[Playa de las Americas, Tenerife, Spain] Garibaldi

It’s some years since we last had dinner here. We drifted away after a couple of disappointing visits. It was the service, not the food, that was the issue. We thought it worth another try.

Much is the same. It’s still probably the most formal restaurant in PDLA. Proper tablecloths and napkins for example. And a pianist who also croons his way through a selection – although a bit of a surprise to hear an “easy listening” version of Bowie’s Jean Genie.

Service in the past might best be described as slow and “up itself”. Now, whilst it’s still “proper”, it’s friendly and on the ball. One side of the restaurant is an extension with only plastic sheeting as a wall/window. It has a bit of a feel of sitting in a tent. And not in a good way, not least when the strong winds of that evening were blowing a gale through the gaps. We asked to move and were given a nice table inside.

There was a cock up with my starter. Wrong one. Now, what was impressive was that my companion’s dish was also taken away to be completely remade. As the waiter put it “You want to have dinner together”. So true. That’s a level of customer service and hospitality almost unheard of in similar circumstances in the UK. When the dishes returned, they were both fine. One, a simple dish of garlic mushrooms still in the oil in which they’d been fried , which was perfect for dunking the bread in. The other was a generally well made pumpkin soup. Great texture and flavour of pumpkin but there had been a heavy hand with the salt.

Four small fillets of sole had been expertly cooked and served just “as is”, along with mixed vegetables – carrot, courgette and peppers. A simple, straightforward dish which is just what was wanted. Leg of lamb came on the bone, cooked a little more than we would at home but perfectly fine. The gravy was well flavoured but was quite a gloopy “works canteen” texture. There was some of the mixed veg as the other other plate. And a bowl of saute potatoes to share.

Profiteroles are a long-term favourite dessert. These were well made, filled with crème patisserie and topped with chocolate. Classic – and particularly nice with the vanilla ice cream. For the other dessert, rice pudding served cold and topped with a few macerated raisins to perk it up.

This was the last meal of our two week holiday. We’d generally eaten very well and this mean was certainly up there amongst the better ones.

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