We are new arrivals to Torrevieja and Spain. Having recently just purchased a flat and making the decision to make this our home we are hungry for knowledge of the local culture and activities in this area. While looking at real estate one of our brokers told us about “Tapas weeks” when the bars and cafes around town would participate in these events. So after just a few months of living in Torrevieja we came upon by chance, our first Tapas week.
These events designed to attract visitors from out of town are coordinated by a few different promotional groups. This one, Ruta de la Tapas happens twice a year and is excellent. If I recall there were 43 restaurants participating over the course of two weekends, (Thursday-Sunday) so 8 days total. I think we did 19 although there were a few repeats. This would be one of many reasons we decided to stay in Spain, lifestyle. Just a note, these events are not designed to be a bargain. On any given day you may have a nice Rioja (glass of red wine) and a tapa for $1-$1.5 euro. At these events it is $2.50 euro. However the tapas are ‘elevated’ meaning there is extra consideration in the ingredients and preparation and almost a competitive feeling between the restaurants to create something truly special. So are you ready? Lets have Tapas!
Our first stop was La Bodeguilla Del Mullin’s . On the left we have the Cebiche de lubina (sea bass ceviche) and on the right is Mini burger pollo a la mexicana. This was a great beginning and the paired wines were excellent as this is regularly a wine bar.
Next we made our way to La Barra De Chicotes. If you look at a map you will see we are planning out our route so there are only a few blocks in between restaurants. Time is limited you know! On the left we have Ajoarriero conquense. A typical Cuenca dish of salted cod, potato and egg. and on the right is a pork rib pincho.
Restaurant #3 is Las Columnas Torrevieja. This restaurant enjoys a fantastic location on the promenade between Playa Del Cura and Los Locos. It is simply beautiful to sit here by the water and this is a very good deal as the normal price for a wine here is $2.50 per glass. So today we are certainly getting the free tapa and they were both excellent. On the left is the Marmitaco de atun. (Tuna potato sauce) and on the right Royal de pato. (Duck confit, pancake, fried beets and sweet potatoes).
Las Columnas – one of the best dining locations in Torrevieja.
Our next stop on weekend #1 was Bar Tapería Los Zamoranos which is in a great location of multiple restaurants near the entrance to the marina and the long walkway on top of the jetty. There are some great dining options in this neighborhood. The tapa on the left is “El Rulo” de hojaldre relleno de marisco y salsa de necoras. (Puff pastry filled with seafood and crab) and on the right a somewhat traditional dish “El ternasco” guisado al estilo campestre (a stew of potato and meat). These were both just OK as the puff pastry dish was a bit fishy.
If you want to experience as many restaurants as possible in the shortest amount of time this is probably the area of Torrevieja you should place yourself. Just a short walk away is Pantasana, our next stop. On the left is Tosta de solomillo tropical sobre pan de cristal. This was interesting, filet mignon with tropical flavors. And on the right is Caballito Tex mex. I appreciated the steak dish for it’s unusual combination of flavors. Our next stop was Bar La Gaviota. We both ordered the same thing because, soft shell crab. Cangrejo Blanco (soft shell crab) a la andaluza con salsa rosa.
This one is a bit more simple but very good. On the left is Albondigas de pollo con salsa de coliflor. Chicken skewer with cauliflower sauce and on the right is Brocheta de cazon con verduritas. Fried fish with vegetables. We are now at La Bella Lola.So this was our final stop one weekend #1 of Tapas week at Ole Del Mar (it’s always two weekends) and our least favorite. It was at the marina Salinas so a bit out of the way. The bad part for us was not the tapa (though it was not especially good) but the service. We paid with a large bill (50 euro) as that was all we had and she came back with the incorrect change thinking we only gave her a $20. When we informed her of this she argued with us which is unacceptable. I made her go back to the cash register (there were very few people there so it would be easy to figure out) and look in the till. She came back with our correct change, but no apology. Anyway it was a Tarta de gambas y caviar. It was a bit cakey, out of the 17 dishes we had this day, probably the least favorite. It looked pretty though.
Weekend #2! Tapas ‘weeks’ are comprised of 8 days. Two weekends of 4 days each. We recovered from week one and we were ready to see what week #2 would bring. After being here for almost three years I have begun to see a pattern. The best Tapas are always on weekend #1. I do not know why that is. But here we go!!!
OK. I know I just said the better Tapas are on week one. I may have to take that back. This is our first stop on week #2 at Bar Restaurante Amapola. They were both so good we each ordered a second serving. On the left is a cheesy potato with bacon and on the right is a Ragu of Ternera (veal).
