L’Almadrava – a little pit stop in Javea.
This was a great little lifesaver at the time with a number of good things going for it. Somehow we had managed to miss lunch in Spain, even with Spain’s luxuriously long lunch hours stretching from about 1 till 4pm, but we’d got so caught up in a fabulous visit to Bodegas Gutiérrez de la Vega that we’d found ourselves in a small town in the countryside where all the places to eat were closed or closing for their post prandial siesta.
By this time we were starving, having tasted through 20 or so wines which had definitely whetted our appetite. This was further inflamed by the fact that the whole town seemed to be suffused with the smells of roast lamb and assorted Sunday roasts. Our last hope before the long journey further south to La Manga Club was to make a short detour to the seaside town of Javea in the hope of finding something good to eat. We happened upon the lovely little bar/cafe L’Almadrava right in the centre and just one block from the beach.
There were many good things going for this place: first it was serving proper meals, not just hot snacks, and it was by now 5 o’clock. Second, there were no time restrictions! Lunch whenever you like! Third, it was very cheap with a three course menu del dia or two courses and a drink for 9 euros. Fourth, there were three choices for each course. We chose a starter of fried calamares and one of a mixed salad with tuna. This we followed by a chicken with a gorgonzola sauce and egg and chips with a lean loin of pork fillet. We decided not to go for a dessert but when we saw the matriarch of this family-run place beaming with pride as she produced a marvellous looking home-made almond tart and a chocolate cake we bought some to take away for later. Another plus.
The next happy find was free and quickly accessible WiFi inside at the back of the bistro. On top of this the service was friendly and we were sitting outside enjoying the last rays of the sun. Fantastic! Simple fare but so well done wih good quality ingredients and clear and fresh flavours. What with the price and fact that they will serve you way beyond even the Spanish late, late lunch it is incredible.
What a great little place, just doing a simple thing but doing it so well.Thank you L’Almadrava. Javea (Xàbia) looked great too and I wish I’d had more time to discover it. Next time!
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