Category Archives: sevilla

takeaway!

17 Friday Jan 2025

Posted by in homecooking, restaurants, sevilla, spain, substack

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The other day I was invited to try out a new restaurant here by María, who I’ve known forever. She has a new job as front of house at brand new Luz y Brasa and she told the owners about me. And so, I went with Peter and it really was a great experience. BUT… there were only two of us and, aside from a few small starters, most of the dishes were mahoosive. So we on purpose over ordered because we didn’t want to have to decide between the sea bass or the Ibérico pork, and so we had both and then half of this baby came home with us.

People visiting Sevilla are never sure whether it’s okay to ask for a “doggie bag”. But I say hell yeah. It’s not really so much a Spanish custom but during Covid lockdown and with many places doing takeaway it became more usual, and then in 2023 there was a law passed (La Ley de Prevención de Pérdidas y Desperdicio Alimentario) requiring restaurants to offer a takeaway/leftover service.

And so Thursday’s takeaway leftovers have ended up being a delicious Friday lunch. Wild sea bass in a quick garlicky amontillado sauce, buttery mash and peas. Win-win.

baby it’s cold outside

16 Thursday Jan 2025

Posted by in seasons, sevilla, weather

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This is really about the coldest it gets here and… it’s now! I know I have a pair of gloves SOMEWHERE but can’t imagine where I might have stored them. Walking with crutches obviously means I can’t put my hands in my pockets and so… damn they get cold. The other day I hobbled into Taberna Manolo Cateca and when Manolo took my hands (like he does) he said… my god it’s like you just rode in on a Vespa. Yep.

new logo! again

15 Wednesday Jan 2025

Posted by in bitesize sevilla, sevilla, substack

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You may remember that I somewhat frantically threw together my first Substack post in an effort to have something up there on January 1st… and just made it, phew! The whole thing – idea, name, concept – came together in just a few hours, and there hasn’t really been time to catch my breath since then. Or work on the design. I mean I grabbed that fork with an orange slice (see below pic) off the internet just to have some image up there, but it obviously needed… more. Then today I sent my friend Paul a couple of ideas and together we came up with this new look. I like it! Thanks Paul!

beirutina birthday

10 Friday Jan 2025

Posted by in birthdays, bitesize sevilla, friends, gastronomy, restaurants, sevilla, spain

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birthday beirutina

My third (and final) birthday lunch. Well, you never know, but at least this is the last one during Birthday Week. I need to take some time off celebrating to get some work done on Bitesize Sevilla, which has turned into quite a time-consuming project (with a steep learning curve!). But I love doing it and of course the hope is that it will eventually start becoming a new source of income (I actually have three paid subscribers now!!!).

Anyhow, I had mentioned Beirutina as one of my top new openings for 2024 (both here and on the Bitesize Substack) and so Fourat got in touch to thank me and said she’d love me to come over and try some of their new dishes. Great! I’ve known Fourat for about fifteen years and we are neighbours as well as good friends. I was thrilled when she opened her little Lebanese brunch-lunch spot just three months ago, literally a stones throw from my house (I can see it from my balcony).

We got there early to find a little window table reserved for us and, well, it was fabulous. Although I’ve been here several times now this was the first time I got to try both Lebanese beer and wine and I loved them both. Fourat knows I’m not keen on sweets so for a birthday treat at the end of our meal she brought us a couple of her nutty Lebanese biscuits (also new on the menu) one with pistachio and orange, the other with peanuts, with a small bag of them to take home as well.

We had…

  • Almaza pilsener 🍺
  • Muhammara
  • Ksara Blanc de Blancs 🥂
  • Fatté Berenjena (aubergine)
  • Shawerma (marinated beef)
  • Lebanese cookies: pistachio and peanut