Maracas in 2018

In February I published the following on Tripadvisor. Here is the the full script with additional images.

Inside looking out.

Once again I am sojourning in Benalmádena, Andalusia, on the Costa del Sol. As is my habit, I am again frequenting my favourite café-bar on the beach. Maracas Bil-Bil has been established here some fifteen years or so and with each year, despite the odd natural disaster bringing business to a halt for a day or two, goes from strength to strength. During the nights of high summer it is quite a hip spot; but during the rest of the year the clientèle is very mixed: locals and tourists from across the globe; from babies right through to the agèd. Together they imbibe, nosh, chatter, play and take the sun. The brave even take a dip in the sea some five to ten metres away - depending on the tide!

Cocktail menu & two sample beverages

Also the cuisine offers something for almost everyone. Vegetarians and carnivores alike. Although the menu does not specifically cater for vegans, if one asks, the staff will do their best to offer something appropriate.

Over the years, I have sampled many of the options offered on the menu. After all, I am here most days that the sun shines. A new dish for me to try this year is the Ensalada Bil-Bil (Bil-Bil Salad - image above). It contains: mixed lettuce leaves including radicchio - these were unblemished, crisp and tasty; a caramelised slice of goat cheese - this was a total surprise and a tasty and wonderfully textured delight as the cheese was firm and the caramelisation was sweet as atop a crème caramel; slices of air-dried duck (jamón de pato) - they melted on the tongue and the flavour was sublime, just heavenly; toasted pine-nuts - which added additional crunch, texture and a nutty flavour; and, finally, what is described in English as an “apple vinaigrette” - for my tastes this was a tad too sweet, but that is normal for the Spanish palette. All the flavours, textures and colours created a culinary delectation for the tongue, the palette and the eye. My one minor criticism would be that the salad was served over chilled, which initially muted some of the flavours. However, one has to understand that in the typical heat of southern Iberia such cooling is totally necessary.

My salad was washed down with a couple of glasses of chilled house rosé at €3 apiece. I needed no other food as I was quite, quite sated. At €9 for the salad, this represents good value for money for the quality and quantity. I strongly recommend the Ensalada Bil-Bil. And, after something like a decade-and-a-half of being an habitué of the establishment, I thoroughly recommend Maracas Bil-Bil to the traveller.

Other dishes I savoured during my extended stay were Teriyaki chicken on a bed of steamed rice and tapa of Ensaladilla Rusa (without beetroot as in UK!).

Maracas 3: Reseña de la comida (español)

Esta es la tercera parte de mi tríptico sobre el café-bar Maracas en Playa Bil-Bil: aquí se revisan las ofertas de comida. La primera parte consiste en un homenaje fotográfico y una viñeta humorística. La segunda parte es un himno a todos los camareros de todas partes a través del retrato de mi camarero habitual.

He estado frecuentando Maracas durante trece años - ¡aye, cómo pasa el tiempo! Tengo muchos, muchos recuerdos felices, incluyendo las comidas que he comido aquí. ¡Soy un entusiasta después de todo! He traído a todos mis amigos (que me han visitado en Benalmádena) para probar los placeres simples del sol, la arena y el susurro tranquilo del mar en la comodidad de una de las sillas de ratán de Maracas, mientras se toman una bebida fría y, a menudo disfrutan de un aperitivo o aún un plato completo.

