MyTapas Guides - Cordoba by Roger Warwick

Cordoba by Roger Warwick

You really have to visit Cordoba with a sense of history. It almost pales into insignificance if you try to compare it with the majestic beauty of Seville or the magnificence and draw of Granada and the Alhambra. The main attraction here is the Mosque and Cathedral.

The Tapas Bars of Cordoba

After losing ourselves amongst the maze of small streets that form the Jewish quarter (and doing this is really one of the things that so appeals to me about Cordoba) we found our way back to the Cathedral and to the taverns on the nearby Velazquez Bosco street. We stopped at the Taberna La Aldaba where they were offering 4 small dishes of food (tapas) and a beer for 6 euros. Amongst other dishes (meatballs, garlic mushrooms, roast red peppers with tuna) we ordered salmorejo (a thicker Cordoba version of gazpacho, but made with ham and egg).

We found out that most establishments offer little on the way of wines (the only white was often the local Montilla-Moriles fino and the reds a poor selection indeed). As in many cities, tapas have to be paid for. It's becoming increasingly evident that free tapas in Spain are a thing of the past, the custom being maintained in Madrid and Granada province but few other places. In Cordoba you could order small dishes in measures of half or full "raciones" at an average price of 3 or 6 euros.

On our second night, we began at El Burlaero in the diminutive Hoguera street. This is truly a bullfighting bar, with a large bull's head and dozens of bullfighting photos decorating the walls. The speciality here are meat kebabs or "brochetas", a bit expensive but they certainly had an exquisite look to them, although we didn't try them as it was still a bit early in the evening for us.

We moved on to Hostal Deanes on the eponymous street and had a quick tapa of fried chorizo at the bar, before making our way to the Las Comedias tavern on Velazquez Bosco street for our evening meal of "Pechugitas a la pimienta" (small chunks of white chicken breast done in a peppery white sauce), home-made croquettes and "Asadillo de pimientos" (strips of roasted red pepper mixed with chopped fried onion, garlic, boiled egg-white and sprinkled with black pepper). We finished off with coffee and a slice of "Pastel Cordobes", the typical cinnamon flavoured pastry.

Opposite, on Corregidor Luis de la Cerda, we entered the small Pepe Misi tavern which I can thoroughly recommend. It has a small bar, 6 tables downstairs and 4 on the second floor. We trouped upstairs and started talking to the couple on the next table. The waiter told us that in Cordoba, if you order a "medio" (literally a half) you're actually asking for a full glass of fino, whereas a "copa" will only get you half a glass! We ordered 2 medios, "Cohollitos de lechuga" (small lettuce hearts sprinkled with chopped fried garlic), "Pincho Moruno" (a pork kebab), home-made croquettes and "Ensaladilla Rusa" (potato, vegetable & mayonnaise). Service was excellent, the company charming and the food tasty.

.One other place to mention, although I can't remember what it was called. It was situated opposite the Las Comedias tavern in Velazquez Bosco. Specialities include "Montaditos de Lomo" (slices of pork steak on bread and topped with tomato), "Alitas" (chicken wings) and "Berenjenas" (fried aubergine slices).