Dying to Eat!

In a recent post I shared the recipe for Thai Squid Salad (yam pla meuk).  As mentioned this is one of those quick, simple and easy recipes.  Due to progressive health failure, such recipes have become essential for me now.

I also shared with you how amazing Mr. Grumps (my husband) is too. Since my original diagnosis with Cancer in January 2010 he has progressed from my best friend and husband to carer and of late, chief cook and bottle washer too.  All this whilst working when possible so as to provide some income.  He deserves a medal.

2011 1st outing after 3 further ops

2014 a few weeks after terminal diagnosis

The original purpose and reasons behind launching this blog have now turned around.  At that time, despite having already been ill, I wanted to simply log my cooking and recipes.  Now though, the recipes may be mine, but Mr. Grumps has become the cook.

Thereby, turning this little space on the Web into a legacy.  The idea being that he can easily find all his favourite recipes in one easy place.

Mr. Grumps making Curry

Since the Cancer was confirmed to be terminal we have had to make a lot of plans and changes in our lives.  Mr. Grumps now becoming the cook is just a drop in the ocean.  Truth be known he has always been a superb cook, just didn’t do it very often.

We’ve had to sort out finances too (amongst other things) which seems an endless task but it’s getting there.

A friend recently asked me what I think is best.  A sudden death where you have no warning? Or, a terminal illness where you have some idea of the time you have left?

How do you honestly answer that?  Like everything in life, there are pros and cons attached to each question/answer.  However, being terminally ill does give you the opportunity to put your affairs in order.

“Life comes with only one guarantee

 You are born – you will die”

I tell myself this everyday and it’s what I’ve told all my family and friends.  I’ve also told them all “I don’t want sympathy or pity; I just want to be treated like normal”.

They have all taken this on board and do just that.  Disappointingly though, there are two people who have been close friends of ours for many years and actually won’t speak to us since they heard the news!  Can you believe that?

Despite them, my family and friends are a blessing; they are the most amazing part of my life.  My husband, Mr. Grumps, is the most special person one could ever meet and my Mother-in-law too for that matter.  They have gone above and beyond the call of duty.  Thank you, you don’t need reminding just how much I love you.

2014 Mum-in-Law enticing Beaux into the pool

2014 Mum-in-Law enjoying a night out

This is not “good bye”, just an opportunity to record my love for you all.

I still have some fight left and fight I will, TTFN.

Bibs, xx

Review of Hotel Restaurante Alberdini, Competa, Malaga, Spain

2 Weeks ago Mr. Grumps, myself and two friends, Ken and Siss, enjoyed a special summer evening being wined and dined at Hotel Restaurante Alberdini.

An unusual and interesting Hotel.  Actually, it’s so much more than a Hotel.  There is a bar, a restaurant, yoga classes (amongst others), a swimming pool for guests and some rather unusual accommodation too.

Mr. Grumps and I actually had no clue as to this pre-arranged evening.  We were actually kidnapped and force fed!  Really, we were, read how this came about in my previous post here.

The Alberdini as it is commonly known, is just a few minutes drive from our home and yet not somewhere we have visited often.  Isn’t that just typical?

Upon our arrival we were shown to our reserved table and our waitress quickly took our drinks order.  We were then given the menus to peruse.  Same menu as when Mr. Grumps and I last dined there some two years before.  However, there was one new item we had heard much about named ‘Steak on a Hot Stone’.  I guess this needs no further explanation as “it does what it says on the tin”.

The menu is extremely varied and we were also informed of the Specials available that day.

Whilst I had been tempted to order the steak on a hot stone, I was also a little nervous by the prospect of cooking my own meal.  The intention was to enjoy myself and therefore did not want the bother of worrying about ruining my steak.  Siss however needed no convincing and ordered the Fillet Steak option.

Jabali (Wild Boar) was offered as a special that day so I was keen not to miss this opportunity as it’s rarely an option in most restaurants.

Mr. Grumps chose the fish special of the day being Dorada (Sea Bream) and Ken ordered the Pez Espada (Swordfish).

Nobody ordered starters which suited me because I was in the mood for a dessert that evening and new I could not manage three courses.

We were all given a choice of side dishes to accompany our meals.  Not being a massive fan of chips I requested rice, whilst the others chose roasted new potatoes.

Orders placed we were chatting and drinking when 4 small terracotta pots were placed on our table containing sopa de ajo blanco.  White garlic soup, a common cold soup served in Spain.

Despite being a popular soup, none of us had ever tried it before so this small offering was a good opportunity.  Unfortunately, we were not keen but a nice gesture.

When our Main Meals arrived, all eyes were on the Fillet steak served on a hot stone which Siss had ordered.  No need to explain why, just look at that beauty in the photo.

Served with 3 different sauces on the side with vegetables and  potatoes.

Ken’s Pez Espada looked fabulous with garlic, parsley and olive oil sauce drizzled over the top.

The Dorada too looked delicious accompanied by potatoes and a side salad.

