Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Menu del Dia Heaven
It took me a few years after moving to Spain to realise that you didn´t have to go to the most expensive restaurants in town to enjoy a good meal. It´s always nice to go into Marbella or Banus for a special occasion but for a casual lunch some of the menus del dia are fantastic. Ok you may not get a Marina side view and silver service waiters, but if you like cheap and cheerful then you will be impressed. I live at Mijas-Golf, and one of our favourite places to eat locally is Hoyo 19 on the Coin road. The menus is €11 euros including three courses and wine. And when I say wine, I mean half a bottle each, which is just about enough for lunchtime (if not, order some more - it´s cheap). The menu is changed regularly, but there are three choices of starter and main course, and lots of desserts to choose from. Last time we went we had eggs florentine to start (oooo la la - you don´t see those on many set menus!) and baby leg of lamb as a main course. The waiter even bought mint sauce with it. My friend Matthew is a chef, and couldn´t believe they were serving a whole leg of lamb for this price - and excellent it was too. By the time you finish dessert you probably won´t be able to move but hey, you´ll go home happy and not have to worry about cooking dinner.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Esparragal - probably the best bar in the world
El Esparragal - probably the best bar in the world
For those of us who live on the Costa del Sol, there are hundreds of bars, restaurants and night clubs to choose from - ranging from your average spit and sawdust back street café to fine dining establishments in the swankier resorts. In the good old days when hangovers only took a few hours to get over, I might have been spotted in a few infamous late night venues, but since I have become sensible (hmmm), I prefer to do my socialising in the early evening. I live in Mijas-Golf, and the best bar I have come across in all my years here is the Esparragal - or the ´Pub in the Park´ as it´s commonly known.This hidden gem of a bar is situated in open parkland about 1km past the Tamisa Golf Hotel in the direction of Coin/Alhaurin, and plays host to hundreds of Spanish and English families at the weekends and a more motley crew during the week.Me and my mate Dave (definitely part of the motley crew) have been known to enjoy a beverage or twelve until well after midnight at this popular joint, and you can spend far less in an evening here than you would spend in an hour or two elsewhere (depending how thirsty Dave is obviously).Draught Cruzcampo (it does taste better after the first 3) is €1 for a half pint, and a spirit and mixer is €3.50. The bar offers a simple menu, but everything is cooked to perfection, and the prices are unbeatable. Try the tomatoes with garlic and olive oil for €2 or the chicken wings for the same price. A selection of ´bocadillos´ and toasties is also available from €2.50, plus some of the best Manchego cheese you will taste at €6 a plate.I last visited recently with 4 friends, and we enjoyed toasties, pork fillet, fish fingers, chips, a plate of garlic tomatoes, two bottles of wine, two gin and tonics, 4 pints of beer and 3 orange juices. Four hours after arriving (hic!) the bill worked out at €10 a head. Not bad for an afternoon´s eating, drinking and merrymaking – not to mention a free suntan.What you will find here is that although the drinks are cheap, the brands are not. No sign here of the infamous, hangover-from-hell inducing brands, which are popular in many bars on the coast. The vodka brands which usually end in the letters ´ov´ should carry government health warnings, and don´t be fooled by lots of bars advertising coffee and brandy for €2. The last time I was duped into this, the brandy tasted like ethanol (a popular tipple when I was in the Middle East, but hey, I had no choice there). It is open every day except wednesday from 12 noon till late and from 5pm in July and August.Oh and look out for the Romeria de Las Lagunas which takes place on the second sunday in June and ends up in the park - a massive paella is served free of charge plus copious amounts of sherry and tapas. Live music starts around 4pm.
Posted by Jane at Wednesday, May 21, 2008 0 comments
Labels: Life on the Costa
For those of us who live on the Costa del Sol, there are hundreds of bars, restaurants and night clubs to choose from - ranging from your average spit and sawdust back street café to fine dining establishments in the swankier resorts. In the good old days when hangovers only took a few hours to get over, I might have been spotted in a few infamous late night venues, but since I have become sensible (hmmm), I prefer to do my socialising in the early evening. I live in Mijas-Golf, and the best bar I have come across in all my years here is the Esparragal - or the ´Pub in the Park´ as it´s commonly known.This hidden gem of a bar is situated in open parkland about 1km past the Tamisa Golf Hotel in the direction of Coin/Alhaurin, and plays host to hundreds of Spanish and English families at the weekends and a more motley crew during the week.Me and my mate Dave (definitely part of the motley crew) have been known to enjoy a beverage or twelve until well after midnight at this popular joint, and you can spend far less in an evening here than you would spend in an hour or two elsewhere (depending how thirsty Dave is obviously).Draught Cruzcampo (it does taste better after the first 3) is €1 for a half pint, and a spirit and mixer is €3.50. The bar offers a simple menu, but everything is cooked to perfection, and the prices are unbeatable. Try the tomatoes with garlic and olive oil for €2 or the chicken wings for the same price. A selection of ´bocadillos´ and toasties is also available from €2.50, plus some of the best Manchego cheese you will taste at €6 a plate.I last visited recently with 4 friends, and we enjoyed toasties, pork fillet, fish fingers, chips, a plate of garlic tomatoes, two bottles of wine, two gin and tonics, 4 pints of beer and 3 orange juices. Four hours after arriving (hic!) the bill worked out at €10 a head. Not bad for an afternoon´s eating, drinking and merrymaking – not to mention a free suntan.What you will find here is that although the drinks are cheap, the brands are not. No sign here of the infamous, hangover-from-hell inducing brands, which are popular in many bars on the coast. The vodka brands which usually end in the letters ´ov´ should carry government health warnings, and don´t be fooled by lots of bars advertising coffee and brandy for €2. The last time I was duped into this, the brandy tasted like ethanol (a popular tipple when I was in the Middle East, but hey, I had no choice there). It is open every day except wednesday from 12 noon till late and from 5pm in July and August.Oh and look out for the Romeria de Las Lagunas which takes place on the second sunday in June and ends up in the park - a massive paella is served free of charge plus copious amounts of sherry and tapas. Live music starts around 4pm.