Como he estado visitando Maracas durante tantos años, es poco probable en este artículo hable mal de la comida; todo lo contrario, por el precio y la calidad, comer aquí es lo recomendado. Por supuesto, no estamos hablando de la alta cocina. Sin embargo, después de haber comido en varios de los restaurantes frente al mar en la Playa Santa Ana (muy popular entre los turistas), en los que me he sentido completamente defraudado por caro, y, desde mi perspectiva de conocer mejor, la cocina de mala calidad. A modo de ejemplo, el año pasado pagué € 6 sólo por una ensalada verde de lechuga picada y rodajas de pepino. Una barbaridad en mi opinión. Sé que las empresas tienen que ganarse la vida: Maracas, por lo tanto, debe servir como un modelo. El año pasado “Maracas”, la ensalada de la casa, llevaba lechuga verde, maíz dulce, tomate, cebolla, espárrago blanco, huevo duro y atún y tenía un muy buen precio de € 7. Lo dice todo, ¿no es así? Por supuesto, con la inflación, etc., los precios tienen que subir de vez en cuando. A principios de este mes, los precios efectivamente suben. Así que la ensalada de la casa (junto con otros) ahora cuesta € 8. Y cualquiera que piense que la ensalada no puede saciar a uno, debo señalar que las ensaladas se sirven en tazones grandes y con una cestita de pan fresco.

Para aquellos que sólo quieren un bocadillo rápido, te recomiendo el sándwich mixto, jamón cocido, queso en rodajas y pan tostado con mantequilla. Al precio de € 3 esto no se ha encarecido. Con una copa de vino tinto frío (si no has probado esto, es bastante refrescante - ¡incluso los franceses lo hacen!) El costo total es de € 5. Uno no puede quejarse en eso.

Si el comensal está especialmente hambriento, el campero es tu opción; pero mejor que pedir para compartir.

Debido a los aumentos de precios, los menús se han encarecido. El chef en Maracas ha aprovechado la ocasión para añadir nuevos platos. Siempre dispuesto a probar algo nuevo, he optado por la ensalada pasta tricolor. La fotografía de abajo da una impresión de la taza, pero no bastante como para mostrar el plato en su plenitud. Como puede verse, una copa de vino rosado frío acompañó a la comida.

[Descripción de la imagen: ensalada pasta tricolor en la mesa]

Comenzando a las siete en punto, tacos finamente picados de un jamón ligeramente ahumado, despiertan el paladar. A las doce, las aceitunas negras jugosas, fuertes y picantes, con sabor de té fuerte; felizmente desafian al jamón. No soy fan de las aceitunas negras; pero si pudiera obtener un suministro de estos, las consumiría de buen grado. A las tres en punto, dados cremosos (tanto en sabor y textura), siempre tan levemente salado, de queso fresco con la espiga de queso de cabra. También había una dulzura en el queso, que contrastaba magníficamente con la salinidad de las aceitunas. A las cinco, el maíz dulce brilla perfecto. Tan jugoso que, aunque no fue a la barbacoa, tenía el mismo dulzor y sabor concentrados y intensos. En el centro del reloj están las piezas de pollo con la aparición de queso amarillo-blanco desmenuzado o pan blanco rallado. Increíblemente jugoso y con sabor a pollo real (¿cuánto pollo se ha encontrado que es completamente sin sabor, después de todo?). Y detrás de la cara del reloj, la pasta, cocida y servida al dente. Los colores del verde (sabio) y rojo (melocotón) que recuerda a tonos sepia. Una paleta impresionante para el paladar.

Existe una variedad de aderezos para ensaladas, incluyendo: rosa; francesa; cesa; yogur; yo he optado por la salsa de albahaca. Incluso en los llamados "buenos" restaurantes la ensalada puede estar aderezada excesivamente; esta salsa sin embargo tenía un toque muy ligero y por lo tanto conjugaba perfectamente con todos los otros ingredientes.

Mis únicas críticas negativas del plato son respecto a la pasta: la textura era un poco almidonada; y, no sé apreciaban los sabores del tomate o la albahaca en sus respectivas pastas. Esto puede ser por llevar cocida y después haber sido refrigerada; pero en un clima caliente, esto es más bien una necesidad. No obstante, sobre todo, la ensalada es un éxito definitivo y se pide de nuevo. ¡Disfruta!

