Author: gironapete

It’s early March and there’s still not much open in our L´Escala neck of the woods, Montgo. Two beachside restaurants look to be open Friday to Sunday, Oreig and Can Miquel. The latter has a low-rise 3 star hotel attached to it. We stopped off recently for a morning coffee which took ages before we got them. No surprise really if you look at their online reviews for speed of service and treatment.

Down the hill from us the modern touristic sprawl of Riells with its white-washed houses doesn’t look that exciting either. Its beachfront pedestrian promenade is eerily dormant. Just a stone’s throw away the main street Avinguda de Montgo has the usual array of retail, real-estate places, bars and restaurants, but subdued activity. Come summer it’s bustling but seems boringly uninviting right now.

If you’re seeking a slightly facer pace then you need to head for the old fishing village area, Casc Antic. It has a more varied mix of independent shops and plenty of bolt holes for a drink or snack. Wander down side streets and see where they take you. More people means a buzzier vibe especially at the weekends, as many congregate around the couple of smaller beaches here. 

One such sandy oasis is La Platja where Bar Bikini sits amongst several well placed eateries, close by to a favourite of ours, Grop. Bar Bikini has a narrow corner setting, a cosy interior and a larger outdoor terrace where we sat. It’s another contender for a sundowner spot or people watching.

The bubbly waitress served us a bottle of their house white wine (16€) and we began to survey the food menu. It’s a simple mix of tapas, salads, hot and cold sandwich options which includes pastrami-which you don’t see often. So we ordered some sharing tapas plates, a goat’s cheese salad and a pastrami sandwich. All fine but not enough pastrami.

The waitress is starting to break into good English and the inevitable questions surface covering our respective lives and reasons for being here. I’ve been in bars where the grilling becomes too private for my English reservedness. I often feel like I’ve given away too many personal details. The kicker is when I’m with the kids and the talk oscillates between English, Spanish and Catalan. 

Eyebrows are raised and incredulous grins become the norm. The gift of languages is a gift that keeps giving. It’s also something which would have been harder to achieve (for our kids) had we stayed in the UK. It also makes for humorous scenarios when we overhear locals talking about us-thinking we don’t understand. You should see their faces when they realise the opposite is true, and the kids’ put downs are sweet revenge.

Food consumed we´re beginning to feel the drop in temperature as evening looms, it’s time to go.

Verdict. Bar Bikini managed to satisfy our thirst and hunger, a commendable food outpost if simplicity is your bag. There are however many competing bars around which makes choosing a bit harder. I was additionally impressed by their interior lighting, long low hanging light cloches adding an original touch. 

Cold, windy, wintery January days are not the ideal scenario that instils a desire to venture out and have a seaside lunch. But never underestimate a daughter’s persistence. So it was that we ventured out to Calella de Palafrugell in anticipation of finding suitable shelter and sustenance.

A perennial favourite of ours, this small chic Costa Brava town is a magnet for well healed summer visitors both foreign, Spanish and Catalan, eager for a quiet vacation. This is not the place for cheap eats and high rise hotels. Property here is in the price range that particularly attracts affluent weekend looking retreat Barcelonians.

These former fishing villages are booked solid summertime but out of season they become so quiet that it prompts a second look if you see anyone on the streets. 

Open eateries are few and far between during the winter downtime but once we reached the picturesque stretch of seafront we noticed restaurant La Vela almost full.

At 2.30 pm this was the ideal striking time and an empty table caught our eye. Swift action is the name of the game as other passers-by are your competition. We’re in and our two dogs are not a problem. We sat in their enclosed outdoor terrace, their indoor areas had the patio heaters- lucky them.

Looking around the terrace the seating room is quite tight so I guess there is no room for them, shame as it could do with it being a few degrees warmer. No real problem as I’m not taking my jacket off. Overhead heaters could be a solution, just saying.

On the plus side their menu is not several pages long, so we chose a few sharing plates and I ordered a staple favourite, a goats cheese salad. Glancing around surreptitiously quite a few fellow diners were eating the seafood rice dish, at 18€ each. Served in a deep bowl, hot and  steamy in a rich sauce, a comforting foil to today’s ambient temperature. I immediately get buyers remorse.

It’s so appealing that two of our party decided to plump for this same dish. It appears to be a clear case of comfort food versus my healthier salad option. I quickly reassure myself that my body is better rewarded with leafy greens.

Having consumed our chosen dishes the burning question of desserts is now upon us.  I rarely see anything different from the usual repertoire of crema catalana, lemon sorbet, chocolate coulant or my favourite, cheesecake. I´m pretty sure most dessert options are bought in, rarely homemade creations. 

This time there’s bunyols de xocolate (sweet dough balls filled with chocolate then fried) and recuit de drap amb mel (an artisanal dessert usually made with goats cheese,reminiscent of English cottage cheese, plus honey. I decline but the other three are swayed.

