LOS PEPES
Los Pepes is a small restaurant situated in Calle La Ballena in the Old Town part of Corralejo. Konrad is the chef and Vivienne is the hostess with the mostest. They have seating for approximately 20 and this small intimate atmosphere, coupled with excellent quality food makes it one of the best restaurants in the resort.
When you arrive you will be offered a drink while you peruse the menu. Vivienne makes a new bread every day to go with a small appetiser. Previously we have had walnut & raisin, onion and garlic & herb bread and the appetisers have been, chicken and sundried tomatoes with a mustard vinegrette, anchovies and prawns and avocado with rocket and herb dressing. It's a nice touch and appreciated by most people, everyone likes something for nothing.
The menu itself is not huge, there are 8 starters, 8 main courses and 2 daily specials. This means that standards can be kept high and ingredients are fresh, no reheating in this restauant.
Starters include a fan of Galia melon, served with kiwi, mango and fruit sorbet; black pudding and chorizo salad with crisp bean salad and rocket with a herb and balsamic dressing; Fuerteventura fish soup; chicken and pork terrine wrapped in bacon served with pear chutney; and scallop, mussel and calamari ragout with mushrooms, tomatoes and fresh herbs. The starters range in price from €4.80 for the melon to €7.50 for the ragout.
Main courses include pan seared monkfish fillet with a medley of beansprouts,oyster mushrooms and leeks drizzled with a sun blushed tomato vinegrette; grilled breast of chicken nestling on a compote of chorizo and chick peas with pepper coulis; lamb fillet on a red wine jus served with mustard crushed potatoes and fillet steak with a choice of 4 sauces. Prices range from €9.50 to €11.50. The daily specials always include 1 fish dish and 1 meat dish and we recently had barracuda with cherry tomatoes and basil €11.50 and medallions of beef with lobster tail €13.50. The potato of the day also changes and can be baby new potatoes with mint and butter, potatoes dauphinoise, or boulongere potatoes. You also get a freshly cooked vegetable of the day priced at €1.50.
There is also a vegetarian menu with imaginative choices.
If you have room for a dessert choices can include, chocolate and amaretto mousse €4.50, apple and almond tart with cream €4.00, fresh strawberries and cream €4.50 and creme caramel €3.50.
The thing I like about this restaurant are all the little touches, fresh flowers on the tables, the appetisers and bread, the use of local ingredients and the vegetables and potatoes instead of chips.
It is nearly always full. I advise pre booking and the telephone number is (0034) 928537276. Closed Wednesdays, open from 6pm. No cards accepted. On holidays 1st-21st July 2006
The menu will be changing in July and I will update with the new choices then.
Hi, new menu has duck breast with a red wine sauce, the veal has gone. The black pudding and chorizo starter has gone and a new chicken ceaser salad has appeared in its place. The melon starter is now strawberries with balsamin vinegar and cracked black pepper.
Please note that Los Pepes was sold off recently (June 07). I will get in there and review the new one as soon as it opens.
Bodeguita El Andaluz
Bodeguita El Andaluz is also in Calle La Ballena in the old town, directly opposite Los Pepes. It is run by Manolo, the Spanish chef and Birgit his Austrian partner who waits on the tables. There are only 8 tables in the restaurant and they are beautifully set, with fans and table decorations.
When you arrive you will be offered an aperitif of the house, priced at €2.70, this is a glass of Cava and red berry juice and is delicious. There is an extensive wine list and a good thing here is you don't have to order a bottle, Birgit will split everything into 1/4 and 1/2 litre carafes as well as individual glasses and you don't pay extortianate prices for the priviledge.
The next thing that arrives is bread and homemade oil to dip the bread in, this has fresh herbs, chillies and garlic in it and is absolutely lovely. You can get as much bread as you can eat.
The menu has a classic Spanish feel to it but there are international choices. Starters include, Chorizo sausage; prawns in garlic; mushrooms and serrano ham; gazpacho; and canarian tomatoes, avocado and mozzarella cheese with fresh basil. Prices range from €4.00 for soup to €6.50 for prawns. There is always a special starter and in the past this has been prawn cocktail with king prawns; and salmon tartare €7.50
The main courses are really good value for money and start at €8.50. The choice includes homemade quiche; mixed kebab; fillet steak with a choice of sauces (the thyme gravy is to die for); king prawns diavolo with chilli and garlic; fresh fish of the day; sole fillet with a choice of butters and the house dish of spicy chicken wings. Everything is cooked to perfection and looks fantastic on the plates. You get sweetcorn cobettes and tomatoes with garlic and rosemary potatoes, the flavours are wonderful. There is a daily special main course which has included lamb chops; €11.00 stuffed chicken fillet €9.20 and gipsey pork. €10.50.
UPDATE, chicken wings are off, lamb chops are permanently on. Yippee.
If you are a pudding person and like fruit then the special dessert is worth the 10 minute wait it takes to prepare. Grilled blackberries with ice cream and the blackberries are fresh. Sometimes if you ask in advance Manolo will do grilled strawberries and bananas, but only if they can get quality fruit from the supplier. Other puddings include homemade Austrian cake; sorbets and ice creams. Prices from €3.00 to €5.00.
The service is very attentive and friendly and there is a comments book, which makes for interesting reading. Children are welcomed with colouring books and crayons.
There is a passion about this restaurant, you are important as a customer and will be made to feel so. I know of people who eat in this restaurant every day of their holidays, I couldn't but it shows you the quality.
I would advise booking ahead as it gets full (0034) 676705878. Closed Sundays and Mondays, open from 6.30pm, no cards accepted.
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Edited by
ThePeacockRocks
2007-06-05 14:51:23