[Descripción de la imagen: sándwich club de playa en la mesa]

No puedo terminar mi opinión sin hacer referencia a mi plato favorito de Maracas (ver imagen superior), su sandwich club, que consiste en ensalada, jamón, queso, huevo, pollo y tocino. A € 7 representa una comida abundante para uno. Y es ¡¡¡ de-li-cioso !!! %P

Maracas 3: Food Review (inglés)

This is part three of my triptych on Maracas café-bar on Playa Bil-Bil: here I review the food offerings. Part one consists of a photographic homage and a humorous vignette. Part two is a paean to all waiters everywhere by way of portraying my regular.

I have been frequenting Maracas for thirteen years now - my, how time flies! I have many, many happy memories, including of the meals I have eaten here. I am a foodie after all! I have brought all my friends (who visit me in Benalmádena) to sample the simple joys of sun, sand and the calming susurrus of the sea in the comfort of one of Maracas’ rattan lounge-chairs, whilst sipping on a cooling beverage and, more often than not, indulging in a snack or even full meal.

As I have been visiting Maracas for so many years, I am unlikely in this article to be castigating the food; quite the opposite, for the price and quality, eating here is to be recommended. Of course, we are not talking haute cuisine. However, having eaten at several of the sea-front restaurants on the popular Playa Santa Ana, I have felt completely short-changed by expensive, and, from my perspective of knowing better, poor quality cuisine. As an example, last year I paid €6 just for a green salad of some roughly chopped lettuce and sliced cucumber. Pretty outrageous in my opinion. I know businesses have to make a living: Maracas, therefore, should serve as an exemplar. Last year Maracas’ house salad of green lettuce, sweetcorn, tomato, onion, white asparagus, boiled egg and tuna was priced at €7. It says it all, does it not? Of course, with inflation etc., prices have to go up from time to time. At the beginning of this month, prices did indeed rise. So the house salad (along with their others) now costs €8. And anyone thinking, salad will not sate one, I ought to point out that the salads are served in large bowls and come with a small basket of fresh bread.

For those just wanting a quick snack, I recommend the sandwich mixto, boiled ham, sliced cheese on buttered and toasted bread. At €3 this has not become more expensive. With a glass of chilled red wine (if you have not tried this, it is quite refreshing - even the French do it!) the total cost is €5. One cannot complain at that!

If the diner is especially hungry, the campero is for you; but better to order it to share. That is, after all, the Spanish way.

Due to the price increases, the menus have been reprinted. The chef at Maracas has taken the opportunity to add new dishes. Always willing to sample something new, I opted for the ensalada pasta tricolor (tricolour pasta salad - bet you worked that one out for yourself!). The photograph below gives an impression of the bowl, but does not quite show the full 3-D mound of comestibles. As can be seen, a glass of rosé (copa de rosado frío) accompanied the repast.

[Image description: ensalada pasta tricolor in situ at table]

Commencing at seven o’clock, finely diced cubes of a lightly smoked, firm ham (a tastier version of luncheon meat!) awoke the palate. At twelve, roughly sliced, juicy, tangy, with a strong-tea-taste black olives quite happily challenged the ham. I am no fan of black olives; but if I could obtain a ready supply of these, I would be a convert. At three o’clock dice-sized cubes of firm, creamy (both in taste and texture), ever so slightly salted “queso fresco” cheese with the tang of goats cheese. There was also a sweetness to the cheese, which contrasted superbly against the saltiness of the olives. At five o’clock sweetcorn shone forth all its brilliant, perfect yellowness. It was so very juicy and, although it was not barbecued it had that selfsame concentrated, intense sweetness and flavour. In the clock’s centre were chicken pieces - morsels really - with the appearance of crumbled white-yellow cheese or white-bread breadcrumbs. Incredibly moist and with actual chicken flavour (how much chicken does one encounter that is completely flavourless, after all?). And behind the clock-face, the pasta, cooked and served al dente so did not collapse or go all soggy. Colours of green (sage) and red (peach) reminiscent of sepia tones. A stunning palette for the palate.

