There is currently a debate raging about the future of Mojácar’s tourism.
To understand the debate, you must understand that Spain attempts to quantify tourism into neat little socio-economical blocks, which academics can then pigeonhole into whatever half assed plan the politicos come up with.
So we have many different types of “theoretical” types of tourism, such as turismo rural, where people go and stay in a rural hotel; turismo gastronomico, which are tourists attracted by the cuisine of a place – you can break down these budding gourmands into such categories as Neo-alimentación, where the gastropod travels far to go to a nouvea cuisine restaurant (think of the sort of person who goes to Barcelona just to try out El Bullí) or Tradicional, where people travel to Garrucha just to try the gambas, or Los Gallardos for the gurullos. Or you may have Ictioturismo, anglers; turismo social, where people go on holiday to help the less fortunate; etc. All attempts to work out why you spend your money travelling, in an attempt to lure you into a certain resort. The best, to my mind, is turismo residencial, residential tourism: people who buy holiday homes here for their holidays.
It was 9,30pm on Friday night when plans changed and the in-laws decided to dine out. Early for a Spanish family.
When asked where he wanted to go, the brother-in-law replied firmly “anywhere with good meat”. Given these instructions, I could hardly fail to recommend the Cortijo Albari in Vera.
Given the time, I thought it prudent to call ahead and warn Carlos of our imminent arrival.
“We’re full” was the abrupt reply to my call. “Not a chair free in the place”.
“Come on” I wheedled, “it’s David Jackson here, and it’s a special occasion”.
The waiter I was talking to didn’t have a clue who I was, but the special occasion bit convinced them. No, I jest. We go there a lot.
“It’ll have to be indoors” he warned me.
When we piled up and parked, we realised the anonymous voice on the phone wasn’t joking. The place was packed, inside and out.
Frankly, eating indoors at the Cortijo Albari is not a hardship, as long as you avoid the room where they cook the meat (except in the winter, best seat in the place, close by to the roaring fire). Large, climate controlled and interesting things on the wall to look at. We piled in.
Now, I think that the service that night was an example of how to run a service that is overbooked with insufficient staff. Yes, the service was slow, but we warned in advance about the delay, nibbles were provided, and care was taken to bring out everything at once, instead of higgly piggly. Unlike the usual technique most place employ, which is forgetting which table is on which course and sending out plates bit by bit. With good conversation, and even better wine, who cares about a measly delay in getting the food out?
The Albari terrace, although pleasant and surrounded by pine trees, does have one drawback – mosquitoes. However, they don’t seem too bad this year. We were indoors, so we weren’t worried, but we’ve had a couple of experiences there when we thought we were in the middle of WWII dogfight.
Carlos and Carmen concentrate their efforts on one particular subsection of cuisine : meat. It’s not Argentine, it’s Spanish but it’s the best you can get and it’s better than almost any Argentine freeze packed stuff. The chuleton de buey, which is basically a Spanish Chateaubriand, is, despite being buey, melt in the mouth. Carefully carved and served at the table by Carlos himself, this is not a meal – it’s an experience.
Around the meat, you have a selection of typically northern Spanish starters, and a delicious foie which comes gratinated and on biscuits, to be piled high and then devoured. This particular duck did not, shall we say, die in vain. Salads, anchovies, meats and other dishes adorn the starters menu. The best plan is to order several dishes to share, then a main course.
Carlos is a pretty decent sommelier, and has a damn good wine cellar there.
Half way through the meal, just before the buey was carved, Carlos suggested that we move outside as a table had just become free, in order to enjoy the show.
“The what?” I asked, baffled. But it turned out he had a magician on.
The magician, by the way, wasn’t the reason the place was busy. This was a mere incident happening in the background. But we went outside anyway.
The magician was rather rubbish, but it was more of a comedy act than a magic show, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. In fact, it was close to 3am before the show ended and we left.
Carlos later explained to me that he’s putting on a different show every Friday throughout the summer. Next Friday is a flamenco act.
So, to summary. The best meat restaurant in Almería, by a long shot. Down a long windy road between Vera and Garrucha. Fairly expensive, budget (with wine) 50€ p,p, plus a taxi if you’re going far as the cops sit at either end of that road waiting for you. Worth every penny. Leave vegetarians at home with a carrot, they wouldn’t like it.
Cortijo Albari
Vera – Garrucha old road. 950391706 / 687953646 Map on google maps
Lita B, a 48 year old bi-lingual British mother in Garrucha, jumped off a building in Garrucha as her boyfriend was about to be trialled for hitting her.
Having been introduced to this place by Ric Polansky, who has an exhibition of bullfighting photos on the wall, I though it could be fun to pop there one evening with the parents and the gf. Quite the happy family.
Casa Santiago has a large outside terrace, taking up most of the public pavement, where in fine Spanish style you can occupy the public road, lounging around with a g&t watching with interest as mothers with prams and the elderly have to step out into the road, braving the traffic, to get around your table. It being evening, we did not avail ourselves of this offer and sat inside in the tasteful wooden dining room.
