4 March 2023

By The "Guiri" Gourmet

Tapear is all about the tapas, whereas an English pub crawl is all about the beer. For older English folk it’s about sampling a range of cask ales, easy to do in the northwest of England where I used to live. For younger people it’s about guzzling as much disgusting lager or IPA as possible to get as p****d as possible.

Whilst I have to confess that I’ve participated in both English versions in my time, I much prefer the Spanish option. Much more civilised and more enjoyable. 

New places to try

So, off we went to Ronda. Rather than go to the tried and tested bars we know from over a decade and a half of living here, we decided to try out new places.

We started at Bar Mimanuela in Plaza Carmen Abela. It used to be a jeweller’s but since the pandemic it has opened as a rather stylish but unpretentious café bar with a lovely terrace outside the Caja Rural.

A beer and two tapas each for 13 euros was perfectly acceptable. Rita chose snails (caracoles) and mejillones. I had alcachofas con jamón and anchoa cantábrica.

                                                                                                                                                                           Photo: The Olive Press

Well-presented and delicious. The owners are delightful.                                             

Inside they have a permanent exhibition of paintings by Elaine Moore, a Scottish artist long resident in Ronda and a good friend of ours.

                                                                                                                                        Photo: Elaine Moore

Serendipity - bumping into people

We then shuffled up Calle Tiendas to Bar Bodeguita, also unknown to us. And guess who was sitting outside talking on his mobile? None other than Michael Coy, who was "to blame" for me meeting the Meter Maid (yes, you guessed it, the afore-mentioned Rita!) at the Feria de Pedro Romero in September 2008.                                

We hadn’t seen Michael for a while so after warm hugs (Rita, not me!) we joined him at his table. Serendipitously he had been on the phone to Malcolm, who is the husband of the artist Elaine Moore. They were on their way to join us! ¡Qué coincidencia!

Another friend, Hilde from Belgium, was also on her way.

At the table next to us I recognised María, a customer of one of my locals, Venta El Puente in La Indiana.

After a beer and a tapa and some catching up, Rita and I moved on to Tapería La Flamenka, which in a previous incarnation had been my internet café of choice back in the day before smartphones and WiFi at home.

The terrace was full, so we sat at a table for two just inside the door. I kept noticing this fat, long-haired, old guy sitting opposite a beautiful, elegantly dressed septuagenarian lady!

Oh! Blimey! They were us reflected in a mirror!

Also in that bar was Eduardo, another customer from Venta El Puente. Guess who he was with -  Nerea, a waitress from said bar. It was the bar’s dia de descanso. I later established that Nerea and Eduardo are an item. 

The tapas here were arguably the best so far. Again, we had two each plus a drink. 12 euros.                                                                                                                                

Photo: Trip Advisor

Next up was El Almacén. The last time I’d been there was that fateful night with Michael in 2008 when I later met Rita. It was under different management back then. I gather it’s now the hottest place in town.

We had a beer and a tapa each – 7 euros.

It was now quite late, so we decided to head for home. On our way back to the car we passed Pizzería Michelangelo. Sitting outside were Manolo (El Corcho) and his wife Carmen, the owners of Venta el Puente, the local I mentioned earlier. 

What a great night we had spent de tapeo por Ronda.

I must add that Rita’s beers were cervezas sin, as she was driving. 

© The "Guiri" Gourmet

Note:

This is an improved version of an article that was originally posted, without photos, at De tapeo en Ronda (eyeonspain.com)

Links:

Days of (Ronda) Wine… and Roses - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Early morning coffee in Spain - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Eat out to help out in Spain! - Secret Serrania de Ronda

History of a Ronda tapa - Secret Serrania de Ronda

LOCAL AUTHORS - Help me, Ronda (help-me-ronda.com)

MEET THE 'LOCALS' - Help me, Ronda (help-me-ronda.com)

RONDA PEOPLE - Help me, Ronda (help-me-ronda.com)
 

Acknowledgements:

Elaine Moore

Eye on Spain

Paul Whitelock

The Olive Press

Trip Advisor

Wikipedia

www.help-me-ronda.com 

Tags:

alcachofas con jamón, anchoa cantábrica, Bar Bodeguita, Bar La Flamenka, Bar Mimanuela, beer, Caja Rural, Calle Tiendas,  caracoles, cask ales, cervezas sin, de tapeo por Ronda, Elaine Moore, El Almacén, Eye on Spain, Feria de Pedro Romero, "Guiri" Gourmet, internet café, La Indiana, mejillones, Meter Maid, Michael Coy, Olive Press, Paul Whitelock, Pizzería Michelangelo, Plaza Carmen Abela, pub crawl, snails, tapas, tapear, Trip Advisor, Venta El Puente, Wikipedia