There is a choice of salad dressings, including: rosa/marie rose; francesa/French; cesa/cæsar; yogur/yoghourt; I opted for salsa de albahaca/basil sauce. Even in so-called ‘good’ restaurants salad can be over-dressed; this salsa however had a very light touch and thus perfectly pulled together all the other ingredients.

My only negative criticisms of the dish are in respect to the pasta: the texture was slightly too starchy; and, there were no discernible flavours of tomato or basil in their respective pastas. This may be accounted for by it having been chilled; but in a hot climate, this is rather a necessity. Nonetheless, over all, the salad is a definite success and I shall be ordering it again. It is also suitable for sharing - the Spanish way is for everyone to just tuck in. Enjoy!

[Image description: sandwich beach club in situ at table]

I could not end my review without referencing my favourite Maracas plate (see image above), their sandwich beach club, consisting of salad, ham, cheese, egg, chicken and bacon. At €7 it represents a filling meal for one. And it is de-lic-ious!!! %P


[¡Una versión española hará pronto!]

Maracas 1: Photographic Homage & Vignette / Homenaje fotográfico y viñeta (bilingüe)

For thirteen (unlucky for some, but not for the writer) years I have been frequenting Maracas café-bar on the Playa Bil-Bil in Benalmádena, my winter refuge. It is my favourite bar of anywhere I have ever travelled, so much so that it is the one referenced on my GAYDAR profile. This year I am celebrating their thirteenth year in its current format. This is the first of three blog-posts and includes a photographic homage and one of the many vignettes I have written over the years. The two further postings will be a review of the food and a poem about one specific waiter. I hope the reader enjoys and might perhaps be tempted to pay a visit oneself.

Durante trece (mala suerte para algunos, pero no para el escritor) años he estado frecuentando Maracas café-bar en la Playa de Bil-Bil, en Benalmádena, mi refugio de invierno. Es mi bar favorito de cualquier lugar a que he viajado, tanto es así que es la que se hace referencia en mi perfil GAYDAR. Este año estoy celebrando su decimotercer año en su formato actual. Este es el primero de las tres entradas en mi blog e incluye un homenaje fotográfico y una de las muchas viñetas que he escrito en los últimos años. Las dos nuevas publicaciones serán una revisión de la comida y un poema sobre un camarero específico. Espero que el lector disfruta y tal vez podría tener la tentación de hacer una visita a uno mismo.

The photographs below only represent moments from 2011 to 2015, as prior to then I did not use a digital camera. They are in no particular order. Simply random happy memories. %D

Las fotografías a continuación sólo representan momentos 2011-2015, ya que antes de entonces no utilizaron una cámara digital. Ellos están en ningún orden en particular. Simplemente al azar, Recuerdos felices. %D

 

The following vignette is from January this year. I have chosen this particular one, as I believe it has a comedic element, but also does give some little insight into typical Spanish (or Andalusian?) behaviours. I hope it raises a laugh, a chortle or a smile.

La siguiente viñeta es de enero de este año. He elegido este en particular, como creo que tiene un elemento de comedia, pero también da un poco de poca penetración en comportamientos españoles típicos (¿o andaluces?). Espero que plantea una risa, una carcajada o una sonrisa.

In a quarter of an hour the elderly couple switched and swapped so many times that each of the four chairs around the table barely had time to cool before the next seat was squished on to it, fleshly folds oozing out of any aperture and cascading over their respective front lip. Chain-smoking as a descriptor would be an understatement: of course, waiting to commence their foul habit once the writer’s luncheon arrived at table. The wife has one volume: the top of her voice and screeching her bastardised Spanish - I am assuming a corrupted Andaluz dialect; but who can tell. Oh wait up, she’s lighting yet another cigarette! How can she have attained such an age, without her lungs collapsing? And her poor husband: he has to listen day in day out, every second of every day to that harridan-harpy. Poor chap! She stands and wanders whilst barking orders, questions, exclamations into her mobile-telephone, lapping the table repeatedly and punctiliously, as if her very life depended upon sourcing companions for her luncheon party. Not in the least surprising to the writer that almost all have some pre-prepared excuse to put her off. One unwitting couple accept the invitation to join the elderly pair. I say couple, but it was not until a full five minutes after the male of the pair had settled into his chair that I realised his spouse had, mouse-like, slunk into the fourth place. As the alcohol flowed and was imbibed this church-mouse transmogrified into another battle-axe to skirmish with the prima dona. The volume unbelievably augmenting in the most unfavourable manner. My salad and second glass of chilled rosé consumed, it is definitely the time for my exit from the stage.