It almost feels like they’re an afterthought, and judging by the prices sometimes the mark-up must be good. We order warming coffees before venturing out back into biting January winds. The idea of a post-lunch seaside stroll is quickly forgotten.

Verdict. A safe port in a storm, a welcome wintery shelter that would no doubt be better enjoyed in sunnier times. Shame it doesn’t have more fish or seafood based dishes like a comforting fish stew.

Final bill for 4, which included 2 bottles of house white wine (16€ ea.) was 156€

Rupia is one of many small Catalan villages that you can easily speed past on your way to coastal resorts like Estartit or L’Escala. I must have passed this way hundreds of times and thought little about it.

After all there’s not much to look at when driving, just a small car garage and a lonely set of traffic lights, that’s because the village sits astride the main road. Luckily for craft beer lovers there’s a trendy micro-brewery / bar called Dos Kiwis that also has a food truck. We’ve stopped here a few times, the beers on offer are a mix of frothy fruit flavoured IPA’s and lagers, all relatively strong. The food’s another matter, I’ll do a separate review of this place.

We’ve never ventured to look further but this time it’s different, as an old friend is doing a Sunday afternoon DJ spot at what appears to be the only village bar as far as I can tell. Aptly named Bar de Rupia. The well kept village has visitor parking, useful as some of these mediaeval villages are riddled with narrow streets and car restrictions.

Safely parked we slowly ambled along the quiet streets, curiously admiring the cute mix of village house styles, large and small. Some of the stone built ones look very old with tiny windows. It even has a small grocery store.

We must be getting closer as wafting cool blues music pervades the afternoon sky. Bar Rupia looks over a small square surrounded by large imposing residences, no doubt lending a good acoustic touch. It’s close to 1pm and business is brisk, with no sight of an empty outdoor table. It’s a bright sunny spring day and sitting al fresco is the prime objective. 

Our friend’s DJ spot is in full swing, set back far enough from the bar so the music is background and non-intrusive. As we chat away a table becomes vacant, we’re in. A quick visual scan of the other patrons and they look like locals. I’m beginning to wonder why I’ve never heard about this place and like what I see, and pick up their one page clipboard food menu (in Catalan). 

These lazy Sunday afternoon outings are what tapas is all about and we order some snails (12€), calamari with wasabi mayo (9€) and xoricets (5.70€), small spicy sausages in a cider sauce. A small selection of much bigger dishes are also on offer and a takeaway menu too. 

Choices are a variety of typical Catalan fare and prices are not over the top at all. Dishes we ordered were plentiful and the calamari a hit, crunchy batter with the wasabi mayo a tasty kick.

It’s starting to feel toasty as our table is bathed in direct sun, thankfully there are a few large sun umbrellas. Additional tables and chairs are quickly provided as a steady stream of new customers arrive.

If you’re looking for tasty no frills food or just a slow relaxing drink, in a cute village setting away from the hustle and bustle, then Bar Rupia is surely worth a look.

I must walk past or near to this place nearly everyday as part of my dog walking routine. It’s one of many restaurants that hibernate during the windy winter months, reawakening at easter.

Except for some low-slung roadside shrubs, the long range views are eye-pleasing. The recent removal of a long abandoned, concrete built, graffiti plastered beach bar has improved matters.

Just metres away from the beach it’s a perfect spot for one of those long, take-your-time lunches that we enjoy. Or just as welcoming for a morning coffee or sunset drink. The wide, roomy terrace has weather protection and a canopy, useful as it can get blowy here.

The hoarding above displaying its name, Cheers Playa, looks shabby and unloved in comparison to its neat interior. Still, forgetting the old adage of never judging a book etc we ventured forth one sunny Sunday afternoon.

The first obstacle upon entering is our two small dogs, in the absence of any ‘dogs are welcome’ signage it’s a recurring question that gets asked. Thankfully it’s rarely a problem with outdoor terraces, and even indoors-’as long as they’re well behaved’ being the usual anecdote. In contrast the restaurants in Girona are by and large less accepting.

On our Sunday lunchtime visit in early May we were offered a variety of table locations on the terrace, settling on a large, round, ample sized, corner table. Peeking further in, the interior is light, spacious and uncluttered, crisp white tablecloths de rigueur.

We began to peruse the menu, thankfully it wasn’t a long one, and were quickly distracted by the weekend 3-course set menu at 22€ (including bread, water and glass of wine/small beer).

A quick rundown:

Starters, a choice of 4, mussels, goats cheese salad, garlic prawns or beef carpaccio.

Seconds, again a choice of 4, pork tenderloin, veal loin, Salmon or seafood paella.

I opted for the goat’s cheese salad which I choose quite often, ensuring my fix of greens. Depending on where we dine I find it differs widely in quality and in choice of ingredients added to the obvious goats cheese and salad leaves, this one was an 8/10.

The same opinion applies to paella, my second’s choice, as there are so many ways to cook it.

Service was swift, genuinely friendly and fuss-free. The food presentation and quality were impressive, and the desserts were hitting the right notes too. I’d return for sure if there weren’t so many other local places I’d still like to try.