I was a little surprised to discover my Jabali served as a stew.  I had presumed it to be a large cut of roasted meat.  I made this assumption  based on being told Jabali was a special that day, not Estofado de jabalí.

Whilst I did enjoy the Estofado de jabalí I will definitely question how it is prepared in future when an option.  I’ve previously eaten Jabali elsewhere which was roasted and more suited to my palette.

We all enjoyed our meals but I feel Siss made the best choice with the Fillet Steak.  I will definitely order that next time we visit The Alberdini.

Only myself and Siss ordered desserts.  Sorry no photos, Siss was tucking in hers the second it placed in front of her and I was busy pushing aside the dreaded “Squirt Cream” surrounding mine. 

Siss chose the Chocolate Mousse and I could not resist trying the Chocolate Brownie.  Both good choices, but please no more “squirt Cream“.  That stuff should never have been invented.

All in all a fabulous meal.  Great service too, nothing was too much trouble and the prices are reasonable.

Special thanks go to Ken and Siss for kidnapping us and providing a memorable evening.

KIDNAPPED AND FORCE FED

Kidnapped and Force Fed at Hotel Restaurante Alberdini, Competa, Malaga, Spain

One evening last week, Mr. Grumpy and I were kidnapped and taken to the Hotel Alberdini in Competa.

Yes you read that correctly, we actually were kidnapped and taken to the above venue!

Entrance to the driveway

To cut a long story short, our long time friends and neighbours, Ken and Siss kidnapped us in a very friendly and organised manner with the sole intention of providing us with a good time.

Who needs enemies when you have friends like that?

After a brief period in remission I was diagnosed as terminal with the return of Colon Cancer.  Since then we have had many visitors and been quite busy with as many family and friends as possible.

Ken and Siss had told us sometime ago that they were intending to kidnap me before I become too ill.  They both work hard and very long hours so time for social events is rare for them.  However, Siss had a free evening coming up and on that date, we too were free.

So a date and time was set for the Kidnapping.  I had absolutely no clue as to what this would entail.  I was simply told both of us were being taken and to be ready for 7.15pm.

Consequently, we did exactly as we were told!

We were bundled in the car and driven to a surprise venue.  Upon arrival we certainly were surprised too.  The Alberdini is just 5 minutes from our home but we never seem to go there, isn’t that just typical though?

After being shown to a reserved table, the waitress took our drinks order which quickly arrived.

The remainder of the evenings events can be read in my next post Review of Hotel Restaurante Alberdini (here) 

Thanks to Ken and Siss for an amazing evening at the Alberdini

NOTE – Nobody was harmed and no ransom was paid to the culprits.  Residents of Competa are now very aware who the kidnappers are due to their photos being published on facebook.

Restaurant La Plaza, Canillas de Albaida, Malaga (Review)

Review - Restaurant La Plaza, Canillas de Albaida, Malaga

Over a long period of time (more years than I care to remember in fact) I have eaten in every restaurant in the mountain villages of Competa, Canillas de Albaida, Arches and Sayalonga.

Many no longer exist, many have changed management, new ones open up regularly and of course there are also those that simply should not be there at all!!!

Then of course there are those where the management remains but a new chef is bought in.  This could be due to various reasons, perhaps the chef moves on, perhaps the chef is replaced.  Whatever the reason, a new chef can often revive a restaurant that may have become tired.  Equally, a new chef can also kill a previously popular restaurant too.

Restaurant La Plaza has seen several new chefs over the years.  It’s always been popular and sits in a beautiful position too.  It is part of Posada La Plaza Hotel, which is located directly opposite the restaurant within the square (La Plaza).

I have eaten there on many occasions myself.  Not for a long period though for which there have been some valid reasons.  One being that we were unsure whether or not it was still trading!

However, recent advertising announcing a new chef and a new menu too inspired us to go back.

With my brother and sister-in-law visiting for a few days, it seemed the perfect opportunity for a re-visit, especially as this is one restaurant they had actually never been to on previous visits.

Unfortunately, there was a cold breeze that evening (despite now being summer).  However we had no choice but to sit outside due to me   currently being unable to the tackle stairs up to the dining area inside.

For my starter course, I chose the Indonesian spare ribs with bean sprout salad.

Indonesian Rack of Ribs with Bean Sprout Salad

A reasonable size rack of ribs, marinated and cooked until almost falling off the bone.  Succulent, tender and flavoursome.  Albeit, a little dry at either end, due to re-heating I suspect!  The bean sprout salad was a perfect accompaniment.  Mixed with onion and peppers and served with a tasty dressing.  Personally, I would have preferred a thicker, sweeter sauce, which would also have been perfect for mopping up with the ribs too.

Despite this, it was a good choice and I would order it again.

For the main meal, I opted for Duck Confit.  A dish rarely found in restaurants in Spain, so I was looking forward to this.

