Cádiz is a port in Andalucía, Southern Spain known as ‘the silver teacup’ and it’s generally considered to be the oldest continually inhabited city in Europe. Now well into its fourth millennium, the ancient centre is surrounded almost entirely by water, which makes it stunningly picturesque and full of charm.
Restaurant Café Royalty is located on Plaza de la Candelaria, Cadiz
Steve and I first visited Cádiz one year ago and we were very keen to return to some of our favourite places and discover new ones like Restaurant Cafe Royalty above where we enjoyed fine dining style tapas from this delicious menu which was excellent value at 22 euros per person.
Plaza de la Candelaria is a very beautiful quiet square in Cadiz where Codigo de Barra, another fine dining restaurant is also located. Having enjoyed a meal here last year we were making a return visit to celebrate Steve’s birthday.
Codigo de Barra serve their unique olive ‘surprise’ for the first course Followed by a dish representing the origin of tapas – a slice of Iberian ham on top of a sherry glass of consomméThe 3rd course was their quirky take on the traditional shrimp frittersToasted brioche, cured egg yolk and marinated sardines for the 4th courseFollowed by garlic prawns with dry sherryRoast lamb with vegetables in a lavender sauce for the 6th courseFrench toast with Thyme ice cream completed another outstanding meal at Codigo de barra
Roast lamb with vegeatbles in a lavender sauce
with Thyme ice cream
We enjoyed tapas for lunch with sumptuous fresh oysters most days at our favourite bar Taberna La Bombilla near the central market in Cadiz. An ideal location for people -watching with good food, beer, and service at very reasonable prices.
Just one of the fabulous stalls which surround the fish market in the centre of Cadiz
The highlight of our trip to Cadiz this time was a visit to a Flamenco Tavern, which was a totally authentic, mesmeric and entrancing experience.
The view from the rooftop terrace of the Senator Cadiz Spa Hotel where we were based
Inspired by Rick Steins travels around Europe in ‘Long Weekends’ Steve and I recently enjoyed a lovely holiday in sunny Cadiz, which was one of his destinations. We had made a note of all the tapas bars and restaurants which Rick had recommended and made it our mission to see how many we could locate on our week-long stay.
The classy interior of the 4* Senator Cadiz hotel which was very centrally located in the Old Town and close to the harbour, bars, restaurants, and shops. It was exceptionally clean and had an excellent breakfast, a spa, rooftop pool, and sunbathing area. Top tip if you have a hire car (as we did) avoid the hotel car park as alternative underground parking is available nearby which is less expensive.
On our first evening, we dined at El Farorestaurant and tapas bar which was one of Rick’s recommendations and we weren’t disappointed. It’s considered one of the best places to eat fresh seafood in Andalucía for good reason and although formal it had a certain old school charm and elegance at a reasonable price for the quality. By Cadiz prices, El Faro is considered to be expensive with mains starting at 15 Euros but our bill with drinks was considerably less than we would have paid in Cambridge UK for a similar meal.
Our next destination was Taberna Casa Manteca which is a tiny and totally authentic tapas bar with a fabulous atmosphere and an interesting history. This busy bar is a must for anyone visiting Cadiz and we liked it so much we returned several times during our stay.
We came across this modern restaurant La Isleta de la Vina quite by chance and liked the look of it. The food was exceptional and very reasonably priced. This unassuming restaurant with a small but very interesting menu was like finding treasure. The chef here cooks amazing and inventive food which is lovely to look at and equally delicious to eat. Well worth seeking out in the heart of Cadiz Old Town and deservedly highly rated.
We took a bus ride to the Playa de la Victoria area of Cadiz and enjoyed lunch al fresco at La Despensa, a smart restaurant which serves traditional Spanish food with a modern twist in a beautiful setting overlooking white sandy beaches and panoramic sea views.
