Sal Gorda, Tapas Bar & Restaurant, Amsterdam

Last Sunday we have been with another family in the Vondelpark. Before 5 o'clock (kids eat around 18 h in Holland) we started to wonder where to have some dinner. During years we try to drag this other family to try out a certain tapas restaurant with us. Because it is situated just a stone thrown away the Vondelpark, they enthusiastically said "yes !"

Sal Gorda is established in an old charming buidling in the South area of Amsterdam. Let's check it inside, shall we ?

I have been into some other restaurants in Holland which supposedly serve Spanish food - in a Spanish ambiance. So fake ! Dutch brown cafes transformed into Spanish restaurants with tacky, dusty decorative elements, African sculptures, rotten furniture and chipped clay dishes/bowls. That is not the case of Sal Gorda. All objects, lamps and especially the wall tableaux made of tiles were really Hecho en España.

The restaurant has two main rooms in two different floors. But there are also some niches for couples.

We ordered chicken, meat balls and bread with garlicy saus for the kids. For the grouwn-ups shrimps in garlic (left) and (right) baked meat.

Toasted bread with goat cheese, herbs and roasted nuts. Excellent.

Above: little octopuses with garlic. I found it overfried.
Champignons al ajillo y persil. Big, warm pieces of mushies in olive oil with garlic and parsley. Very yummy.

Patatas bravas (potatoe chunks in a spicy sauce). Also the tortillas and salads were very good. But I found the portion of fried sliced eggplant too small  (4 thin slices) - and therefore overpriced.

Above, by the entrance, the bar. Because we started there very early, the kids could be now and then a bit lousy  - there were no other people near us. Not many desserts (flans, ice-creams and chocolate pie), but delicious anyway. The service was correct and smiley -an Argentinean waiter and then a young Dutch lady were helping us - the ambiance is great and I definitelly recommend the place.  Oh, they have very good caipirinhas too, with real cachaça by the way !