Posted by Jane at Wednesday, May 21, 2008 0 comments
Labels: Life on the Costa
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Hidden gems near Dunnes
At the risk of sounding like a shopping bore, has anyone been to the part of Myramar, Fuengirola where Iceland and Boulanger are situated? Not that I normally get excited over DIY style shops, but AKI is fantastic - they sell allsorts of lighting, rugs, garden furniture and barbecues. Ok ok they do sell tins of paint too (yawn) and those fiddly bits of taps and tubes that never seem to fit anything, but apart from that, this is a really great shop. Iceland is also great for your frozen British goodies and now does a good range of fresh meat and vegetables too. Marinated ribs, steaks and chicken are great for the barbie and the prices are reasonable. Boulanger Electrical Store is another favourite of mine - even if I only go in to look longingly at the 40 inch flat screen tellies (how sad is that?) But being on a tight budget, the real jewel in the crown for me is Lidl - yes really.Marks and Spencer´s food hall it ain´t, but there are some great bargains to be had. Wine lovers - try the Albariño white at €3.50 a bottle - it is superb, and costs nearly double the price in other supermercados. You can also bag six large bottles of mineral water for just over €1.10. Oh and if you have any money left after stocking up on the wine, they sell food too!
Posted by Jane at Wednesday, May 21, 2008 0 comments
Hidden gems near Dunnes
At the risk of sounding like a shopping bore, has anyone been to the part of Myramar, Fuengirola where Iceland and Boulanger are situated? Not that I normally get excited over DIY style shops, but AKI is fantastic - they sell allsorts of lighting, rugs, garden furniture and barbecues. Ok ok they do sell tins of paint too (yawn) and those fiddly bits of taps and tubes that never seem to fit anything, but apart from that, this is a really great shop. Iceland is also great for your frozen British goodies and now does a good range of fresh meat and vegetables too. Marinated ribs, steaks and chicken are great for the barbie and the prices are reasonable. Boulanger Electrical Store is another favourite of mine - even if I only go in to look longingly at the 40 inch flat screen tellies (how sad is that?) But being on a tight budget, the real jewel in the crown for me is Lidl - yes really.Marks and Spencer´s food hall it ain´t, but there are some great bargains to be had. Wine lovers - try the Albariño white at €3.50 a bottle - it is superb, and costs nearly double the price in other supermercados. You can also bag six large bottles of mineral water for just over €1.10. Oh and if you have any money left after stocking up on the wine, they sell food too!
Posted by Jane at Wednesday, May 21, 2008 0 comments
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Menu del Dia Heaven
It took me a few years after moving to Spain to realise that you didn´t have to go to the most expensive restaurants in town to enjoy a good meal. It´s always nice to go into Marbella or Banus for a special occasion but for a casual lunch some of the menus del dia are fantastic. Ok you may not get a Marina side view and silver service waiters, but if you like cheap and cheerful then you will be impressed. I live at Mijas-Golf, and one of our favourite places to eat locally is Hoyo 19 on the Coin road. The menus is €11 euros including three courses and wine. And when I say wine, I mean half a bottle each, which is just about enough for lunchtime (if not, order some more - it´s cheap). The menu is changed regularly, but there are three choices of starter and main course, and lots of desserts to choose from. Last time we went we had eggs florentine to start (oooo la la - you don´t see those on many set menus!) and baby leg of lamb as a main course. The waiter even bought mint sauce with it. My friend Matthew is a chef, and couldn´t believe they were serving a whole leg of lamb for this price - and excellent it was too. By the time you finish dessert you probably won´t be able to move but hey, you´ll go home happy and not have to worry about cooking dinner.
Menu del Dia Heaven
It took me a few years after moving to Spain to realise that you didn´t have to go to the most expensive restaurants in town to enjoy a good meal. It´s always nice to go into Marbella or Banus for a special occasion but for a casual lunch some of the menus del dia are fantastic. Ok you may not get a Marina side view and silver service waiters, but if you like cheap and cheerful then you will be impressed. I live at Mijas-Golf, and one of our favourite places to eat locally is Hoyo 19 on the Coin road. The menus is €11 euros including three courses and wine. And when I say wine, I mean half a bottle each, which is just about enough for lunchtime (if not, order some more - it´s cheap). The menu is changed regularly, but there are three choices of starter and main course, and lots of desserts to choose from. Last time we went we had eggs florentine to start (oooo la la - you don´t see those on many set menus!) and baby leg of lamb as a main course. The waiter even bought mint sauce with it. My friend Matthew is a chef, and couldn´t believe they were serving a whole leg of lamb for this price - and excellent it was too. By the time you finish dessert you probably won´t be able to move but hey, you´ll go home happy and not have to worry about cooking dinner.
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