We really enjoyed the Los Montesinos XIII Ruta De la Tapa and are so glad we made the short drive to get there. This follows on from the El Raso event and then soon we’ll be across to Formentera
With 20 bars and restaurants taking part, this is a big event if you’re planning on visiting each and every one. We visited on Friday, and as some of the venues, like Bar Charly, were not opening until evening, we didn’t get around them all (next year, maybe!). That being the case, we sampled several, with the majority being very good and some being excellent.
As with other similar events, we have conducted our own scoring, which is totally impartial. We don’t live in the town and are not regulars at any of these establishments, although we will be returning to several in the future. Generally, the soft drinks served by the can came with a glass with ice or, in some instances, ice and a slice of lemon. Most of the beers were in a 20cl bottle, and a couple were draught beers in a cana glass.
So each place we visited was scored out of a maximum of 40 points, based on 4 different aspects.
Service: X/10 – Was it friendly and attentive?
Ambiance: X/10 Did the venue have a good feel about it?
Drinks: X/10 How were these served, and what was the measure?
Tapas: X/10 Taste, presentation, and portion size.
Overall score out of 40 possible points
Bar Cafetería Tambalache
This was our first port of call, and as it was advertised as being open from 6 a.m., we knew we’d not arrive too early. This is a very traditional Spanish bar, and the guy working there only speaks Spanish; fair enough, we are in Spain after all! As there were three of us, I asked for three of the tapas route dishes: one with beer and two with a Coke.
The drinks arrived, and he’d brought us three beers. Now, my Spanish isn’t that shabby when it comes to ordering drinks, so I can only presume he was possibly not focused on what I asked for. This was confirmed five minutes later when a group of 8 arrived, asked for the tapas, and then requested all different drinks such as Nestea, Coke, Fanta, water, and Beer. He brought them out four beers and four waters.
The tapas dish here was described as a Tamba Cocktail, and we had no idea what to expect. What was brought to us was a large dish filled with crisps, mussels, and olives. It was basic, filling, and tasty, though clearly no cooking involved.
The service was friendly and welcoming despite the drinks not being correct. The ambiance was that of a traditional bar, with a couple of locals having an early brandy, so there wasn’t much life and soul. Drinks were bottled beer, and the tapas was a good-sized serving.
Service: 5/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Drinks: 8/10
Tapas: 7/10
Overall score out of 40 possible points: 26.
EJE Cafetero
This was the second place we visited. There were 3 staff on duty and one of the women explained in decent English this was a Colombian style of food that we would be served. I asked for beer with mine, the other 2 drinks I asked for Coke. The cokes were correct this time and both came in a 33cl can.
We had no idea what the dish would be and I think it would be fair to say we were amazed at what was served to us. There were 2 dishes for each of us; one was tuna, the other a pulled pork dish, on a lovely lightly fried base. The food was so tasty. We had been brought out a small side dish of a salsa-type dressing and a bottle of sauce in case we needed to add spice. I did try a little bit of the salsa, but these dishes didn’t need it. They were full of flavor.
This, though, is how a tapas trail should be done: great food, not skimping on the offering, showcasing the quality of the food. And yes, this is one establishment we are definitely going to be returning to and recommending!
Service: 8.5/10
Ambience: 7/10
Drinks: 8/10
Tapas: 9/10
Overall score out of 40 possible points: 32.50
Restaurante Casa Pili
This was the third place we visited, and again, we got a friendly welcome. This is a restaurant-type setting, so the tables were set out accordingly. My beer was a bottle, while the ladies’ Coke once again came in a 330ml can.
The dish was described as a chicken and mango dish, which was served on a tasty bed of mashed potato. It was beautifully presented, the chicken was moist, and the mango sauce was a perfect match.
One thing I liked was they had their menu del dia offering readily available to peruse too. These looked nice dishes, so we’ve added here to our list of places to visit for a meal.
Service: 8.5/10
Ambience: 7/10
Drinks: 8/10
Tapas: 8.5/10
Overall score out of 40 possible points: 32
Los Romeros
It was a typical Spanish bar and we were the only non-Spanish people there when we went in. That said, we were made to feel welcome all the same.
