San Vicente is the barrio by the river to the south of San Lorenzo in my previous post. It ends at Calle Carlos XII to the south. It’s a residential area on the edge of the city centre with a couple of little squares that have some good tapas bars.
San Vicente is on this map of the Casco Antiguo barrios here and you’ll find a Google map of the city here.
La Azotea de Sevilla (High Intermediate A), 31 Jesus del Gran Poder, laazoteasevilla.com, open every day.
This is my third favourite modern tapas bar after Puratasca (see my Triana post) and Eslava (previous post). It’s the original and perhaps best of a small chain of three Azoteas.
Having read several reviews from the summer, I was expecting it to be packed so I arrived at exactly when they opened at 20.30. I needn’t have bothered as it was the quieter winter season. The service is exemplary (A+) especially from Juan Carlos who was my server at the bar. As they do attract a fair few tourists, the menus are multilingual, but don’t let that put you off. They even had a menu in Hangul for Sem, my Korean neighbour at the bar. Seafood would be a good choice here but I was in the mood for meat and I don’t like to mix the two. The Jamon Iberico is excellent as you would expect (A). The Carrillada Iberica was just sublime (A+). And the Solomillo Frisona was pretty okay too (B).
The wines I tried by the glass were alright but not amazing. First a glass of a Merlot called Delirio (B). Also a Toro called Encomienda which I enjoyed the most (B+). And Garum from Cadiz (B), a blend of Merlot, Syrah and a french grape called Petit Verdot. Finally a PX for dessert finished thigns off.
The food with four glasses of wine and a Carlos III brandy came to only €30 which I thought was very reasonable.
Around the corner from Azotea there’s a nice little square called Plaza de la Gavidia which three bars…
Bodega Dos de Mayo (Intermediate B), 6 Plaza de la Gavidia, www.bodegadosdemayo.es
The most famous and biggest tapas bar in the square. I came here with two friends and we had Gambas Plancha, Boquerones Ayamonte, Ortlguillas de Chipiona (sea anemones!), Chirlas Gorda and a bottle of Donastia Vivanco Crianza for $62. The food is fine but this next place is better.
Bodega Amarillo Albero (Intermediate A) 5 Plaza de la Gavidia
Just over the road from Dos de Mayo above. It doesn’t do as much business as it’s larger neighbour but I think their food is better. And it’s a nicer building. It’s definitely my first choice in the square for next time.
El Sanedrin (Intermediate C), 8 Plaza de Gavidia
I haven’t eaten here so I can’t say much about this place except that visually it looks the least interesting of the three bars on the square and a Magno costs only €2.50, which is very cheap.
And on another even smaller square, a few streets away…
La Chalá (Intermediate B), 6 Plaza Puerta Real
I stumbled across this nice pleasant little tapas bar on the secluded Plaza Puerta Real by accident on my way back to Triana one night. They have a terrace with plenty of tables outside. Habla del Silencio, a favourite red of mine, is served by the glass and they have Arepas, Venuzuelan filled flatbreads, which were a new experience for me. I had the pulled pork version with a red cabbage salad which was pretty good (B).
A good little neighbourhood place, away from the madding crowd.
And now for some architecture…