La Plaza – Villamartin
November 2009 - Located on the ground floor in Villamartin Plaza, we have visited La Plaza Bar and Grill before for a quick bite or to lounge on their comfy sofas watching footie but this was the first time we had dined. Friends from UK being over and with a recommendation to catch singer Celina Deans we were confident of a good night.
Being end of November the Plaza is quiet so we were pleasantly surprised to find several tables occupied. We perused the menu comfortably in the lounge area, background music was easy listening and at just the right volume to still allow easy conversation.
The menu was fairly standard for this type of restaurant but chef Michael has clearly put his own stamp on it and included a few surprises such as thai fishcakes, kangaroo steaks and ratatouille. Starters from 2,95€ include all the favourites such as garlic mushrooms, seafood cocktail, pate and home made soup. The choice of main courses caters for all tastes with meat, fish, pasta, curry and vegetarian dishes, all served with a choice of potatoes, fresh vegetables or salad and prices from 7,25€.
Despite the temptation of the specials, particularly the freshly caught sea-bass our companions opted for the set price Menu del Noche at 12,95€ for 3 courses with a choice of four starters and four main courses. They were suitably impressed by the
home-made vegetable soup and the thai fishcakes, both nicely presented and very tasty. My friend and I shared mussels in wine and cream sauce, which were absolutely delicious and plenty for two as a starter. For mains we both had steaks, which were tender and tasty, and cooked just right, as were the fresh vegetables. Our friends had lasagne and spaghetti bolognese..both said the home-made sauce was excellent and the portions were huge but they managed and still found space for profiteroles and ice cream after! And so back to the sofas for coffee and another bottle of the excellent house red…
Overall we had a lovely evening with good company, good food, and friendly service. La Plaza has a smart but cosy atmosphere, perfect to spend the whole evening, you would be missing something if you just ate and left. Celina didn´t disappoint, she has a great voice and interacted with the audience well…she made boot camp on X-Factor a few years ago and is now making her way over here, she´s a lovely girl and we´re sure she will be in demand once word gets around.
A few days later I went back to thank owners Craig and Clare for a great night and to get the story behind La Plaza. They have been in Spain for four years with their two children, having run successful restaurants in Sheffield (he´s a fanatical United supporter so don´t mention the Wednesday!). After spells managing Fusions and Kelco in Villamartin, Craig and Clare decided to open their own Bar/Grill, teamed up with Michael, who was trained by Michelin chefs in England, and opened their doors in July this year. Many locals perceive the restaurants in Villamartin Plaza to be expensive (not true any more, by the way…) so the aim was to offer a value-for-money dining experience with great food, comfortable surroundings and good quality entertainment. As well as Celina (Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays), they have Scott on Thursdays and Fridays, singing all the old favourites and some modern stuff too, as well as a very creditable Neil 
Diamond tribute. On Mondays its the ever-popular James Goulding who needs no introduction, being an established face and voice around the area. The menu caters for most tastes and the specials change every week: desserts, fish courses and home-made soup change daily.
Personally we think Craig and Clare have got it just right, they have a great team at La Plaza and we´ll certainly return and recommend our friends.
NOTE: Earlier this year, La Plaza changed hands – we have checked it out and the new owners have kept the same chef, same format and added some inviting new dishes to the menu. Still worth a visit!
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