Bodeguita Romero, the best Pringá and Papas Aliñás of Sevilla?
Between spending all day at the Feria and a day trip to Córdoba for the Festival of Patios, we actually didn’t get a lot of time in town - which meant not a lot of time to experience one of my favorite aspects of Sevilla, eating out!
We did end up with a sliver of time after revisiting the Alcazar and before our final afternoon at the Feria to have a bite of lunch - and thankfully we ended up at a wonderful spot, Bodeguita Romero!
I think I actually tried coming here last time I was in Sevilla, but it was too busy to get a seat.
Founded in 1939!
It was still busy this time and we had to wait behind a couple other parties, but a few tables got up at once so we were seated rather quickly. I still marvel at how people in Sevilla tend to be dressier than in other parts, like Valencia, for example!
I guess the Feria is one reason why people might be more dressed up!
Now back to the food. To start, we ordered the papas aliñás recommended by the waiter. I had tried them twice before in Cádiz - they are a typical dish of Andalucia, and particularly in Cádiz -, but I thought they were just okay, nothing special, and nothing really superior to a vinegar-based potato salad at an American picnic.
These, on the other hand, were something special! The potatoes were firm and not crumbly, with a vinegary bite that penetrated through to the middle. The tangy sauce had just the right thickness to cling to the sides of the potatoes, and not leave a watery puddle on the plate. The Bodeguita Romero website claims that these are the “best of Sevilla,” and I can believe that!
Another, maybe even bolder claim on their website, is that they have “possibly the best pringá of Sevilla!” Now, I can’t say it was definitely better than the pringá that I had had three years prior (I remember one at Bodeguita Reyes Antonio Romero just a couple blocks away was particularly good), but this pringá was certainly one of the very best. First, I like how the bread was toasted evenly all around. And secondly, perhaps there was more grease in the filling of shredded pork, chorizo, and morcilla, but that meat mixture covered the mouth in an unctuous softness full of flavor. A true pleasure.
My roommate ordered an anchovy, which might have been the biggest anchovy fillet I’d ever seen. I had just a corner of it, because to my unsophisticated palate, anchovies all taste more or less the same.
We finished off with a tapa portion of the cuttlefish meatballs, which the waiter also said were a local dish. These were also excellent. They weren’t bouncy and squidgy like Taiwanese-style cuttlefish meatballs, but were had a more smooth and firm bite similar to Spanish-style meatballs made of pork and/or beef. These came coated in a richly flavored sauce, that also penetrated what seemed like previously-fried slices of potatoes, which soaked up the flavors.
Highly recommended by various sources - including their own website! - Bodeguita Romero is definitely a must-visit. Their pringá was certainly among the best I’ve had, and the papas aliñás topped the versions I had tried before in Cádiz, where they are most typical. And if the delicious cuttlefish meatballs are any guide, the rest of their menu is similarly of top quality!
___
Bodeguita Romero
Calle Harinas 10
41001 Sevilla
Spain