Duck Confit

I was not disappointed either, a perfect choice.  Perfectly cooked confit duck leg, positioned on top of a carrot and potato mash, well seasoned and quite smooth.  All accompanied with fresh and crunchy broccoli and cauliflower florets, carrot slices and roast potatoes.  The thick gravy completed the dish, which had a slight sweetness to it and a perfect flavour balance, but not quite enough of it!  I did request extra a short while later and was expecting it to be bought to the table separately.  However, I was a little taken aback when the Waitress whisked away my plate and returned it now swimming in far too much gravy.  This time however, it had not been reduced to provide the same previous consistency, nor was there the sweetness either.  Very runny and a little too salty too which rather spoiled what was originally a perfect dish.

That said, I’ll know another time to request the gravy be served separately upon placing the order and plenty of it too!  My only other request would be not to have the sliced carrots.  The other vegetables were plenty, rendering the additional carrots unnecessary.

Fast forward…………………………….

That delicious meal was almost 3 weeks ago.  I was unable to publish this earlier due to receiving many guests/visitors from family and friends and therefore had little time to prepare it for posting.

In the meantime, I, together with my husband, in-laws and several friends have visited La Plaza again.

This time, it was a beautiful summer evening, without the cold wind as before.  The owner, Gustavo was also waiting every table the whole evening.  He was on holiday during our last visit, so it was nice to see him this time as it’s been a few years.

Wanting to try a different dish, this visit I chose the Beef Fillet with Mushroom Sauce for the main my course.

Beef Fillet

Beef Fillet

I order steak with caution most of the time.  It’s rarely perfectly cooked to my liking, resulting in disappointment and sending it back!  There is normally only one particular restaurant where I always order steak and nothing else (review of that to follow another time).  So to order steak here was a risk for me.  But don’t tell Gustavo please!!!!!

When my dish arrived I was so pleased to see the fresh Cauliflower and Broccoli Florets again, alongside the Carrot and Potato mash.  The beautiful looking Beef fillet was placed on top of the mushroom sauce.  However, I was also hoping for those delicious roast potatoes again, but no.  In there place I received Patatas a lo Pobre (poor mans potatoes).  A simple side of sliced potatoes, cooked in olive oil with seasoning, sliced onions and peppers.  A nice dish but not, in my opinion, restaurant quality fare.  Tapas yes or served in the home, but not in many restaurants and definitely not alongside fillet steak!

Before tucking in, my first task was to check out the cooking of the beef.  I cut straight through the middle as this is the only way to check if it is cooked to my liking (medium).  Perfectly cooked beef fillet, one happy diner as I hate having to return food with complaints!!

The mushroom sauce was delicious too and certainly helped me to quickly forget I was still missing those beautiful roast potatoes!

My Husband ordered the Salmon, as recommended by Gustavo.  He was pleased with his choice too and was relieved it was served with new potatoes (with butter for dipping in) and a salad.  He will not touch “trees” as he calls them.  In other words, real vegetables!

I was too full to enjoy a dessert on our previous visit so was keen not to miss out again!!!!

No dessert menu as such was offered to peruse.  Instead, Gustavo explained what was available.  The choices were, Crema Catalana, Crème Brulee, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Tiramasu or Chocolate Mousse.

The first two instantly struck me as strange choice to offer both as an option.  One is Spanish, One French but basically the same dessert!  The only difference being the cooking method of each.  That aside, some delicious choices were offered.

Like many, I do enjoy a good Sticky Toffee Pudding.  However despite not being adverse to dates, I do prefer a pudding without them.  Purists will naturally be frowning at that comment!  But, I find they spoil it by making the pudding too heavy and bring nothing to the texture or flavour.  I love a moist, light sponge with a lot of toffee sauce!

Before ordering, I questioned the ingredients in the sponge and was delighted when Gustavo assured me there were no dates.  Despite being a little sceptical, as I have been told this in other restaurants, only to find it is in fact packed with dates, I went ahead and ordered it.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Excellent, the best Sticky Toffee Pudding I have ever been served in a restaurant!  Upon its arrival, I was disappointed to see such a small portion.  Despite this, I was however unable to finish it!!!!!!  A little fresh cream was swirled into the toffee sauce which made for a nice presentation.  So too was the addition of Walnuts.

TASTEOMETER’S RATING:-

I most definitely recommend this Restaurant.

The Hotel Posada La Plaza, opposite the restaurant in La Plaza (the square) also has much to offer (click link at start of post to view website).  The square is for pedestrian access only.  However motorbikes occasionally ride through.  Cars are unable to enter the Plaza.  But, for those with walking difficulties you can enter by car upon prior arrangement with the management when booking (applies to both Hotel and Restaurant only bookings).  This is necessary for the security post to be released upon your arrival.  No facilities for disabled are available within the restaurant nor Hotel.

Inside (upstairs) and roof terrace dining available.  Outside dining, within the Plaza.

Friendly service and nothing is too much trouble.

Food -            9/10   Very good

Service -        8/10   Good

Location        5/10   Pretty setting, but not suitable for disabled or infirm

Patrons

Pricing           9/10   Fair

Food choice 8/10   Good – Vegetarian Main Meals offered, but no

Starters available!