Bar Los Compadres
 

In the three and a half years that we have had the bar, I don´t think there has been one week when I have not visited Los Compadres next door at least two or three times. I have been relying on their meals, tapas and bocadillos for breakfast, lunches and dinners during that time. Saro and Alfredo (both in the kitchen) and Alfredo junior and Maite (in the bar) provide excellent food throughout the day (except Tuesdays) to many of the local people (especially fishermen) as well as passing tourists. They specialise in freshly caught fish (Alfredo senior gets up at 5.00 a.m. each morning to fish) and there is always a superb choice of fish and seafood.

Their menu is simple Canarian fare but everything is superbly fresh and extremely well cooked. One of my favourite meals there (which I often have for a quick lunch) is simply the fillet of chicken in breadcrumbs served with a small salad and chips. Couldn´t be easier you think. It´s only when you have tasted their version that you are aware of the difference in quality and others you have had elsewhere. The breadcrumb coating really does taste fresh.

You can choose to eat from the menu or there are a number of daily tapas to choose from at the bar. The daily tapas include puntillas (baby squid battered), Russian salad, octopus salad, prawns in garlic, Canarian potatoes, jamon Serrano and majorero cheese. Occassionally they serve excellent lapas (limpets) and usually have pulpo (octopus) either fried or “a la gallega”. Their catch of the day can be served as a fresh fish platter or individually as a tapas or as a fillet of fish. There are no frills here – just basic fresh ingredients served quickly and at extremely realistic prices. I don´t think they particularly aim for a tourist clientele but they attract a number of different customers all of whom just want good quality value-for-money food. The house salad is very good – including jamon Serrano, egg, tuna and prawns. They also do excellent bocadillos including fillet of fresh fish (with alioli if requested) or fried pork with melted cheese (mmmmmm). On Sundays Saro cooks a large paella served at the bar as a tapas but will cook a paella to order any other time in the week.

Of a nightime, you can be amongst the majorero fishing fraternity discussing their catch of the day or can be surrounded by viewers of any of the televised Spanish football matches – pure testosterone city and a lot of shouting going on!

Saro and her family have always been extremely good neighbours to us and have always helped us with those niggling problems we occasionally encounter as “not very good Spanish speaking ex-pats”. In fact, we may have not have survived this long without their help! We can only thank them by continuing to partake of their extremely good food at all times of the day!