22.12.2016 – 11.01.2017 ISLAND CONNECTIONS 786 23

By John

We eat out every Thursday evening with our old friend Peter. On this occasion, I thought that we might revisit a restaurant that I last reported on some months ago, and which I said at the time that we should go back to when the weather was warmer so that we could make proper use of their terrace. I also hoped for better service than we had received last time, too.Am I just unlucky, or was the problem that there was a foot-ball match on? None of the three of us are football fans (I prefer horse racing and motor racing). The local bar that we sat in for pre-dinner drinks was clearly gearing up for a big match, with televisions blaring out the warm up, but equally, and not to be outdone, was the chap who had brought along his DJ sound equipment to offer a tumultuous alterna-tive. We beat a hasty retreat and made our way to the res-taurant.El Padrino San Amaro was empty. Totally, completely and utterly empty. The lights were on, but was anybody at home? Talking of lights, yes, they still have glaring lighting akin to an operating theatre. We wan-dered around and moved out to the terrace, passing a taciturn and unsmiling waiter. With a choice of seating, though there are no views, we arranged our-selves and perused the exten-sive menu, identical to the highly regarded sister res-taurant in the town centre of Puerto de La Cruz, where the food and service is superb.

I found it odd that we needed to select our choices by num-ber. Twice I needed to say 24 to the waiter. And he still got it wrong, needing to return to our table to confirm that I wanted something completely differ-ent. Oh, and a smile? No, sadly lacking.A chap leaned over an apart-ment balcony above us, puff-

ing contentedly on his pipe, no doubt wondering what we were doing there, down below, din-ing in solitary splendour.When our meals came, I should say that my wife had a per-fect fillet steak (€16.50), Peter enjoyed the dish of the day, a superb entrecote with fried onions and sliced apple (€11.90), and I drew the short

straw at €9.50, a fish dish that I have enjoyed many times down at the other El Padrino. The fish was not the same type as I had ordered, and it was quite grossly overcooked. Nor was it very warm. I left it, and I was not asked if I had enjoyed my meal. Any smiles yet? Still no, and we were all beginning to get irritated.

And then we were abandoned completely! Did we want a dessert and coffee? Only we knew that, because the waiter never came near us again. Yes,

he popped in and out of the kitchen, in the far distance, but completely ignored us. Finally, having left it as long as we could bear in the hope of some reaction, we rose to signal that we were leaving. A bill appeared like magic, and I, for one, was glad to be out of the place. And that terrace which I had promised

to report back on? Yes, nice enough, probably better with more customers to fill it and provide some atmosphere. But me? No, thank you. n

FOOD

Restaurante El PadrinoCalle La Haya 2, La PazPuerto de La Cruz, TenerifeTel: 922 370 794Open: Daily for lunch and dinnerLoo Score: 7/10

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EL PADRINO SAN AMARO

Second time lucky?