A very occasional page detailing restaurants visited when out and about around Spain. Por ejemplo:
La Casa del Patron, Murgia
On a visit back to the UK recently, we stayed at the Hotel Casa del Patron, a very good value stopping point about half an hour from Bilbao and perfect if you are catching the ferry from Santander. This is the second time we have stayed at the hotel and eaten in the restaurant for dinner and taken breakfast in the bar the next morning.
The set dinner menu is €16 each, including wine and is good value. I was less impressed this time with the dinner, but then I have been living in Spain for over a year now and I wasn't when we first visited the hotel. My starter of fresh asparagus (yes, I did wonder myself, it was October after all!) was not fresh at all, but canned or - more likely - from a jar. However, it was actually quite nice, lightly cooked and in a light lemon and oil sauce. I don't like canned asparagus as a rule, but this was ok. The partner had spag bol and liked it a lot, although he of course declared it not nearly as good as mine......!! My main was steak, it was a rib eye, slightly more cooked than I would have liked, or thought I had asked for but still nice and Partner had merluza, cooked in batter and served with some saute potatoes. That looked and I am told, very nice, the fish seemed soft and fresh and the potatoes were not just flat chips, but nicely sauteed.
Breakfast, however, was even better than I remember - fresh coffee, with free refills, lovely fresh pastries - pain au chocolates and pain au raisins as well as croissants, toast and jams, decent orange juice and fresh fruit. Breakfast is €5 each and unusually for a hotel, better value than going out to a cafe.
As a hotel, I think Casa del Patron is perfect, The rooms are comfortable and clean, it's situated well both for travelling and for sightseeing, and in Murgia itself, is in a nice square with other bars. It offers free wi-fi, a pleasant dining room with a decent value meal, so that you don't have to go out if you have been travelling all day, nice wine, a welcoming bar and very, very good attentive and friendly staff. It may not be haute cuisine, but I would stay and eat here again, without hesitation.
It has parking but it is easy and free to park in the public car park in the square. Again the garage is good value at only €5, if you want more security but the square is fine.
About €60 for a double room.
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