Apart from the exceptional restaurants and bars which are featured above, we enjoyed beers and tapas at many other interesting places and none more so than Taberna LaBombilla in one of the roads which surround the fantastic fish market in central Cadiz. Steve relished the fresh oysters from a street vendor and I enjoyed platters of local ham and cheese with chips, Padron peppers, and tomatoes.
Mercado Central de Cadiz (the Central Market) is outstanding for the abundance and variety of seafood on sale, plus the fruit, vegetable and tapas stalls around the outside with lots of benches to stop and sample the excellent produce and prepared food. Spacious, clean and well set-up the market is interesting architecturally as the new central building is combined with the original market.
A typical stall in the Fish Market
The Flower Market in Cadiz
Cádiz is a port in Andalucía, Southern Spain known as ‘the silver teacup’ and the oldest city in Europe. We found it delightful and full of quirky charm. The old town is virtually unspoiled and despite this being a stop for cruise ships it’s not a touristy place. I would make a return visit in a heartbeat because there is so much to see and do and we barely scratched the surface in a week. We located at least half the bars and restaurants which Rick Stein had recommended and found some of our own worth writing home about. It’s the ideal location for lovers of seafood with cheap beer, wonderful weather, and uncrowded beaches – what’s not to love!
The Tabla de Ibericos featured a tasty selection of Chorizo, Salchichon and Jamon
I loved this Ensalada de Queso de Cabra which included roasted goat’s cheese on raoman lettuce with walnuts, sultanas, cherry tomatoes with a honey and pomegranate dressing
This Patatas Bravas dish of triple cooked potato with a fiery brava chilli tomato sauce and aioli was excellent
Tabla de Quesos – the cheese board which we shared instead of dessert included four delicious and tasty Spanish cheeses, .Idiazabal, Manchego, Murciano and Azul Hojas
Tu Casa is located on Mill Road in Cambridge (for locals it’s between ‘Nutters’ and ‘Fagito’)
Tapas is a highly popular current foodie trend which has become well established in Cambridge with not one but two new authentic Spanish restaurants opening within a few weeks of each other. (See my last post for a review of Tabanco.) This week we enjoyed some traditional Spanish tapas at Tu Casa, where we drank Estrella Galicia on tap and Steve sampled an intense Spanish red wine Emilio Moro to accompany the cheese board which we shared.
To start our evening we enjoyed drinking Estrella Galicia premium pale lager with olives in anchovy oilLovely fresh bread accompanied the Charcuterie and Cheese boards which we sharedThe Tabla de Ibericos featured a tasty selection of Chorizo, Salchichon and JamonI loved this Ensalada de Queso de Cabra, which included roasted goat’s cheese on roman lettuce with walnuts, sultanas, and cherry tomatoes with a honey and pomegranate dressingThis tapas dish Escalivada con Pimiento included roasted red and green peppers with onion and aubergine seasoned with cumin and olive oilThis Patatas Bravas dish of triple cooked potato with a fiery brava chilli tomato sauce and aioli was excellentTabla de Quesos – the cheese board which we shared instead of dessert included a delicious selection of Spanish cheeses, Idiazabal, Manchego, Murciano andAzul Hojas
Tu Casa offers a casual dining experience in a lively environment, traditional Spanish cuisine style. The staff are friendly and enthusiastic giving customers a warm welcome and the service is good and prompt. We visited on a wet midweek evening and it was pretty full and therefore loud with a couple of large groups in. I noticed that it was family-friendly and had attracted a wide-ranging clientele. The menu includes typical Spanish tapas and small plate dishes, traditional charcuterie and cheeses, as well as Paella and seasonal main courses and a small menu of desserts. The wine list offers Spanish Regional wines, Sangria, and beer lovers like us will appreciate having Estrella Galicia Premium pale lager and 1906 Reserva Especial available on draught. I thought that prices were on the high side but the tapas portions are generous and meant to be shared. We paid £37 per head for our meal with drinks. Recommended for groups and a welcome addition to the eclectic Mill Road dining scene. Tu Casa is sure to be popular so booking is advisable at weekends.
