Tag Archives: tapas bars

a surprise visit!

19 Saturday May 2018

Posted by in food & drink, friends, sevilla, sherry, tapas, tapas bars

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A delightful surprise visit from my friend José Pizarro @jose_pizarro yesterday. He is on a research trip around Andalucía and had one day (not enough!) in Sevilla. He asked me to take him and his team to a few traditional tapas bars “con solera” and I was more than happy to oblige. It was a fun and slightly crazy afternoon, and sadly I had to opt out of going to the Cathedral with them (after which they were heading to Jerez) because I had a tapas tour in the evening and needed to rest up a bit. Still, it’s always lovely to see my lovely friend.

rosario

08 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by in sevilla, spain, tapas, tapas bars

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When I first met Rosario last week I thought it would be nice to bring her the photos I took, because the bar doesn’t have a website or use social media, and when I tried showing them to her on my phone she the images were too small for her to see. Anyhow I did this today, and she loved them! And there’s that beautiful smile again. Then we got to talking about her late husband, how they met in their home village near Santander, and she also spoke about her mother (Rosario is one of 12 children), and coming to live in Sevilla over 60 years ago. Turns out Rosario is 88 and still works in Bodega San José with her children every day. An amazing woman. I’m so happy to have met her.

girl crush

30 Monday Apr 2018

Posted by in sevilla, tapas, tapas bars

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Lately I’ve been going to some very old-school tapas bars (some for the first time!). The other day I went to Bodega San José, a place I hadn’t been to for at least 15 years (!!!). As usual I got to talking with the barman and found out that the bar is 135 years and still in the same family. This is a photo of the present owners, Nicolás and his mother Rosario. It was Rosario’s father’s cousins, Rodrigo and Pablo, who founded the bar.

By the time we left I was completely in love with Rosario. Not only was she up for some photos (her son less so, but he went along), she told me about her upcoming cataract operation, saying how much she was looking forward to seeing clearly out of her left eye again, though by the way she filleted those anchovies I reckoned she could do it blindfolded. While she chatted with me she held my hands in hers and smiled that beautiful smile. Swoon…

Not surprisingly they are not on any social media, so I am going to put their Sevilla Tapas review on a PDF, print it out, and bring it to them at the bar. I think Rosario would like that.

anna & hijos

20 Tuesday Feb 2018

Posted by in food & drink, friends, sevilla, spain, tapas, tapas bars

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The last time Anna @annalibera was in town we weren’t able to meet up, so when I found out she was coming back for a few days I was happy that we could find a time to get together. We did a short lunchtime tapeo in Porvenir, starting off at a new abacería and later going to a neighbourhood gastrobar, where we were joined by Anna’s sons Linus and León. Great company and good times. xx

support system

24 Wednesday Jan 2018

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I’ve walked past this bar many times over the years, but only went inside for the first time the other day (it was time for a quick beer o’clock). Taberna Gonzalo Molina is clearly a local favourite, apparently specialising in quails & wings and they also host live flamenco performances a couple times a week. I didn’t try the birds as I reckoned drinking out of the beer glass I was given was enough of an immune system workout for one day. But I was actually charmed by the place, and will stop by again. If it’s still standing, that is.