Following the First Ruta de la Tapa Castril in Granada

Join us as we sample the culinary delights of one of Granada’s prettiest villages at the 1st Ruta de la Tapa Castril.

Taking part in a ‘Ruta de la Tapa’ is a great way to get to know the bars, restaurants and food of a town or village. The idea is simple, each venue is tasked with creating a tapas dish that represents the essence of the local area. So, it is basically an organised tapas tour. But you can visit the bars in any order.

Those who choose to follow the route, travel from bar to bar, sampling the dishes and marking them on a score card. Typical criteria include flavour and presentation. At the end, those who visit every venue are rewarded with a prize. They may also be entered into a lottery or raffle.

This might seem like an activity aimed at tourists. Yet, the majority of people who take part in these events are locals.

1st Ruta de la Tapa Castril

The village of Castril sits in the north-east of the Granada province near the borders of Jaen, Murcia and Albacete. Nestled at the end of a valley against a backdrop of mountains and lakes, Castril is without doubt one of the most beautiful villages in Andalucía.

The village’s inaugural ‘Ruta de la Tapa’ in 2018 was a great success, with 10 bars taking part. For those not familiar with the area, the tapas route is a great way to explore the hidden corners of this charming municipality.

The mountainous landscape influences the local cuisine. With lots of meat, and brown trout from the nearby rivers and lakes. It is traditional in the area to offer a free tapas with every beer, wine or spirit. However, this event gives the local chefs a chance to offer something different and more substantial than the usual fare. For the 2018 route, dishes cost just €1.50.

Here is a rundown of what was offered and where.

The bars, restaurants and tapas

El Hogar del Pensionista de Fatima

Restaurante Molino de la Cerrada

Bar Cirola

Restaurante La Feunte

Asador Romero

Bar Zafra

Bar-Restaurante El Angel

Cafe Bar Emilio

Restaurante El Mano

After the vote count, Restaurante La Fuente emerged as the winner. And it was a very good dish. However, our favourite was the Delicias de Cuaresma from Cafe Bar Emilio.  This local dish of bacalao (cod) and potaje de garbanzos (chick pea stew) is popular during La Cuaresma and at the start of Semana Santa. Best of all was the spoonful of arroz con leche (rice pudding) on the side. A nice finishing touch.