Wednesday, July 17, 2002

...Sitges, continued

Back to the apartments for a power-nap or a drink on the balcony, then out to a restaurant. We ate well in Sitges. Indeed, this was probably the longest extended period of good eating I've had in years. These are the places we ate at, in order of quality:

Al Fresco (C/ Pau Barrabeig, 4)
Stunning venue, excellent food, impeccable service, Al Fresco is a must. One of the pricier places in town, but still cheaper than London. The perfect place to impress a holiday romance, every meal here is a special occasion. Marcus's steak was butter-tender and intensely flavoured. For pudding he had the lemon sorbet with vodka - lots of vodka.

El Celler Vell (C/ Sant Bonaventura, 21)
There is a Catalan saying which translates roughly as "Eat well, shit hard, and you will have no fear of death". At Celler Vell, a traditional Catalan restaurant, we ate well, but shat soft. Three of the five of us had upset stomachs after eating here, but the food was so good Andy and Kevin went back - no fear of death there, then.

Flamboyant (C/ Pablo Barrabeitg, 16)
Set in a pretty garden and run by gay guys, this place serves reliable food, including good steaks, at a reasonable price. The setting alone raises the place above the ordinary.

El Xalet (C/ Isla de Cuba, 35)
Another lovely garden setting, this time around a swimming pool. The set menu is cheap, and you get what you pay for. Decent enough, but Flamboyant is nicer.

La Tablita (C/ Sant Bonaventura, 26)
Perhaps we were unlucky. This Argentinean grill had been recommended to us, but our night was a series of errors: the wine we received wasn't the one we'd ordered, Marcus's steak was largely gristle, Guy's - ordered medium-to-well - was bloody, the asparagus was tinned. the service was surly, we had to ask for the bill four times, and it was the most expensive meal of our trip.

And so back to Parrots for more people-watching, then off on our usual circuit of the bars.

to be continued...

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