Week. Plus we had a fabulous time hanging out at the bar and chatting with everyone. Much more convivial than sitting in the posh dining room, though that was also lovely when I did it in January. But I think I’ve found my favourite spot at Jaylu. Fabulous place.
24 Thursday Nov 2022
Posted in food & drink, friends, restaurants, sevilla
Richie, Michael, Juanlu, Frank & Pankaj
Can’t actually remember the first time(s) I met Michael and Frank, the dynamic duo behind Renoir Guides. Quite a few years ago now. And as Michael lives in London and Frank on the Costa del Sol we end up meeting up separately more often than together, either here or there. But this week is different! All the boyz are here, including Pankaj (who I’ve met before) and Richie (first time). And what a kick off we had. Sherry and aperitifs at Manolo Cateca and then lunch at Cañabota. And omg what a lunch it was. The last time I was at Cañabota was for my birthday in 2019 and since then Juanlu and team have garnered their first Michelin star (2021).
Funniest thing was walking into Manolo Cateca to meet the boyz and there was Sam! (of Charlie & Sam). I mean, what were the odds? Not only was he just passing through town but the last time I saw him and Charlie was on my birthday in 2019, just after my last meal at Cañabota when they met me for some celebratory cava. Mind blown.
It was an amazing afternoon, fun catching up and the food was spectacular, every bite was perfection and the wines were gorgeous. Many many thanks to the boyz for taking me out for this unforgettable experience.
Highlights from the superb Cañabota tasting menu below. Tomorrow I’m taking the guys on a Tasting Triana Tour. God help me…
21 Tuesday Jun 2022
Posted in restaurants, sevilla, tapas, tapas bars
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A couple of weeks ago I ran into a friend of mine enjoying snails outside a very popular snail bar (they’re in season now) and he was with a pal who happened to be a chef at a restaurant I wrote a rather scathing review about a few years ago (2013, this chef wasn’t there at that time). Anyhoodle, I took a pic of them and posted it on my Instagram and the next day got a message from the new owner of this place, asking me if I’d like to come and have a meal to see if I might enjoy it better than last time. I said sure, I mean why not, and then asked if I could bring a friend. And so I brought my friend Fourat with me, the same person who had been with me at that last disastrous meal back in 2013, it just seemed fitting. Fourat thought so too.
So today we showed up for lunch and it was lovely. Since Covid the new management (brother and sister team) has redone the whole place, including the menu, which now has a few Peruvian influenced dishes as Pedro has spent years in Peru running a restaurant there. It looked like a very interesting menu.
Gotta say, the main ISSUE of the previous visit had been the absolutely appalling and frankly rude service. It was only when I saw Fourat’s jaw drop open at one point after an especially rude bit that I knew I wasn’t just being over sensitive. We paid. We left. We never went back. Because you can have the best food in the world (and trust me, this wasn’t that) but if the service sucks then so does the entire experience.
Of course today we were going to get the VIP treatment, so I was mostly focused on the food. Which was excellent. Original takes on traditional dishes, the aforementioned Peruvian ones, lovely lemon and cava sorbet for dessert, all of which left us wanting to come back and try more. I really appreciate that Pedro got in touch because of course things change and he gave me – and Fourat – the chance to take another look.
casa azahar 