Durante un cuarto de hora la pareja de ancianos cambió y cambió tantas veces que cada una de las cuatro sillas alrededor de la mesa apenas tuvo tiempo para enfriarse antes del próximo trasero fue aplastado a ella, carnal pliegues que rezuma de cualquier abertura y en cascada sobre su respectivo labio delantero. Cadena fumadores como descriptor sería un eufemismo poco bueno: por supuesto, a la espera de iniciar su hábito repugnante una vez el almuerzo del escritor llegó a la mesa. La mujer tiene un solo volumen: la parte superior de su voz y chillando su español  bastardeado - estoy asumiendo un dialecto Andaluz corrompido; pero ¿quién puede decir? ¡O, espera!, ella está encendiendo otro cigarrillo! ¿Cómo puede haber alcanzado una edad tal, sin que sus pulmones colapsan? Y su pobre marido: él tiene que escuchar día tras día, cada segundo de cada día para que bruja-arpía. ¡Pobre hombre! Ella se pone de pie y camina mientras ladrando órdenes, preguntas, exclamaciones en su móvil-teléfono, rompiendo la mesa en varias ocasiones y puntillosamente, como si su vida dependiera del abastecimiento  de compañeros para su fiesta de almuerzo. No, en absoluto sorprendente el escritor que casi todos tienen alguna excusa pre-dispuestos a poner su despegue. Una pareja sin saberlo aceptar la invitación para unirse a la pareja de ancianos. Digo pareja, pero no fue hasta un total de cinco minutos después de que el macho de la pareja se había instalado en la silla que me di cuenta de su esposo tenía, tipo ratón, se escabulló en el cuarto lugar. Como el alcohol fluía y se embebe esta iglesia-ratón metamorfoseado en otra tarasca para escaramuza con la prima dona. El volumen increíblemente aumentar de la manera más desfavorable. Mi ensalada y segunda copa de vino rosado frío consumido, es definitivamente el momento de mi salida de la etapa. 

*

Maracas 2 and Maracas 3 will follow in the coming next few days.

Maracas 2 y Maracas 3 lo harán en los próximos días próximos.

;)

La Italiana, Estepona: a Review

Last year I thoroughly enjoyed an outing to Estepona (West of San Pedro de Alcántara, heading towards Gibraltar) and compared it to a less developed and less touristy Marbella. My companion and I discovered a clothing chain called Baileys - mainly due to their shop being one of the few open during siesta. Rico, my friend, discovered that the Spanish body-shape used by the store’s suppliers suits him better than that used by UK clothing retailers. And so we decided on another visit. Rico ended up with a couple of pairs of new jeans and some new tops. Even I was persuaded to purchase a lightweight over-top, which has come in rather useful here in Benalmádena, where the days are more often than not as warm as an English summer, but where, once the sun sets, the coolness of an English Autumn quickly saps the diurnal heat.

Naturally, after some serious shopping, we were in need of refreshment. We would have settled for tapas, but Rico espied a small square (more rhomboid really!) we had not discovered previously. We crossed the road and were pleasantly surprised to determine that it was solely filled with eateries, other than a classy (high-end) lighting emporium.

La Italiana’s outer façade (see image above) is nothing special: it appears as hundreds of other café-bars in Spain. What lured us inside was the enticing aroma of fresh coffee…

Inside (see image above), we were still prepared to go for savoury until we spotted the cake counter (see image below), filled with mouth-watering confections.

