[Trappist]

Hi,
Let's continu our exploration in Tenerife.
We are at Puerto de la Cruz now, located north of the island.









Puerto de la Cruz has everything to make your vacation a true joy.
Very touristic and offering a wide and vast variety of restaurants, shops, and bars.
There is a small harbour where a small black beach is located.
We didn't do the sun bathing on the beach, but instead did alot of walking, incl, enjoying drinks and food.

AND.... there are even some beer bars, offering a wide variation of Belgian beers too!

First place: https://www.facebook.com/TheGramophoneBar/



This one offers the biggest choice.
Please, do not think that these were our two bills 
There is no beer menu, so the bartender kindly made some (long) efforts to print a virtual bill incl. all the Belgian beers.
Quite an original beer menu this is   









Great Belgian beers were tasted, and some finger-licking Spanish fingerfood  Wauw, those chicken wings were so crunchy, tasty, and spicy!

This place was visited on several occasions.





The Aquines was readily available too, and they still had a nice stock of them.
A bit more expensive compared to the previous address. They came at a still acceptable €6.00.
It's a beer I frequently ordered because I liked it so much. This is my kind of beer folks.
Barleywine with a massive kick of citric hops. VERY similar to the hoppy American citric hoppy barleywines. PERFECT copy IMHO !!

Next address: F & M Café (FYM) - C. Agustín de Betancourt, 5, 38400 Puerto de la Cruz.



Good prices for a Belgian quality beer !! (but too bad they ran out of the Rochefort 10)



Two great Belgian beers, poured in the wrong glasses, but they were forgiven for doing that
Those prices makes it all OK 



This was paired with a rich plate of exquisite Spanish cured Serrano ham. Mmmmmmmm....



Our next beer order. Again, the wrong glasses, but again some quality beers too.
It was very nice to sit outside on the street. People enjoying life without any hurry nor stress. That's what I call perfect vacation time.



Our second plate was this excellent Paella, this to pair with the Duvel and Gulden Draak.



Our hotel beer of the moment. Bought at a nearby supermarket (LIDL).
Judas, a beer you frequentley see in Spain, but not in Belgium 
8.5 vol%. brewed at Alken-Maes (Heineken).
VERY similar to Affligem tripel. (I just wonder if they are not the same beers  )
Anyway, this beer is top-notch 



Cafeteria & Minimarket Romantica II
https://maps.app.goo.gl/4NTeTEknhxu43VKLA
That minimarket was in walking distance to our hotel. A nice walk with a long steep part (good for the muscles).
Particularly on the return to the hotel, the path was quite steep uphill.
The nice thing was that one could have a drink and a meal outside in front of the minimarket.
A very nice experience, and you are amongst the friendly local people.
That hamburger came at €3.50 and my plate came at €4.50.
That excellent bottle of local red wine was at €5.50 (actually, that is the minimarket price!)
Anyway, GREAT value for money over there  and everything was so delicious too  (and such a friendly people)



A local Tenerifean wine haul.
Left: bought at LIDL
The middle and right bottle at a nearby winery, a 15 minutes drive. That's Bodegas Viñátigo.
https://www.bodegasvinatigo.com/

The wine on the left was an excellent wine! but the other two were from that next level 



Here we have their regular wine at €8.95
Paired with a Spanish cured Manchego cheese. Makes it all that more perfect.



Their superior wine at €25.00!
Worth every single Euro folks.
Wauw, what a wine this is!
Actually, made with open fermenting! Barrel aged, and to be said made without extraction ! VERY SPECIAL !!!
That needed a special Spanish cheese to complete!! Cured sheep cheese with truffles ! ==>> Gastronomic wet dreamy folks 



Well, there's so much more to report, but that'll make the articles way too long.
For example this rabbit (a whole rabbit, incl head and liver) was a feast and came at €16.00 at nearby Guachinche El Pino. (actually, this was their most expensive dish)
https://guachinchestenerife.com/restaurante/guachinche-el-pino/
A restaurant we frequently visited, just because the food is so local, so delicious, and so affordable.
And, it is located next door to our hotel.

That's it folks.
Up to next Holiday experiences........

Cheers to all,
Filip

[Viv]

Hi Filip,

Great report as ever!

What a home from home, with all those big name Belgian beers available.... Duvel, Chimay,
Westmalle, Triple Karmeliet, Kasteel, Gulden Draak, Bush, etc!

Fantastic!

Cheers!


Viv

[Trappist]

Hi Viv,
I forgot a couple of things in previous articles.



Next door to FYM, there was also a quite beery spot!
It's called La Grifería Paella & Cocktails. (https://maps.app.goo.gl/H2EMkWiAmX9k2GGz6)
Their name doesn't sound that beery, but they still sport about 30 beers. All exposed in a long fridge.
And! They also have La Chouffe from tap! Completely on the right there on the pic.

The pictures are a bit purple, but that's because a purple light was shining behind me.



Two Spanish artisanal beers were tasted first.
That was our waiting time for the excellent paella with seafood to come.... freshly made over there!!
Kalima from Tenerife based microbrewery TACOA Cervezas Artesanales (6 vol%) - https://tacoacanarias.com/
An excellent hazy IPA with those typical citric hops. Very refreshing !



Honey beer Tajinaste, also from TACOA Cervezas Artesanales (5.5 vol%)
It's a kind of pale ale, but with an extra touch of honey. Not bad at all.



Paella time. Worth the wait !!
Very surprised to notice that it is made with fresh crabs !! Wauw!



This was paired with a belgian La Chouffe from tap (€3.50)! Excellent pairing !!

Next pictures are only for mouth watering purposes
Local Tenerife dishes you can spot everywhere.



Croquettas



Lapas with garlic herb butter. They are called limpets in English.



Mussels. Yummy factor: 100%



Another seafood paella (excellent too!)



And another seafood paella, but that one I made myself at home (needed more yellow color - saffron)

Cheers,
Filip

[Jay]

Another fantastic report Filip 

Tenerife was the first foreign holiday me and Linda went on (first time either of us had been abroad)

Cheers
Jay

[Trappist]

Wauw Jay,
I didn't know that.
It's a perfect holiday destination, and we sure will go back !!
Cheers,
Filip