Seville Tapas Fair

Cava is busy preparing for the Seville Tapas Fair, with a special Tapas menu for groups of 8 or more to share. The Festival which takes places in the streets and restaurants of Seville during the month of February, is both a national and international festival which brings many people to the south of Spain in search of good food and wine.

In conjunction with this event, Cava has designed a menu for people to share. The idea of sharing is essential to Tapas, and this way people get to experience a lot more of the Tapas thing that coming in on their own.

The menu runs for the duration of February and is an excellent way for friends to get together and have some fun.

Wine and dessert is also includes in the menu @ €25 per person

Booking is essential, so call Cava is you're interested @ 091 - 539884

Talk soon, Jp

Come on down to Cava and taste a tipple of Spain

The fish is coming in from Stefan and we have 68 people booked in and its only Thursday. Where do they all come from? I don't know, but coming they are, and with Szymon and Louise busy preparing for tonight, I'm sure it will be gloves off and around 7, no doubt, a fair amount of bare knuckle boxing will take place.

The new menu is printed. So come on down to Cava and taste a tipple of Spain or just have a drink and get drunk and be merry and hug someones with a mouth full of meatballs!

Jp

Reflections on a Recession (January)

What can I say?
It has not been too bad in old Cava.
People are still coming in having food and drinking wine.
We will not say they are coming in their thousands.
But they are coming all the same.
We got a great write up in the Mail over the weekend!
So I'm sure this will help things.
The wine menu is finished and going to print tomorrow.
Over 80 Spanish wines - the biggest in the country!
Can't wait to try some of the expensive ones.
Shared the €105 Christopher Lopez with staff over xmas.
Literally (and figuratively) amazing.
Best wine I have had in years.
You may say, how can you spend that on a wine.
We got six glasses - about €17.50 a glass.
But you only live once.

At least the last time I checked.

So what have we learned:

1) That January is not as bad as I thought it would be.

2) Wine that cost over €100 a bottle in most likely good (this is not to say our €20 wine is bad - it is not, just that it's the different between Ryanair and a private jet).

New Winter-Spring Menu

This week, Cava launched its new Winter-Spring menu. Though the menu was supposed to be out in November, it was delayed due to the change in covers (which it must be said not only look better, but also are more hard wearing). However, better late than never as the Bishop says.

The menu feature several new main courses, a number of which have already become quite poplar. While the free-range rabbit it certainly selling the best, the scallops are not far behind, and when Szymon gets his beetroot sprouts (at €13 a kilo!) I'm sure the dish will really show the potential that Cava has to offer.

There are several new Tapas dishes: Venison sausages with white bean and morcilla, sherry and garlic, & Fresh Sardines with rocket and Romesco. Both are going well. The sardines are coming in from Stefan and only come in on Thursdays, so they won't always be available, but at least they'll always be fresh.

The Riojana has also returned, so all of those who have been asking about its whereabouts can finally rest in peace.

Feedback on the menu have been great, with many, many complements.

Other news:

Those Two Girls have taken over the PR for Cava so hopefully we'll see lots more of Cava in the news.

Food and Wine magazine did a nice feature on us. There review, although positive had lots to say about how we can make things a bit better. This can only be a good thing, as thinks develop in Cava.

Jp

The East Germans

Two people from the former GDR where in over the weekend and said everything was absolutely amazing.

Fancy that.

You will say

You will say yes it has been a while
You will say yes cava has told us nothing
You will say why is it like this and not like something else
You will say I wonder where Jp has gone
You will say maybe he is working 17 hours a day and has no time to write
You will say I am probably right because I am always right
You will say I am the customer and I am always right
You will say yes I am sure Jp does not agree with me
You will say if he is the one working how can he see all
You will say how can an Irish man make Spanish food
You will say what is a Tapa anyway and why does everyone now call small food Tapas
You will say this is not true
You wall say Tapas are from Spain and Jp is not from Spain
You will say anyone can cook
You will say all can have knowledge of Spanish food
You will say this is not the case
You will say it is Christmas and where are my mince pies where is my turkey where is my ham
You will say I am right I am right I am right


You probably will be
You probably are

Cava Celebrates Franco's death!

Well the weather has not been good in the last week or so but in all fairness it has not dampened too many peoples hearts regarding coming to Cava for Tapas and Wine. The new menu should be on it way now soon (I hope within two weeks) but in the mean time we are trying a lot of the food as specials at the moment (such as venison sausages with morcilla, white bean and garlic, which is certainly going down well). We have also had some great fish from Stefan in the last few weeks, namely Sardines and baby John Dory). These have all gone down well. We have also been trying out some nice wines from cases, from different regions of Spain.