Final bill, for 4, with extra coffees and drinks took us to 116€

It’s the start of April and many of the seafront restaurants are starting to throw off their winter shackles and bounce back to life once again.

A good few of them divide their dining spaces into three areas. Interior, outdoors and a kind of semi-interior, a terraced space protected against the elements with clear plastic curtain sides. That’s because it can, and does get windy here. At its worst this windy escapade even has its own name-tramuntana- descending down off the mountains and not the sea.

I’m looking to book a late lunch for ten of us with a sea view so venture down to the port area of L’Estartit.

Curiously, when you drive into town along its wide Av. Grecia, hit the beach and turn left, there’s not much on offer until you reach the port areas. I should mention the few chiringuitos (beach bars) scattered along the wide expanse of sandy beach, but they disappear out of season (btw most are open by early May). 

There must be at least a dozen places along the stretch of road parallel to the port but we’re not looking for fine dining. At weekends many steer people towards their set menus, but we’re happy to just share tapas.

The local grapevine suggests two places, Rosamar and its next door neighbour, Garbi. Both seem to offer a set menu of several tapas for 20€, except Garbi’s doesn’t include a drink. I walked into Rosamar the day before to make a booking for our group of 10 and check that we got a suitably long table in a good spot.

The forecast is for cool 14 C so I go for the semi-interior. It was all disarmingly easy to arrange, no deposit necessary and we can order freely from their standard menu. On arriving the next day we proceeded to share a long list of tapas dishes. These included such stalwarts as ‘patatas bravas’ -deep-fried cubed potatoes in a gently spiced ‘salsa’ or sauce, and ‘calamares a la romana’- battered rings of squid. This last one is often a disappointment as the holy grail is to get them crunchy on the outside and not too rubbery on the inside.

Gambas al ajillo-prawns in garlic, salty anchovies on toast, sauteed flat-capped mushrooms, grilled sardines, meat croquettes, it was all turning into a real tapas-fest.

As there were lots of us they were served as slightly larger portions or ‘raciones’.There was only one fail in an otherwise noble attempt. It was that good we even ordered extra.

Service was quick and affable, the place was quiet, not sure what he made of our large group of expats that included fluent Catalan speakers. We were rewarded with a unanimously welcome offer of free shots (chupitos).

If a view of the marina full of languishing boats, rather than an uninterrupted view of the beach is your thing then restaurant Rosamar is a deserving candidate. Nearby competing eateries do also offer an almost carbon copy menu, so it’s hard to pick a clear winner.

Final bill. Beers, bottles of red and white wine, a few desserts and several coffees, the cost worked out to 30€ per person.

Coastal resorts dotted along the Costa Brava are well provided with ample places to eat or drink. Out of season that amount dwindles to much less on offer, but this is Easter week.

Milder temperatures and an influx of Easter visitors sees many establishments coming back to life. While L’Escala has its modern suburban looking swathe that is Riells, we tend to gravitate towards its old village area (casc antic). Full of quaint, narrow interconnecting streets and far more characterful in look and feel.

Here there are plenty of seafront cafes and restaurants, which regardless of food quality always seem busy-more so when the skies clear. Maybe for some, the sea views and basking in mood lifting sunlight wins over the quality of the dishes.

Finding ourselves here mid-April it’s uncommonly overcast, grey and still jacket-wearing weather. Strolling along its seafront Passeig Maritim the slightly raging sea swiftly reminds us we’re not quite clear of the vestiges of winter.

I always like to explore the back streets, you often find something different or better value. Bistrot Escale looked a likely candidate and a quick ask if we could go inside with our dogs-yes no problem. Our corner table gave us ample space, the utilitarian decor is easy on the eye, a kind of step up from the usual ‘workman’ cafe. Thankfully the TV playing music videos is on mute.

The high-backed black chairs are a nice foil to the white topped tables. The place is empty, granted it’s one-ish so that means it’s early around here. The placemat doubles as the menu and the list is on the small side. That’s not a negative as I always think that mastery over a limited number of dishes-well executed, is to be applauded. A jack-of-all-trades approach to a large menu is often a let down.

Two of us opted for the Burger au Saint Nectaire(€13.90)-a fancy cheeseburger in essence, and a Suprema de poulet au bleu (€12.90)-chicken in a creamy cheese sauce. All well presented, with minimal salad leaves, stringy french fries, and I was left wishing for a larger burger size.

Still, the choice of four desserts would come to the rescue as we had set our sights on the Tarte au citron (lemon tart, €5.90) a French classic. Sadly it was not to be as we were told none of the desserts were available-no reason given, only ice cream was on offer.

I was beginning to feel some sympathy for them as we’d been their only customers during our visit. We might be enticed back another day as they do pinchos (tapas) after 7.30pm.

Final bill for 3, food (no starters), coffees, soft drinks and a bottle of house white wine, €62