camelia

After spending a very pleasant day walking around Parque Maria Luisa, I happened upon this bar on the way back to my hotel.

This is an Argentinian bar & its name is taken from the lyrics of a song - the details of which I'm afraid I can't remember, though the song is printed on the tapas menus on the tables.

From only going to stop for one drink - I ended up spending the evening here, sampling the range of bottled European beers & wallowing in the laid back atmosphere.

The decor is brilliant - I wish I owned this bar, or at least that I lived in Seville & could make it one of my locals. The walls have wooden slats stained in different colours & affixed to most of the available space are pictures & relics of life in Argentina & just items of interest. There is a large tiled mural on one wall & the ceiling has metal light shades all painted different colours on the inside, giving coloured pools of light like huge fairy lights. And even the wooden floor is decorated - there are instructions carved - complete with footstep diagrams - showing you how to dance the Tango!

There is also a large TV & the bar staff often put on various music DVDs, many Argentinian - they have a particular penchant for the Gotan Project & also U2.

This is a great place to spend the evening with good friends just relaxing & drinking & taking in the brilliant surroundings.

etiquetas: bars , tapas

While exploring the other side of the river in Seville one evening, I stumbled upon a delightful bar in the Triana area called Blanca Paloma.

Packed with people - the few tables long since surrounded - the room was so full, there was barely space to squeeze a place at the bar to order drink & food. But what this place lacks in space it certainly makes up for in the quality of its cuisine.

Among the delicious food I tried were some chunks of cod in light batter with a creamy dip, some melt-in-the-mouth fritters of cheese & ham, some beautiful boquerones, and some incredibly suculent pork cooked in a sherry sauce - all heavenly & speedily served.

If you have a problem with standing up to eat in confined spaces this is not for you - but really you should put such fripperies aside & check this place out & you'll see why it's so popular with the locals & the fortunate tourists who find it by accident.

etiquetas: bars , places to eat , tapas

Calle Betis runs along the river on the opposite side of the Guadalquivir to the main body of Sevilla. This street is always very popular at night because of the numerous eateries to choose from & the brilliant view of the city including the Plaza de Toros & Torre de Oro.

T de Triana is one of the tapas bars you should visit. Always very busy, it has a rustic charm & great views from the 5 or so high tables & stools outside, or if you don't fancy perching (after an evening of enjoying the local sherry etc), there are a couple of normal tables on either side of the door.

The food is delicious - I tried the meat balls (albondigas), cod in tomato sauce, bull's tail with chick peas & some other delights - as I visited a few times. All delicious & very reasonably priced. The sangria is also very quaffable & has a unique flavour, tasting as though it has pear rather than apple added, which gives it a subtly different & very pleasing taste.

One to add to your list of eateries to try in the beautiful city of Seville.

camelia lo descubrió en octubre de 2007

etiquetas: bars , places to eat , tapas

In the lesser-visited area of La Macarena, tucked down the many labyrinthine roads, is - allegedly - the home of Tapas. El Rinconcillo opened in 1670 (300 years before I was born) & I doubt little has changed - thank goodness.

This bar is supposed to be the place where tapas were invented & 300 years on it's still serving the most delicious food & some great sherry. I tried some Iberican sausage, some stewed pork & the chickpeas in spinach - all delicious.

The place has a real sense of history, from the huge oak barrels & shelves, the wooden-door fridges behind the counter, to the beautiful irridescent tiles all over the walls & the huge iron chandeliers.

Despite being a bit off the beaten track, it's well worth hunting out - for the atmosphere alone, but definitely for the tapas.

The Faro is a great place to eat, drink & enjoy the view of the Guadalquivir. The seafood is excellent - including the most melt-in-the-mouth calamari frito ever. There is a real energy about the place & in the evening the bar is constantly buzzing with numerous beers being pulled & plates of food being served to the constant stream of punters.

At the end of the evening a couple of members of the bar staff will usually lean out of the windows & throw loaves into the river - if you happen to be standing on the Puente de Triana at the time & look down into the river, you'll see 100s of fish surging to engulf the bread, their bodies writhing as they struggle to get as much as they can. It's quite a sight.

Definitely a must for anyone visiting the beautiful city of Sevilla.