In all, it have not been a bad November (I fain to say good, though I would like too).

Other News: The anniversary of Franco's death was welcomed by all our Spanish staff and we celebrated into the night consuming vast quantities of food and wine until we were only partially conscious. Nothing like the death of a dictator to make you go beyond your physical means.

Cooking in Cava

Cava had its second one one one cooking class yesterday and all (I am told by Szymon) went well. The girl, called Michelle, who was in for the half day did bread making, stocks, tapas, desserts, mains course, and starter. She also learned different knife techniques and prepared squid and lamb for the tapas. I called in around lunch time and found herself and Szymon enjoying a glass of one of our best whites (number 12/100 in Spain)! The wine is called Jose Parinete and is made by two women called Victoria. The wine is also on the house wine list in ElBuilli.

It was good to see Szymon helping her relax into her new environment!

For any one else interested in cooking in Cava you can give the restaurant or myself a ring.

Jp.

Upcoming events

Just to let you know about upcoming events in Cava:

1. This Saturday night (Halloween) Cava will open until 1pm for tapas and wine. Their will be a live DJ also from 11pm onwards.

Hope to see you there.

Jp.

Crazy Mondays and Tuesdays

With graduations this week, the week has started well with a busy Monday and Tuesday. The Paella night is still as popular as ever (€15 for Paella and glass of wine), but many had Tapas too. Szymon had some really nice special too that sold well: a Rack (yes, I said rack) of Lamb with Morcilla, rocket, and Potatoes.

FYI: Anyone who wants a good cookbook on Spanish food - you could do no better than this one by the Hart's.

Wish I had time for more, but must to bed as up early in the morn with my daughter.

Tomorrow doesn't look as crazy but famous last words.

Jp.

Xmas parties

The Christmas party menu will be available this week and we have details regarding our opening times over the Xmas.

We'll have a special Xmas party menu running from the 1st of December to the 30th of December.

We'll have a special Xmas lunch on the 24th.

We'll have a special Stephen's night (26th) set Tapas menu.

And finally we're going to have a big new year's eve celebration with both music, DJ and lots of Cava.

Jp.

Back from the U S of A

Last week, as many of you know, I was away from cava for the first time in over a year. A queer feeling of anxiety cross several time over as I suffered from separation anxiety from the restaurant. But by all accounts the week was very busy and all the boys (and girls) did a wonderful job.

Unfortunately, the food in the States was less than satisfactory. The only good thing to report about the food in Cincinnati was that the Mexican food actually Mexican until many a Mexican in Ireland.

The food was often a queer taste of sweet and savory (for example sweet potatoes which were really sweet?) and sweet dressing and sweet bread and on and on.

Sweet on the brain.

The ham in Cincinnati was good though as they have some good ole pigs flying around there.

Jp.

A good start to the week and an end to Cava week

Monday has come and gone and it passed well. We are still awaiting that winter Monday when little or no-one (or some of their friends) will pass through the door.

It was indeed busy for a Monday many in, most notably Jess Murhpy who is starting a new venture in No.8 on the docks.

We hope she does well and that many flock down to experience her gastro pub.

On another note, for anyone who was in on Friday night and receiver their free cava as part of Cava week we hope you enjoyed it. Unfortunately we had hoped to get more cava from our suppliers (but this did not happen) so it was a limited run.

However, many did get to have a glass.

I am away in America for the week practicing my other life (Phd and that) and will report from there in a food capacity.

The new menu will be out at the beginning of November. It will include lots of game (venison, rabbit, pheasant) and some other new Tapas. There will also be new main courses to choose from.

Jp

The end, or only the begining?

Well! That was some week. Looking back now on a week of madness (due no doubt to Tom's review) I am wondering whether or not it will continue. Not that I want it to stop. Last week, we saw what Cava could be, given all the right circumstances. It is amazing what the words of one man can do. It will be interesting how the week pans out. I already know Saturday is going to be crazy with tables of 26, 15, and 10 all coming in at the same time. But how the rest of the week will go remains to be seen.

Monday was not too bad with a steady stream of punters in. Lots of tapas, particularly the scallops and black pudding, confit of porkbelly, and cod cakes.

Really nice people in with lots of nice things to say about the nice things they we do and try to continue to do.

The November menu is in cererbal production. Thinking of game tapas: venison, rabbit, pheasant.

