17 years ago, when I arrived in Spain to live with my new "squeeze", the "lovely Rita", I worked for The Olive Press, the then relatively new free fortnightly paper for Andalucia.
[Facebook]
Based in Arriate, at the home of the owner-cum-editor Jon Clarke, we were a small team back then.
More often than not I would pop along to Venta El Pelistre for lunch, their good value menu del dia.
Run by Manolo and his lovely wife Isa, I enjoyed the food and the friendly atmosphere.
[Diario Sur]
After the OP and I parted company in 2009, I rarely went to El Pelistre again ..... until now.
Why now?
What happened? Our local, the Ronda Valley Hotel, closed suddenly on December 12th.
It has apparently changed hands and has new owners.
My Spanish neighbours and I and a few other "guiris" were struggling for an alternative venue to further our research into Andalusian drinking habits.
The terrace of the RVH [Atrapalo]
I've been to El Pelistre a couple of times over the last week - three times, in fact. And I have to report that I was blown away.
Manolo and Isa are still there and they claimed they remembered I used to go there frequently for lunch some 20 years ago. (I think they were just being polite!)
El Pelistre is a much classier joint these days - they've renovated and re-decorated.
They also have a better class of drunk.
Isa serves a customer [TUBAL]
The drinks are no more expensive than the Ronda Valley Hotel and I get the impression that the food is better. The only drawback is that it's quite a bit further away from my home.
It is rumoured that the RVH is about to re-open under new management. Good news indeed! But, I shall still go to El Pelistre from time to time.
Links:
Another - new – Ronda Valley
British writer has his article, in Spanish, published in El Hacho magazine
English-language newspapers in Spain
Good News! Ronda Valley Hotel to re-open soon!
Ronda Valley Hotel to close? F**k!
© Diary of a Nobody
Pictures:
Atrapalo, Diario Sur, Facebook, TUBAL
Thanks:
David Garcia, Paul Whitelock, The Olive Press, Wikipedia
Tags:
Arriate, Atrapalo, David Garcia, Diario Sur, Facebook, "guiri", Isa, Jon Clarke, Manolo, menu del dia, Paul Whitelock, Pelistre, Ronda Valley Hotel, The Olive Press, TUBAL, Wikipedia