This informal bodega near Santa Justa train station on Avenida de Kansas City was a huge favourite during our stay in Seville as it was only a 10 minute walk from our accommodation.
We found it by accident when looking for lunch on our first day. It looked ok from the outside but in February, pavement tables and chairs were unappealing. The first thing that impressed us was the cheerful waiter who buzzed around the dozen or so tables at a speed of knots.
After establishing we were eating, blue paper place mats were presented with a basket containing cutlery, fresh bread and crackers.
We ordered a bottle of vino blanco and checked the menu of tapas, media or full raciones. Little English is spoken (although the menu is in English and Spanish) and for a reason we couldn’t understand, we couldn’t order tapas portions even thought we were ordering the same food but in a larger portion. So, wanting a selection, we ordered three media raciones: boquerones frito (anchovies), jamon and queso croquettas (ham and cheese croquettes), and gambas (prawns) in garlic oil. It was all delicious but the plates were quite large and so we decided it was a two-bottle afternoon. Our bill came to €43.60.
The following day we returned for dinner. Arriving at 7.30pm, it was quiet and we wondered if they were in the process of closing. But no, it got busier as the night wore on as Sevilla FC were playing Real Madrid and people came in to watch the match on the large TV. Unfortunately Sevilla were losing when we left at half time, so the atmosphere was relatively muted. For those interested in football, Sevilla eventually lost 2 -1. We shared huevos flamenco to start, which was two perfectly fried eggs, with golden runny yolks, served in an oval dish on top of a bed of chopped tomatoes and sautéed vegetables. There was a slightly tart taste and although I’ve not made it sound particularly enticing, it was fabulous especially with bread to mop up the juices. Bearing in mind the portion sizes the previous day, we also shared a main course of Iberico black pork cut into strips with sautéed potatoes and a spicy tomato dip which cut through the fat really well. However, we still had room for postre and on asking what was available, were shown two large cakes: carrot and chocolate. We opted for sharing a slice of the zanahoria (carrot) cake which unfortunately came adorned with unnecessary squirty cream and drizzled chocolate sauce. Still the cake had a lovely orange flavour (we were in Seville after all) and nutty crunch. Again, we decided on a couple of bottles of vino blanco and the bill came to €47.60. Paying by credit card, we had the option of paying in sterling with a surprisingly good exchange rate of 1.28.
On our third night, we decided the bodega has served us well and as we couldn’t find anything nearby to rival it, we returned again and were by now being greeted like old friends by our cheerful waiter. Roy decided we should order sangria. We weren’t sure whether it was appropriate for the time of year or night, but they didn’t bat an eyelid and quickly rustled up two large glasses garnished with chopped apples and oranges. We ordered a half racion of tuna: dark-red, air-dried, and thinly sliced nestled on finely chopped onion and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was very good especially with the ubiquitous ‘mopping up bread’. Then it was onto cod and prawn casserole which in reality was two lovely cod steaks lightly cooked in oil, garnished with prawns. As it was very good, but light with a simple salad leaf garnish, we had room for another slice of tarta zanahoria, but this time managed to get it without the cream. We rounded off with café con leche with a cointreau and a Seagram’s gin and tonic – both bottles were brought to the table and generous measures were poured. We paid €50 which included a very well deserved tip.
All in all an excellent experience which did not let us down.
