Tag Archives: mojacar

Bodega Mi Cortijo Restuarant, Mojacar Playa

18 Mar

It is always a bit of a quiet time during the first three months of the year for everyone here.  Restaurant owners take their well deserved holidays, and we are all doing those horrible jobs that we put off until the winter – the run up to Christmas is too busy, so it gets pushed back until now (before going out today, Mick and I finished painting the hall!).

 

Anyhow, we decided it was about time for an outing again and a bit of relaxation and so went down to Mojacar to meet up with some friends who had already visited Mi Cortijo.  It is located on a side street (second turning on the right after the Hortiflor roundabout if you are coming from Garrucha direction).  As soon as you turn up the street you will see it on the left hand side.  Parking is easy as it is in a residential area.

Mi Cortijo cats and dogs 001

 

It is obvious that this has been newly refurbished (it used to be a lovely home interiors shop) as it is very smart and tastefully done.  There is a large area with lots of tables and chairs, and barrels and bar stools where you can have breakfast, coffee, drinks or tapas and then a more formal dining room at the back.  We just went for tapas and a couple of glasses of wine – there is a fairly extensive tapas menu and some good healthy choices too (half of us are on diets!).

Mi Cortijo cats and dogs 004

 

We ordered Jamon, mixed salad (which comes with tuna, but is left undressed), roasted peppers and tuna, sliced tomatoes with grilled Italian cheese, smoked ham and sliced potatoes on toasted bread, and then some toasts that we first thought were kebabs (pinchos), but in fact you went and chose some toppings of your choice – the boys chose alioli, anchovy and a chilli pepper topping (?) for us, but actually it was very nice.  Had I not been on a diet I probably could have had one or two more dishes to make a reasonably substantial lunch, but opted for another glass of wine instead!

 

Mi Cortijo cats and dogs 005

 

As the name suggests (Bodega) they also sell their house wine by the 2 litre bottle for 4.50 euros – red, white and rosado, which we didn’t try.

 

It is good to have another new place to go to with slightly more sophisticated and beautifully presented tapas than usual.  The service was lovely and friendly, swift but without bringing everything at once and the bill came to 14 euros a head which included a 10% tip.  We will definitely be going there again and would be a good choice for an evening drink too.  We didn’t look at the a la carte menu but if the tapas are anything to go by, take a look next time you are down that way and see for yourself.

Mi Cortijo cats and dogs 006

 

They are open all day from 8.30 a.m. until 11p.m daily.

Bodega Mi Cortijo Restuarant, Mojacar Playa Telephone number: 696 431 510.

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Treasure Island beach walk

21 May

Last weekend we wanted to do a morning walk before the weather really gets too hot to even think about walking – so our friends Mike and Gill, who are very keen walkers – told us about one particular route they had done which gave you two options.  The first one is a much more challenging walk over quite big hills above the beaches beyond Mojacar; the second is a coastal walk, but along a decent, flat track for the less ambitious. Both start from the tower at Macenas beach as you head for Carboneras.

Meeting point at Macenas tower

We didn’t have to start too early, although the forecast was for the high eighties on the Saturday that we went.  But anyhow, we agreed to meet at an acceptable 10.30 and promised Gill that we would be on time as we always seem to be 10 or 15 minutes late when going to theirs for lunch!  So, we set off extra early, and they still beat us to it.

Signposted all of the way

We were hoping to be 6 or 8 but everyone else cried off for various reasons, so with it just being the four of us, Mike gave us the option to either do the more difficult, over the hills walk (I hasten to add there was a promise of a beautiful beach and tapas lunch in the chiringuito at the end of the two hours that it would take to get there!) or to do the easier coastal walk to the same point, but which would only take an hour or so.  I thought as it wasn’t too hot, that even I would brave the hills.

The sea view

Shelters on top of the hill

This is where someone having done the route already pays off, as Gill kind of kept me up to date with what to expect; it was tricky here, steep there, over the worst bit – that kind of thing!  Not being much of a walker myself, it all helps to keep you going.  There were several gorgeous natural stops on the way where the council have put up seating areas and little cabins to get a bit of shade while you catch your breath and have a glug of water (which obviously is essential to take with you).

Keep going!

The way down.

It was as challenging a walk as I would like –  a few quite hairy bits going down some steep slopes with nothing to hold on to,  but nothing that phased our 70 something companions!  They are quite amazing and remained undaunted, but seriously, if you are of a certain age and not used to walking, then take the coastal route which is just lovely too.

The beach before Treasure Island beach

2 hours later we arrived at Treasure Island beach (yes really they shot the Orson Wells version here in 1972).  It is just lovely, unspoilt and with just one chiringuito, Manaca,  to have drinks, tapas or lunch.  You could quite happily spend the whole afternoon here – and the good thing is that it can be reached by car too, so you could pack everything up and come for the whole day, away from the more popular beaches in Mojacar.  You need brollies and something to lie on though as it really is a natural beach with no other facilities apart from the beach bar.

Treasure Island beach

Chiringuito Manaca

He was a bit thinner then

We arrived for lunch and of course a much needed drink, tinto verano in my case (summer wine a bit like sangria) – just lovely.  Then the owner came out with the menus and a chameleon – (see the picture!) who live naturally here in the trees.  He was very friendly and unphased by being handled by us (the chameleon, not the owner).

Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma etc.

The walk back to Chiringuito Macenas is a about 40 minutes long and passes past the old lookout point. Very dramatic scenery here.

 

The walk back

The old lookout point

Walkers delight – Chiringuito Macenas

So maybe from now on, if you do want to try this walk, you would need to start by 9 in the morning at this time of year, a little earlier as we go through to July, or even go when the sun is setting and have a swim and a sun-downer atTreasure Island beach.

Life doesn’t get much better than that.

 

 

 

 

 

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