The place is divided into two, a pleasant and cosy bar and the main room. Lots of pine, a nice light decoration that makes you feel at home. Tapas are available in the main bar for those who wish to wash their beer down with something.
No menus are used. Instead, you are told what the kitchen has on today, in a time honoured fashion. The menu is small but traditional and well cooked.
We had a selection of starters. We steered away from the “fashionable” salads, and stuck with a simple ensalada mixta. Home cured anchovies and oven cooked octopus were two other starters. All were delicious, the anchovies prepared delicately in olive oil to offset the salt.
Mains were a solomillo de buey, entrecot de ternera, rape (a la plancha) and rape (in almond sauce).
The meats were delicious. Oven cooked, they were tasty, tender and melt in the mouth delicious.
The fish tasted frozen and was a disappointment, especially compared to the meats and starters.
A couple of bottles of Rioja, a Abadia Rotuerta washed it all down. Some cheese and coffee to finish.
The bill? A hefty €166,60 for the four of us. The anchovies were almost €2 – each. Steaks were a decent price (€13,50 and €14,50) but €23 for the wine was a bit steep. Since you don’t get a menu, the price comes as a shock.
Good fun, but a bit expensive. Stay away from the fish.
Restaurante Bar Casa Santiago
Garrucha, C/ Mayor 36.
Coming into Garrucha from Las Bouganvillas, on right just past Banco Andalucia (car park in front). See it on Google maps
I haven’t been here yet, although I have seen it from the outside (lack of time, mainly).
However, Jane Bye has sent in this review so I thought I’d post it here for you to read!
As always, use the “Post your own review” button to let me know about restaurants you’d like to see reviewed.
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At last, a decent Indian restaurant In the Mojácar area!
I have lived here for 20 years and love Indian food, and last summer a new Indian restaurant opened at Las Bouganvillas, between Garrucha and Vera. I decided to try It, (as a last resort) as I love Indian food, boy was I in for a treat, the onion bhajees were the best I have ever tasted, the portions were big, the food very tasty, it’s nice to have a vindaloo and still taste the food.
I went with 3 other friends who were all more than satisfied with their dinner, even the desserts were all home made. Service was excellent, I was a bit dubious when I walked in to see an English lady behind the bar, but she was very well Informed of everything on the menu and very efficient and friendly.
We have been back time and time again and won’t go anywhere else now. The restaurant is called the Golden Amritsar (after the city in India where the chefs originate).
The restaurant is clean and nicely decorated with colourful prints on the wall. On 2 occasions when I have been there, there were Indian people in there eating, that to me says it all really.
After sidelining Mojácar in the POTALA plans, cutting back on it’s development and limiting it’s future possibilities in order to promote the (as yet unbuilt) future megacity of Llano Central, the Junta has made up its mind on the future of Mojácar -
They’re going to build an extremely large sewage farm there.
18 months, 16 million euros (plus another 14 million on pipes) and it will service L.G., Turre, Bédar, Mojácar, Garrucha and others.
It will be on the site of the current one, but it will be “a lot larger”.
We’re promised that this will “benefit residents”, according to Clemente García (Environmental goon from the Junta).
If bored and in Garrucha, you could do worse than pop into Marisa Laguna’s shop at the top of the Calle Mayor (entering from Las Bouganvillas, just where it turns one way).
There’s the entrance.
Marisa Laguna is a designer and artist who works only in Thai silk. From her workshop in Madrid she creates paintings, ties, wraps, Spanish fans, Spanish shawls and much more in pure silk, with wonderful handpainted designs on top.
She recently opened a workshop in Vera Playa and the shop in Garrucha, where some of things are made under the watchful eye of Marisa, before being displayed or sold then shipped out to Madrid, Barcelona or whereever the client requests.
Pop in, have a look around, talk to Amador and enjoy it. It’s my new source for ties. If closed, call on 609 48 35 77 to see when Amador is around to open it for you – he pops in and out. Prices are less than you would expect, but the quality is wonderful. If you speak Spanish, have a look at her blog at http://marisalaguna.blogspot.com/.
The Consejo de Gobierno of the Junta de Andalucía approved yesterday the contentious “Plan de Ordenación del Territorio del Levante Almeriense (POTALA)”, which covers an area between Los Gallardos, Turre, Mojacar, Garrucha and Vera, contemplating the construction of a city the size of Redditch, England (or Ferrol, Galicia), with some 30,000 homes. It is expected to create 130,000 jobs and has an investment of 5,000,000,000€. The name of the new city is currently “Llano Central”.
For the plans they didn’t want you to see, click here. Don’t forget that the POTALA is a regional plan ranging from Carboneras to Huercal Overa (exclusing the Almanzora valley, whatever the EuroWeekly says), and Llano Central is the macrourbanisation contemplated in the windy dry bit next to Valle del Este.
The city is expected to be comprised of 25,000 luxury homes and flats attractively placed around (public) golf courses, 5 star hotels and swimming pools. Much like El Toyo was in Almería, a place now regarded as sliding towards being considered a ghetto, with unbuilt flats, no infrastructure, raising crime and no upkeep by the authorities.
or see a 
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