I think we'll also change some of our fish. We had some great sardines on the special board over the weekend which we got from Stefan. Served with romesco and rocket. Really good. Some nice Bonito also.

Anyway.

I saw a really nice Jamon custard served with Iberico, also some truffle foam with cecina.

Szymon would that I presume.

Jp.

Oh That it Would Contintue

Cava does wish it would continue.

The whole has been made, like something out of July, no doubt due to good ole Tom, but still, I do hope it continues, then it may be ok, it may be alright.

We had a group of women in today celebrating their 50th. Very loud. Singing alot. Some customers were indeed very unhappy. To those of you I apologise. To the women, well, I hope you had a good time. It is not often you see 13 women consume 15 bottles of wine at lunch time.

But still.

All in days work in the cava machine, curing and cooking and chopping and cursing.

All in a daze.

All in a daze work.

All in.

All.

Thanks again to Tom!

Jp.

P.S. We have some lovely fresh sardines from Stefan the fish man!

Best Tapas in Ireland

For all those of you who missed the Irish times on Saturday, Tom Doorley (the food writer) picked Cava for one of his Galway's restaurant to make up his Restaurant Guide 2009. As well as being a great honor, Tom also said we served the best Tapas in Ireland at present! A really great and wonderful thing to say and we cannot thank Tom enough as his words and voice are worth their weight in gold.

Fair play to you Tom!

Furthermore, two of our wines also featured in the wine section of the Times as two great bottles coming out of Spain at the moment.

So altogether not a bad weekend in the restaurant business.

Jp

Another good night

Well.

We have reached the half way mark up to the Oyster Festival, and I am indeed half destroyed. Another good night with lots of nice people in. Particularly table four who worked their way through much of the wine list.

Doctors, I think they were.

We were heavily under staffed on the floor but the lads did a great job.

Where did the queue come from?

I have no idea, but there it was, trailing out the door from the front section.

Very bizarre.

I expect tonight will be the same, as all seems to be rising in some crescendo fashion to most likely explode on Saturday night.

Don't forget Cava week, I think it's from the 5th of October onwards.

Sarah started yesterday, and though she talks a lot of Spanish (I blame Samuel) she is indeed very good.

Jp

Monday and Tuesday Madness

It is unfathomable where all the people have come from but by Christ they have come. Both Monday and Tuesday this week have been super in relation to the current drop in the eating industry in Galway. Whether it's the good food or wine, or all the followers of the great William P. I don't know, but I welcome them.

Long may it last.

Cork's very nice Tapas bar has closed down, which is a shame, but nothing surprises me in this current condition of tears and servitude.

I am off to work for another day.

Jp.

Oyster Festival

As the Oyster festival approaches, it is with an air of apprehensive and melancholic gloom that I write these words. Traditionally the last thing to happen in Galway until the next season, one wonders whether or not we will all still be here come the next season. Furthermore, I wonder also if the summer season is getting so short that it can adequately fit into the last two weeks of of July and the first week of August.

I do remember (as many others will also remember) went it was with Paddy's day all started and remained that way until the weekend of the Oyster Festival.

But alas!

Now they are gone. Our helicon days.

Let us hope that October and November are not all doom and gloom (with sideways rain and perpendicular wind).

Let us also hope the rent comes down.

But could Cava move elsewhere?

No doubt.

But hopefully it will not come to this.

Jp.

Early Bird Menu

Last week we launched a new early bird menu. This menu involves 5 tapas for the price of 4. The cheapest Tapa is free. You can have this menu, Monday through to Thursday, from 4.30 to 6.30. It's ideal for two.

Apologies regarding the wine menu. The printer has yet to deliver it to use. All the new wines are in the back, so if you're in and you want something different just ask you waiter.

I have been told that are waiter Samuel is actually Christ in disguise. I had noted the resemblance but was thrown by his unkempt and nonchalant manner. However, these days its good to have Jesus on your side.

What more could you need in a recession?

Money, perhaps.

Well, if they sort out Nama, the bank might give us more so as all can keep going in the direction that it is purportedly going in.

That is, if there is, a direction that one should be going in.

Anyway.

I promise.

The wine menu will be ready Friday evening.

More big parties in last night. Where do they come from? The land of big parties perhaps. I am not complaining.

Finally, we received a glowing review from the great William P. Could not be happier. But I wonder who designed his page this week. Certainly not a graphic designer. Maybe a small blind child?

Who knows.

Jp.