back from the islands

 we are back from vacation in the Canaries- 

We returned Sunday night and had dinner at Islamorada - it seems to have become our go to for travel days---

I spied this on the walk home- been by here a few dozen times but never noticed this - it's higher on the wall and it's a busy street where we are usually dodging traffic - 

One of our regular places. A comfort food place where we can relax knowing the food (whatever we choose) will be good and the service friendly. Manuel and Blanca are the nicest, most welcoming people. We dined here in mid February 2023 and have been going back regularly since then. When we left Sevilla the first time  March 31, 2023 we told them we'd be back. When we returned with our residence visas December 26, 2023 we went to Casapuerta during our first week here. We have never stopped having this place in our rotation of regular dining options.

Wednesday night's dinner - a regular haunt Tradevo Centro. We had tacos gambón, the berberechos (cockles), roast pork on brioche with truffled cheese and a cabracho (scorpionfish). The first photo was taken on the way home, a cold and rainy night - I have never seen this plaza bar so deserted!

This is what it looks like when you live in a UNESCO world heritage site. It would take you nearly twenty minutes to drive to to Tradevo Centro  restaurant but it's half the time for walking. Exactly why we don't need a car...

Manolo Mayo has become one of our go-to places over time. We first went in early January 2024 when we had Lee, Nick, Larry, Megan & Christian visiting us shortly after we arrived in Sevilla, before we even found a place to rent long term.  We all liked it, so we've been returning since; more and more as we settle into a rotation of solid choices. Tonight I ordered the house made Vermú and Phil had a glass of Emilio Morro red. Then we split a large tomato salad. He ordered the foie gras and presa with frites and I had the carpaccio (one of the better of many strong choices here in SVQ.) Still cold and rainy, we had hail today! So we came directly home, no stop for MITO.  However, we did spend time today with Helena and her mother at coffee and then met her step-dad and little sister afterward. Her mom is an English teacher in Rio de Janeiro so we had a chance to spend time with Mom. Helena is the only one in this immediate family who speaks Spanish/English/Portuguese and a bit of Italian (oh to have the neuro linguistic pathways of a 21 year old!

For Saturday we reserved for dinner at Señora Pan a place where we had coffee break every day during our language immersion school term. They no longer serve coffee but they do have breakfast lunch and dinner and we like the guy who runs the place very much so we decided to give it a try for dinner.   

Phil was half way finished with the paella de mariscos when we remembered the photo. We shared the house made lasagna and the ribs with the BBQ sauce perfected by the owner for his lady (who handles the bar.) 

We had been to Señora Pan every school day for the six weeks we were in language immersion classes in the spring of 2023 for our coffee break. Later we found they didn't really do coffee anymore just meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) so we stopped once last year for lunch which we liked but until tonight we hadn't been to dinner there.

We will definitely return. The place has been spruced up with nicer chairs and cushions and the food was good. Many things on the menu were under consideration but when the owner showed us a photo of the special we went for the baked lasagna. 

The owner is a real service oriented guy. I remember that one morning at a coffee break a member of our class wanted peanut butter on toast (not really a thing here) and the owner said "not today but I can have it for you tomorrow." And the next morning I passed him on the street bringing a jar of peanut butter out of the Carrefour Express so Brent could have his peanut butter. 

So yes, we will go back. And if our gluten free Leslies (we have two of them) come to visit, this is a place for them. Gluten free breads and desserts along with mini arepa appetizers and other options. Salads and many protein choices.

So next Sunday - February arrives! and we are now well into 2026... more to come - of course....