Our Easter trip

[holidaymaker]

Have recently got back & most places appeared to be open apart from Bar Coral (some work being done), Bona Cepa & Maxims.

We mainly went to our favourites but there were some surprise hits & misses...

Centric - just off the square for a great home-style set menu at 15 EUR - pasta or salad, fish or chicken, a choice of puddings, bread & olives, wine etc. & it was pretty busy too

Naciente - wonderful steaks & a roaring fire

Cellar la Parra - lively atmosphere, good mix of locals & tourists, not exactly gourmet cooking - starters are nothing special, but some tasy rustic lamb & a good winter place.

Ikebana - Sunday lunch of calamares, Paella, wine & desert & all for 12 EUR - unfortunately too cold too sit outside!

Brisa Marina - as ever wonderful fresh fish. Just go for the 14 EUR set menu & fish of the day which happened to be John Dory this time but has often been Sea Bass preceded by the most wonderful home-made meaty lentil soup - more like a vegetable stew!

& then I'm afraid the Miss was O Lume. It was actually pretty busy & maybe the chef couldn't cope but pasta starters were underdone & the lamb chops, so tasy on other visits, were beaten by those we had at Cellar La Parra. We've eaten there several times before & we know what quality they are capable of but I'm afraid that night was a disappointment.

& so to the surprise hit & only a surprise because we always viewed it as a Summer treat. Well eating at

Stay​

in winter/spring is such a treat. As Jose Maria proudly told us they are open all year & maintain a core of 17 staff. Last summer we found the service rather rushed & chaotic. This time it was impecable & set menu at just over 30 EUR was wonderful with different choices for us all from steak tartare & sea food spaghetto for starters to Cod in pastry, lamb and chines style pork for main. The menu changes every week - see www.stayrestaurant.com/ - unfortunately it didn't change before we left or we would have gone again! So do try Stay out of season - it's definitely worth it!

 

[favie]

What a good read Holidaymaker - sounds as if you had a great time!! I have Centric,Stay and Brisa Marina on my list as new ones to try in May. Brisa Marina always seems to get a good report - my Brother-in-law loves seafood - so he should love it there. Hope Corals will be opened in time for my Fav. Lamb Shank!!!!

 

[Disorderly]

Brisa Marina

It is so nice to see good reviews of Brisa Marina. We have been going there for years and it is a great favourite with Spanish families also - always a good sign.

Francisco and his team offer a friendly welcome to their regular customers and the food is always ultra reliable. Interestingly, our favorite Rioja is available at half the price of Los Zarzales.

I always come away from Brisa Marina feeling that I've enjoyed something of a bargain....must try O'Lume tho......the feedback is always so positive on this site so I'm determined to give it a try when we next visit next month. So, to all you regulars, may I ask what is the recommended "dish of the day"?

 

[Lala70w]

Thanks HolidayMaker - nothing like a review to brighten up a rainy day here.

We always go to Brisas for lunch. It has a lovely traditional feel, good food and great service. Spent a few enjoyable boozy lunches there. I often judge a restaurant by its tablelinen!

Interesting to hear of O'Lume - this is not the first time that people have reported a dip in quality when the restaurant is busy. Sure it must be a blip. Admittedly, it was very quiet when we were there last year, but the food and service were absolutely wonderful. We are taking the family this year.

Mr Disorderly, if you want value at O'Lume you can go far wrong with anything but I recommend the steak - T-bone off the bone - even the smaller portion is huge! Oh and the chocolate mouse is heavenly ...and the fig flavoured panna cotta....yum!

Lala

 

[holidaymaker]

Hi Lala,

just in case we are talking about 2 different places, I wanted to make it clear that I meant Brisa Marina (I think I've got the name right), which is almost opposite Stay & has aluminium chairs & tables outside (on the fairly busy main road) with a sort of mezzanine upper level inside. I think it's owned by the same people as los Faroles who also do very good fresh fish but I don't think they do a menu del dia.

There is another place called Brisas on the pedestrianised area.

 

[Lala70w]

Ah - thanks for correcting me HM - I did mean the Brisas Bar on the Pine Walk next to Iru. It is a traditional place which has been there since the 50s I think. Orange awnings, white table linen - great family place to go. Probably one of the last remaining original estabnlishments on the Pine Walk

I think I know where you mean - near the (shudder) Bar Imperial. Doesn't look much from the outside but if the food is good will maybe give it a go when I am there in the summer.

Lala

 

[CathB]

Brisa Marina is a must with us..the menu of the day is good value and have that at least once during the visit. I have always found the fish excellent....when we were there in October we discovered the wonderful Potage (a meal in iteslf), the monkfish & prawn kebabs were suberb and hubby and friends tried the sirloin of pork with pepper sauce which was also declared wonderful....

Roll on April

 

[pops]

Interesting to hear that Bona Cepa wasn't open. I hope the rumours I have heard arn't true.

Pops

 

[pinewalker]

Great to read such positive a review on "Stay", always one of our favourites. Together with La Llonja, surely two of the best restaurants in the Port, with great food and service and stunning views.

Was Stay as busy as ever, or a little quiter this time of year. Did you have to book or can one just turn up, which you certainly can not do in the summer. Also, was anybody eating outside at Stay, (or anywhere yet!), or is everyone still inside. We're coming out next week, which is a little early for us, and it's a case of "what to wear". Is it too early in the year for shorts and T shirts, or should I pack some extra pairs of trousers/jeans?

Interested to read also, that Maxims is closed, I thought they were open all year.

 

[Portofan]

Our Easter Trip

Hi Holidaymaker!

A good read......... telling it as it is!

And to CathB

Yep isn't the Potage good?

And pops

Last and not least, good to hear from you, but shouldn't you have been in bed, well I mean , it was late and......

Wonder what's the story re Bona Cepa?

When in PP in November for our quickie visit , it was open for lunch, maybe hols or redecor at the moment, we shall see.

 

[holidaymaker]

Was Stay as busy as ever, or a little quiter this time of year. Did you have to book or can one just turn up, which you certainly can not do in the summer. Also, was anybody eating outside at Stay, (or anywhere yet!), or is everyone still inside. We're coming out next week, which is a little early for us, and it's a case of "what to wear". Is it too early in the year for shorts and T shirts, or should I pack some extra pairs of trousers/jeans?

Stay was definitely quieter so we did just turn up on a Friday evening - no booking - but I think they may like you to book to get an idea of numbers. It wasn't the weather for eating outside & certainly not in the evenings. Having said that when we went in January we ate outside at some places at lunch times so if the weather perks up I think you could eat outside for lunch.

& as regards clothes, as I say the wether wasn't too good, so it was jeans/trousers & jumpers apart from one afternoon when my cropped trousers made an appearance!

 

[BonysLadenEspana]

Maxim's

Interested to read also, that Maxims is closed, I thought they were open all year.[/QUOTE]

Just to let you all know, that Maxim's will probably re-open at the end of next week.

Ran into Marcello last night and Claudia had her baby boy ( Bruno and three kilos) last Wednesday. Both doing fine.

BonysLad