Tag Archives: bars

lockdown beer o’clock

12 Friday Jun 2020

Posted by in sevilla, tapas bars, welcome

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

beer oclock

So exactly three months since my last Beer O’clock I finally ventured into a bar for a caña. I had to go out and pick up my blood test results so decided to turn that outing into a 10,000 step walk. It felt so good to just stand at a bar again, the beer itself was almost beside the point. Still wouldn’t eat out anywhere, waiting to see how things go after we’ve been in Phase 3 for two weeks (ten days from now), which will then be the official end of lockdown. Experts are saying we’re headed for a second wave. Hope not!

shawn of the bread update

28 Friday Feb 2020

Posted by in restaurants, sevilla, tapas bars

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

It’s been almost five years since I was dubbed Shawn of the Bread by my friends Anna & Jorge @guitianmayer, due to my continuing battle against the unfair – and illegal – bread/service charges that first appeared on menus in Sevilla sometime around 2010-2012. I was reminded of this yesterday when Lucy @sparkybakewell & I were out for a drink at our new favourite “penúltima bar” and decided to have a snack. And there it was.

Even though we had sent back the unasked for bread basket we were charged 1€ per person for “service”. Well, they tried to charge us. When I explained to the waiter (lovely young woman really, wasn’t her fault) she took the charge off the bill and instead we left the 2€ as a tip. Because that “service” charge never goes to the staff. It’s simply a way of making extra money – illegally – for doing absolutely nothing. Like an admission fee. Not right. And they count on people not knowing it’s illegal, and also that they won’t make a fuss about it. But they never count on me.  😉

The regulations for this are clearly stated here…
Obligaciones de bares, restaurantes y cafeterías

Los servicios no solicitados no se pueden cobrar. Tampoco se pueden cobrar conceptos como, por ejemplo, reservas, cubierto o mesa.

juan antonio

21 Saturday Sep 2019

Posted by in restaurants, sevilla, tapas, tapas bars

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

This seems to be my week for meeting charming elderly gentlemen. I went to update my review of Bodega San Lorenzo after hearing that it was under new management. Happily the interior of this venerable bar, founded in 1864, has remained visually the same after a bit of sprucing up (and nice new bathrooms!), along with a few changes to the menu, notably a more complete wine list.

Anyhow, while I was there waiting for my friend Lucy to join me I took some photos and ended up talking with Juan Antonio, who was enjoying a midday vermouth while reading his paper.  In a very short while I learned that he is 78 (his birthday was two days ago), has lived in the barrio for 25 years, lives alone but has a daughter who looks in on him daily, and we also touched on other topics such as exchanging birthday gifts El Corte Inglés, compression socks, knees (his are much better now, mine not so much), to mention a few. Such a lovely man!

When Lucy arrived we tried a couple of snacky things before heading to our main lunch spot, but I will definitely be back to San Lorenzo to sample more of the menu. Around midday, so that I might run into Juan Antonio again. 🙂