I opted for a meringue-topped, vanilla and light pastry concoction; Rico for the world-renowned Torta de Santiago [de Compostela], a dense yet unexpectedly light almond cake. Yet even the sweetness of the cakes did not detract from the smooth, delicately nutty, just the right side of bitter, Lavazza coffees.

The Italian waiter was on his own whilst the waitress was away on her lunch-break, but he coped admirably - with grace, amiability and politeness - with the large numbers of constantly changing covers. As ever in Spain (unlike in some Italian tourist spots), there was no rush for us to go. We took photos; we people-watched; we used the spotless conveniences; we had a second coffee. And so we were totally relaxed when it finally was time for us to take our exit.

El Parque de la Paloma, Benalmádena

A couple of years back I wrote the following on my visits to Parque de la Paloma: 

"The park can be very noisy to those not used to fauna as it has a veritable ménagerie of free-roaming wildlife including rabbits, wildfowl, terrapins, peacocks, chickens and a profusion of cacophonous cockerels (roosters) in addition to cooped emus, goats and llamas. Many of the pathways are suitable for wheelies and the mobility-impaired; others require mountaineering skills and/or assistance. Electronic chairs, unless specially adapted/designed, will need to keep to the main paths as the older routes are only gravelled.

There are several cafés within the park environs, some better suited to the needs of the disabled than others. Do not be surprised to see children playing late - it is cooler, Spain is family-friendly and the kiddies will have had a siesta in the afternoon. My photo[s] below [are] of a café that has ramped access at the back and an accessible toilet."

During this winter/spring season the park has been and is still undergoing radical tidying, with pruning, thinning and whatever the verb is in relation to topiary! Additionally, there appears to have been a cull of the cockerels (roosters) as the park is much more tranquil than it used to be. Although, do not be surprised if it is busy at weekends, as the Spanish are family-orientated and you will probably observe large picnic gatherings throughout the spacious park. Assuming a quite day, you may spot a brood of pea-hens in the undergrowth or a bunny-rabbit might cross your path. As I type, the park is actually filled with blossoms: however, the parakeets are busy stripping the blooms from the branches and discarding them on the pathways.

The park was originally established in 1995, but it has the appearance of having been in Benalmádena for ever. Since my last visit, the two café-bars that had not been updated have now been so. Drinks (non-/alcoholic), snacks, light meals, desserts, milk-shakes and ice-creams can be purchased at all of them and no-one ever rushes one from one's table.

For the physically active, one can hire cycles to use in the park or one can utilise the exercise stations scattered throughout the gardens. If you just want to feed the ducks and swans - and a few pigeons & seagulls to boot - and you have forgotten to bring along some food, small bags can also be purchased.

Everyone can go home happy after a session in the park!

Dolce Vita, Benalmádena - Review

[Image description the view of Parque de la Paloma from the outside seating at Dolce Vita]

I have just written a fresh review for Tripadvisor of the café-bar Dolce Vita in Benalmádena under the title “New Hands, Just As Fab”. Here’s the text:

It has been a couple of years since last I was at Dolce Vita. It is now in the hands of the capable and affable Elena and Ángel, both of whom will give you a big smile with your beverage &/or food. They will also pass the time of day and have a laugh if you have the time to pause and soak in the Spanish tranquility. Coffees can be made to one's taste and sandwiches are made fresh to order. Try the English breakie (breakfast) with perfect fried eggs - soft yolks in which to dunk one's toast! There is wifi too, a boon to those of us far from home. And a bookcase stacked with tomes to browse. Oh, and some exceedingly clean loos for the fastidious.

The link will also lead one to my original review, “Eat, Drink, Befriend Well”, if one scrolls down.

If on one's travels, one finds oneself in Benalmádena, why not pop into Dolce Vita - you are certain of a warm welcome! %D