Casa Vieja

The 2nd of my culinary diatribes and tellingly, my personal climax of reviews for restaurants in the south is Casa Vieja, situated on the road to Fataga just out of Playa, pronounced fa-ta-ga and not fat-taga as I wincingly heard some of you describe it recently.

Although not accessible from the motorway, it soon will be, as a slip road is all but finished bar some Committee directive to move the concrete bollards blocking it.

But you may have seen some large plastic B&W cows on the left as you cross the motorway, that ladies, lady boys and gentlemen is Casa Vieja, where at all times there is the mouth watering smell of grilled meat as you pass. This place just got 10 times better because right across the road is the new El Rincon bar, which I wager is the best bar on the island. It is chock block full of Canarians on the prowl for liaisons, and that’s just the wimmin!

But back to the food, all things to all men is on the menu and well priced too, I am a bit old style, just wanting salad, steak and red wine, and if meat and wine are a good barometer of any cook house this place scores highly. My favourite dish though seems to be in short supply of late, “cordornices” young quails to the uninitiated, and absolutely has to be tried, when on the menu.

Most nights too there are two old Canarian gents who play guitar in the South American style and meander their way around the tables and will play for you, it is the done thing to proffer a few €s for their efforts because it is certainly worth it. Their dexterity on the guitars and hauntingly beautiful way they sing is hair raising and will leave your skin as cold as airline cutlery.

Expect to pay for a full night for 4 about €80 and later stumble across the road to El Rincon and spend another €80 on drinks and begin to wonder that the South ain’t so bad after all!!