We next took the time to venture just a bit outside of central Torrevieja towards Playa Flamenca. The restaurant is Martinis and this place was loud, full of people and chaotically fun! We noticed most of the clientele was having the Menu Del Dia and it looked delicious. We would make plans to return here one day for a full lunch. *Insert: And we did a few months later and it was still loud and fun and the meal was excellent. A very local place.
The Tapas at Martinis. On the left is Briwat de pollo a la canela. Reminded me of pastilla the Morrocan pastry dish which I love so this was great! On the right is the Tosta de Solomillo con Foei Y Cebolla Caramelizada. Sirloin roast, foe gras, carmelized onion.
Just next door to Matinis is our next stop Meson Huertano another loud and busy restaurant again with most of the guests enjoying the Menu Del Dia. When this is happening Tapas participants usually have to sit at the bar instead of a table which makes perfect sense and we were lucky to grab one last chair and I just stood. On the left is Alcachofa rellena con vinagreta and on the right Brocheta de pollo al estilo huertano . Sitting next to me was a very nice Spanish lady that wanted to make sure we knew how great a deal the menu is ($8 euro that day) and how it came with wine and was big enough for the two of us to share. Noted!
Our next stop was Restaurante Pepes back in Torrevieja Centro. On the left is Canape de patata con huevo de codorniz y chorizo and a padron. So basically a fried potato, chorizo, quail egg and padron pepper. On the right is Alitas de pollo fritas con salsa miel y mostsza. Fried chicken wings with a honey mustard sauce.
We next made our way to Restaurante El Pescador. This will turn out to be the “must go to spot” of every Tapas event in the future. The tapas here are always some of the best of the Tapa weeks. Pictured above is Salpicon aguacate, langostino y salmon on the left and Bacalao s/ marisco con brandada on the right.
Nearby is La Encina. Will this ever end? This was our first Tapas week so you have to have some understanding. Almost every dish so far has been excellent and most of the wines have been good. My only disappointment is when the wine does not come in a proper glass but I can not recall which restaurants d the best or least favorite glassware. Here we have on the left the La berbena, berenjena horneada a baja temperatura y queso de cabra gratinado. Just by the description you can tell it was good. On the right is Solomillo asturiano. .
This is getting ridiculous. Are you still with me? Hang in there, only two more restaurants to go before we stumble home. Here we have arrived at El Rincon Del Norte. On the left is the Cachopito, a fried vegetable skewer and on the right is La carreta which literally translates into “The Road”. Some of the dishes during Tapas Weeks have vague names. My theory on this is that when they are submitting their Tapas offerings to the promoters that organize this event they have not yet made a decision as to what exactly they will be serving so they just submit a random name.
Our final stop while walking home is at El Faro de Torrevieja Mejilloneria. On the left is Tiras de pollo al queso. Basically fried chicken covered in a cheese sauce, what could go wrong? And on the right is Cazon con ailoli which I later learned is a Dog Fish Shark. I usually do not eat shark, or any predators for that matter. It’s just a perhaps silly personal choice but I find myself in the ocean often and I see it as a karma thing. I don’t eat you, you don’t eat me. So far I haven’t been bit.
And there you have it. Our very first Tapas week in Torrevieja. Sixteen restaurants, thirty tapas and thirty glasses of in two days. This is certainly one of the many reasons we fell in love with the lifestyle here and decided to stay for awhile. We are approaching our 3 year anniversary and wake up everyday with gratitude to be here. Even though the past year has been interesting to say the least with lock-downs and the pandemic there is no place we would rather be at this time.
Tony and Terri-Lynn met in 1987 as teenagers. In 1991 they were married. Tony has been a professional musician his entire life and spent the 90’s touring and releasing albums. In 2001 the couple left the cities and moved to a small community on the Oregon coast. This is where they fell into television production and film making. In 2004 Makai Ohana Productions was founded and the couple produced advertising and creative content for hundreds of tourism related businesses and government entities in Southern Oregon and Northern California. Realizing the industry was evolving towards the internet they re-branded the business in 2012 to Xplore Film. This company would now be an international business producing films world wide as well as an NGO in West Africa where the couple provides clean water boreholes, scholarships and even a prosthetic hand project.
In 2018 Tony and Terri-Lynn with their dog Bisque Kitt packed the belongings they could carry on their backs and flew to Spain. They bought a home and planned to spend equal time between the two countries running the business. Then Covid hit and the world closed. By 2020 they realized Spain, and specifically Torrevieja was now home. They bought a sailboat and started to create a life on the Costa Blanca of music, film, events and community.
