To survive as a restaurant in Spain in this day and age you need to be able to offer good quality food at reasonable prices, prepared consistently by skilled Chefs and presented to the clients by friendly staff with the minimum of delay.
Gone are the days when diners will accept poor standards especially as there are so many restaurants here from which to choose.
Living in Spain has given me the opportunity to try many restaurants, some very good and some dreadful. The dreadful do not survive for very long.
We recently visited the Punta Prima Restaurant, in the Punta Prima area of Costa Blanca South. Tucked away down a side road on the beach side of the N332 coast road, it was a pleasant surprise to see a delightful frontage of a well established restaurant. (There is no problem with parking, even at the height of the season). Large plant tubs either side of the doors that were wide open and welcoming you inside to a large lounge/ bar area smartly furnished. The smell of delicious food filled the air and the bar was lined with both hot and cold delicious Spanish Tapas.
As you walk through into the rear section, the area opens up to a large restaurant on the right hand side which can be enclosed by glass curtains, for the short winter period and a large open air section on the left hand side, sun protected and mainly for daytime use for clients to enjoy the fabulous selection of Tapas and drinks.
The whole rear of the restaurant has magnificent elevated views over the sea and surrounding coastline, which all diners can enjoy day or night. We were recommended to try this restaurant on a Friday evening as this is their Flamenco and modern dance show.
After being shown to our table by a smiling waiter, it was difficult to decide what to have from their extensive menu eventually we decided on the ‘Rape Cazuela’, (a stew of Monkfish and clams) and ‘Lenguado con Gambas en Cava. (Whole Sole with Prawns in Spanish Champagne Sauce) Both were delicious.
For dessert we decided to try the Soufflé, which is large and designed for two persons only. It contained fresh fruits and pockets of Ice Cream which was flambéed at the table - a delightful and very filling experience.
The Flamenco Show started at 10.00pm on a raised platform located on the rear patio so everyone had a good view. The show consisted of two Spanish female dancers and a male Singer who interacted with the audience by dancing and singing between the tables and down the aisle. It was lovely to see a large group of very small children dressed in traditional Spanish costumes standing directly in front of the stage emulating the artists. After a short break the music and dancing continued for another hour until 12.30pm and this time included two Spanish Guitarists. They finished the evening with a National Song from Andalucía that was performed by candlelight. The show was of a very high standard.
The cost of the whole evening was under €40 (approx £32) and definitely met all of the criteria that I mentioned above. The Punta Prima Restaurant has been trading for the past 38 years, which is an indictment of their sustained quality of service.
If you are in this part of Spain on holiday or perhaps live here permanently and haven’t yet been to The Restaurante Punta Prima, we highly recommend you try an evening at this restaurant, we intend to visit again, very soon!!
By Allen Cooper
World Properties and Land
Spanish Office
Gone are the days when diners will accept poor standards especially as there are so many restaurants here from which to choose.
Living in Spain has given me the opportunity to try many restaurants, some very good and some dreadful. The dreadful do not survive for very long.
We recently visited the Punta Prima Restaurant, in the Punta Prima area of Costa Blanca South. Tucked away down a side road on the beach side of the N332 coast road, it was a pleasant surprise to see a delightful frontage of a well established restaurant. (There is no problem with parking, even at the height of the season). Large plant tubs either side of the doors that were wide open and welcoming you inside to a large lounge/ bar area smartly furnished. The smell of delicious food filled the air and the bar was lined with both hot and cold delicious Spanish Tapas.
As you walk through into the rear section, the area opens up to a large restaurant on the right hand side which can be enclosed by glass curtains, for the short winter period and a large open air section on the left hand side, sun protected and mainly for daytime use for clients to enjoy the fabulous selection of Tapas and drinks.
The whole rear of the restaurant has magnificent elevated views over the sea and surrounding coastline, which all diners can enjoy day or night. We were recommended to try this restaurant on a Friday evening as this is their Flamenco and modern dance show.
After being shown to our table by a smiling waiter, it was difficult to decide what to have from their extensive menu eventually we decided on the ‘Rape Cazuela’, (a stew of Monkfish and clams) and ‘Lenguado con Gambas en Cava. (Whole Sole with Prawns in Spanish Champagne Sauce) Both were delicious.
For dessert we decided to try the Soufflé, which is large and designed for two persons only. It contained fresh fruits and pockets of Ice Cream which was flambéed at the table - a delightful and very filling experience.
The Flamenco Show started at 10.00pm on a raised platform located on the rear patio so everyone had a good view. The show consisted of two Spanish female dancers and a male Singer who interacted with the audience by dancing and singing between the tables and down the aisle. It was lovely to see a large group of very small children dressed in traditional Spanish costumes standing directly in front of the stage emulating the artists. After a short break the music and dancing continued for another hour until 12.30pm and this time included two Spanish Guitarists. They finished the evening with a National Song from Andalucía that was performed by candlelight. The show was of a very high standard.
The cost of the whole evening was under €40 (approx £32) and definitely met all of the criteria that I mentioned above. The Punta Prima Restaurant has been trading for the past 38 years, which is an indictment of their sustained quality of service.
If you are in this part of Spain on holiday or perhaps live here permanently and haven’t yet been to The Restaurante Punta Prima, we highly recommend you try an evening at this restaurant, we intend to visit again, very soon!!
By Allen Cooper
World Properties and Land
Spanish Office