This week we enjoyed tapas and wine at new eatery Tabanco with friendsTabanco is located on Green Street, Cambridge
I loved the interior which has an authentic Spanish feel and ambience
I loved the interior of Tabanco which has an authentic Spanish feel and ambience
We shared the mixed Charcuterie board which was enough as a starter for the four of us with olives and bread.Queso de cabra trufado, (Truffled goat’s cheese, honey, and almond flakes) was an interesting dish for those with a sweet tooth – like me! Sardinas ahumadas,Smoked sardine fillets, with red pepper puréeBrócoli con gremolata y manchego. This tapas dish was my favourite – al-dente sprouted broccoli drenched in peppery, fresh gremolata and feather-light shavings of Manchego.Chorizo a la plancha con boniato (Grilled chorizo with sweet potato) was a fresh twist on sausage and mash but we all considered it to be overly sweetCeviche de besugo,Sea bream ceviche, ajo blanco, raisin, apple and shallot vinaigretteCarrilleras de cerdo, Braised pork cheeks, mash, PX sauce and crispy shallots was a hearty and substantial dish which we all enjoyedPimientos de Padrón (Padrón peppers) were soft, salty and delicious and Steve’s favourite tapas Patatas bravas (Deep fried potatoes, spicy tomato sauce and aioli) I found this dish a disappointment and not what I expected
Sardinas ahumadas Smoked sardine fillets, red pepper purée
Brócoli con gremolata y manchego. This tapas was my favourite – al-dente sprouted broccoli drenched in peppery, fresh gremolata and feather-light shavings of Manchego.
Chorizo a la plancha con boniato (Grilled chorizo with sweet potato)
Carrilleras de cerdo Braised pork cheeks, mash, PX sauce and crispy shallots
We shared the mixed Charcuterie board and Olives as a starter with bread
Two of our party chose from a selection of cheeseboards for dessert: Picos de Europa, blue, cow and goats milk and Garrotxa, semi-soft goats milkI couldn’t resist the Churros con chocolate– churros with chocolate sauce for my dessert.Crema Catalana – This Catalan cream dessert resembled a Crème brûlée
On a previous night out, Steve and I had ventured into Tabanco for a nightcap as we were interested to check out both the place and the menu. I was immediately impressed with the layout, the decor and the ambience of this new indie restaurant which opened last month. This week on the first warm and sunny evening of this year we returned with two friends for a selection of tapas and we were not disappointed. It serves a selection of barrelled sherries, fine wines, delicious small-plates and larger rustic Spanish-inspired dishes. Tabanco is the Cambridge-based sister of the hugely successful Drakes Tabanco, located on Windmill Street in London’s Fitzrovia, so it has an excellent pedigree. Note – the name “Tabanco” translates as “hangout” – a relaxed place where guests can drop by for a quick bite or plan a larger, more elaborate meal.
It’s easy to get carried away with the menu of enticingly descriptive tapas dishes – as we did and we ended up ordering 17 plates of food between the four of us! The bill with drinks came to a whopping £160.00 without service, but when I worked it out later it was only a modest £22 per head for the food and £18 a head for drinks and we had 4 drinks each.
Finally some small gripes about Tabanco. The service is fairly indifferent but acceptable, the bread is over-priced at £2.50 for four small pieces and there’s only bottled beer available. On the two occasions when we visited (both midweek) I was surprised to see them turning away potential diners at 9.30pm saying the kitchen was closed. Apart from that, it’s a great place for authentic tapas with a good atmosphere which when the shutters are open almost makes you feel like you are on holiday in Spain! Recommended for large groups.
We came across this modern restaurant La Isleta de la Vina quite by chance and liked the look of it. The food was exceptional and very reasonably priced. This unassuming restaurant with a small but very interesting menu was like finding treasure. The chef here cooks amazing and inventive food which is lovely to look at and equally delicious to eat. Well worth seeking out in the heart of Cadiz Old Town and deservedly highly rated.
Taste with Granny Apples 