El Asturiano

Un de ces bistrots qui né payent pas de mine mais servent une cuisine authentique. Bien. spécialités andalouses, service simple et rapide, beau jambon, et beaux calmars à la plancha.

One of the definitions of intelligence is the ability to learn from one’s past mistake. I was very happy to display (only just!) some intelligence on my recent trip to Marbella
Having been disappointed with my lunch at a restaurant on the main tourist beach promenade, I vowed not to get seduced by any more touristy eateries.
That evening, I walked from my hotel to the Old Town and spent half an hour wandering round looking at all the menus. Fortunately, I eschewed the pseudo international food and 20 Euro paellas on offer and walked all the way back to my hotel without a clear plan about what to do for dinner.
Well, completely by chance, I discovered this gem of a tapas bar just a few doors from my hotel. The first good sign was that the menu was written completely in Spanish with no foreign translated menus available. Secondly, the busy restaurant was patronisesd exclusively by local Spaniards. Thirdly, as in the best Chinese restaurants, there was a wonderful happy din of people enjoying themselves amidst good company and good food.
Although I don’t speak much Spanish, fortunately my time spent in tapas restaurants in the UK enabled me to spot some favourite dishes. As is the tradition in Spain, my drink arrived with a complimentary tapas — salami on a piece of baguette. The only downer of the evening was that the only orange juice available was in a bottle where I had found wonderful freshly squeezed orange juice almost ubiquitous throughout the resort
My bounty of pulpo a la gallega (octopus in olive and paprika), chuletas de cordero (grilled lamb cutlets) cooked medium rare, bacalao fritos (salt cod fritter), jamon Iberico (wonderful cut to order iberico ham) and chipirones (deep fried squid). A wonderful tasty authentic dinner, sat in front of the telly showing La Liga football.
The bill at the end of the evening? 22 Euros. Bargain!
This was the authentic taste of the real Spain I was seeking and it was wonderful