Service was fine, I had a glass of beer, and the Cokes were once again in cans. The tapas were a bit of a let down, it was beef cheek and mashed potato, but it lacked flavour and the potato seemed to be of the instant variety.
Service: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Drinks: 8/10
Tapas: 6/10
Overall score out of 40 possible points: 28.5
Dos Hermanos
This was the next stop on our tour, as the Courtyard wasn’t opening until 2pm, so we had to miss that one out. The first thing that got my attention at Dos Hermanos was the incredible display of food visible through the window. We grabbed a table outdoors here, as these were in the sun.
The server came out, and she spoke good English. She explained that they had a house tapa available for the route or that we could choose one of the others that were on display inside. We went for the tapa route special.
Once again, the drinks were on point. There was draught beer, which was nice, and the tapa was presented beautifully, very eye-catching, and tasted as good as it looked. This is another location we have added to our list of places to return to!
Service: 8/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Drinks: 8/10
Tapas: 8/10
Overall score out of 40 possible points: 32
Bar Code
Well, I really don’t know where to start here. This bar is in the square, but it’s in the shade. In the height of summer, this is probably a good thing but it was a bit chilly today.
We ducked into the covered seating area and got a table, and we quickly ordered and asked for a beer, a coke, and a water. My beer came out in a bottle, but the soft drink was served in a small plastic cup, which isn’t too unusual for a tap trail. The surprise came from the water, which was also being served in a small, plastic cup. This really was shocking when you consider the price of a small bottle of water at wholesale rates.
Anyway, we thought at least the food element would be the saving grace here. We were wrong! We each got a plate with a couple of meat and vegetable skewers, but these were not that great either. The meat was tough and tasted as if it had been seasoned after being cooked, as the spices were still gritty and bitter. This was the only establishment where we all left our food which we understand can be down to personal taste, but the drinks were the big downside here.
When you have experienced some really great food and proper drinks just back down the road, it was a shock to find an establishment trying to make such a hefty profit from this event; we wouldn’t return here.
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Drinks: 3/10
Tapas: 4/10
Overall score out of 40 possible points: 19
LJ’s Cafe & Bar
We didn’t call at the Restaurante Matsya, purely as there were no seats free outside, so we went straight to LJ’s Cafe & Bar. We got a table in the sun and were quickly served. This is a dog-friendly establishment with lots of other people and it had great feel to the place. Drinks were bottled beer, brought out with a glass and the soft drinks were served in tall tumbler glasses!
The food was a lamb kofta, which was a decent size, with a nice riata sauce and a small side salad, all nicely presented. Our server was English but fluent in Spanish and very friendly.
Service: 8/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Drinks: 8/10
Tapas: 8/10
Overall score out of 40 possible points: 32
Cafeteria y Heladeria Centro
There were no tables available at Bar La Esquina, so our next stop was Cafeteria Heladeria Centro at the bottom of the square, near the town hall. We managed to get a table with some sun on it, but we’d seen people sitting outside along the front windows facing the square, huddled in the cool shade.
The service was quick, and the tapa was a Colombian empanada with a salsa sauce. This was another large-sized tapa, very hot, so it was straight out of the fryer. I often have Argentinian empanadas, but this was very different in both texture and taste.
There were several other people here, and there was a nice atmosphere, but where we were sitting, a couple of people were smoking while others were eating, which is a real shame as no one wants to inhale second-hand smoke.
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Drinks: 8/10
Tapas: 7/10
Overall score out of 40 possible points: 28
Summing Things Up For the Los Montesinos XIII Ruta De la Tapa Visit.
We only visited 8 establishments for several reasons. Some were not open until evening, one at least was not taking part on a Friday, others were too far out of the main square areas to walk to, and a couple were already busy that there weren’t any tables available at the time we were there. That being said, the places we managed to visit were, in the majority, well worth the time of traveling across.
It was a shame that you had bars that felt the need to squeeze every last cent from customers by offering a small plastic cup of water when these events are such an excellent opportunity to showcase their offerings and encourage future visits.
Our own unofficial scorecard was very close at the top.
In first place: EJE Cafetero.
Joint Runners up: Restaurante Casa Pili, Dos Hermanos and LJ’s Cafe & Bar
