Town Frier Puente don Manuel

[jukim]

I hate knocking any restaurant but... you decide. Myself and my OH decided to take a drive out after having seen their adverts in the local mag. After receiving our drinks I was about to give the waiter our order and had just got out the words "large cod..." when he immediately cut me off to say it wasn't their policy to split meals (in other words we'd have to have cod, chips and I assume peas/or other side). I did try to explain to him that it wasn't the money but just that we didn't have huge appetites and didn't want the chips he told us we would have to have a small "cod meal" each. (I have to say at this point that the restaurant wasn't busy, in fact we were the only ones there). I didn't understand the policy as it seemed to be okay for us to have a diet coke and a cup of tea to sit there for but not to have a cod and extras to share. I can well understand if there was a queue, or had he even suggested we bought our order as a takeaway. Oh well, never again. Went next door to the Spanish bar, had a couple of tapas and no grief. Not good publicity for the Town Frier.

[gus]

A bit confusing...........but my end interpretation was that you were asking for a meal (or part thereof) to share between the two of you. Not always acceptable to restaurant owners - although I've never had a problem in Spanish restaurants.

[jukim]

Sorry, bit of a ramble but basically yes, we wanted to share as we don't eat huge amounts. And yes, I could understand if there was a queue for tables but they seemed happy for us just to sit and have a drink. Maybe they need to point out their policy before you sit down.

[peteroldracer]

Firstly, to call this a "restaurant" is a bit of an overstatement - it is basically a take-away chippy with some outside tables. This is not to knock the place, as we have had some fish & chips there about three times - each time with a different owner and each time of very different standard!
I reckon the main problem is the not uncommon one of lack of previous experience (asking if they were trained at the Fish Friers Association place in Leeds produced a blank look) - anyone who has run a chippy (at least in the best county, Yorkshire) will be used to being asked for 'once and a fish with a battered sausage and scraps' and similar orders, and would and should be grateful for any business. High horse attitudes to customers at least provide something to ride home on when the business collapses!

[jukim]

Couldn't agree more... I don't wish bad luck on anybody especially these days, but sometimes people "make" their own luck

[Devils Advocate]

I always reckon Lancashire chippies are better than Yorkshire ones ............However doing a bit of business in West Yorks a few years back I'll have to admit............Olivers Chippie in Bradford was simply stunning and a "must hit" everytime I was in the area

Hmmm, thinking about it, that one in Whitby is not to shabby either

As for the OPs post............a disgrace, glad you went elsewhere for Tapas.

[swerve]

Jukim if you want fish & chips try the atilla bar not too far from where you were. We are never disappointed and the quality and welcome is outstanding.

[jukim]

Thanks swerve, will try that next time... just felt really let down by the attitude more than anything else.

[Marina]

I doubt people with attitudes like that will stay in business for long.

We once had a similar experience in an English run bar/restaurant at Torrox Costa. A fabulous beach front, location but they were so short staffed that customers were coming off the beach, waiting for 20 mins or so and leaving as they hadn't even had drinks orders taken.

I phoned my daughter who had just finished her GCSEs and suggested she came down and asked for a job. Explained that they had business walking out the door.

She got there pretty quick and asked for a job. They asked her if she spoke fluent Spanish. Not being great at the art of self promotion, she said, only to GCSE level. She was turned down, which was pretty ridiculous as it doesn't take much Spanish to get drinks on the table.

The place changed hands a month or so later.

[jukim]

I know I just can't understand it. Sometimes the attitude is that because they're British somehow any expats should be obligated to patronise their establishment, regardless of quality, price and attitude.

[Wicksey]

This reminds me of when we had the misfortune to be at Puente don Manuel at lunchtime and were feeling peckish one day earlier this year. We only wanted a sandwich and ended up in the bar next door to the chippy (it had different owners to now). There was a 'special' on the blackboard of roast turkey and stuffing baguette (leftovers from the Sunday lunch menu the previous day I expect) for something like 2.95€ and we asked if we could have it in a sandwich instead (same price) but were told no, it was just the 'special' on the board and it had to be in a baguette. The lady serving said that the baguette was home made .... in fact "everything is home made". So we had that, and the baguette was one of those part-baked ones from Mercadona that had been grilled so was white and stodgy with brown grill marks on it, the cranberry sauce in the filling was out of a jar and I'm sure I recognised the taste of a bit of Paxo stuffing in there too! I would rather have had a Spanish lunch.

[olive]

We were passing through the area today and got some parsnips and sprouts at one of the English shops.

Saw the town frier place and went in. Had to wait for a table (only three although a fourth was wheeled out later).

Service was very slow for 11 covers BUT the cod and chips were excellent. Best cod I have had for years including home cooked. Also the pot of tea was lovely.

[jukim]

We went to Lews in Torrox Costa yesterday and had a lovely cod, curry sauce and bread and butter to share, wonderful friendly service.

[Wicksey]

We went to Lews in Torrox Costa yesterday and had a lovely cod, curry sauce and bread and butter to share, wonderful friendly service.

Their 'pick'n'mix breakfast is good too! We had any 5 items from a choice of about 10 for 2.99€

[peteroldracer]

Cod is the fish normally eaten by soft southerners - or in Yorks/Lancs when real fish (haddock) is not available - it's a bit like drinking flat bitter compared to a wondeful pint of hand-pulled Tetleys with a good head on!
For proper fish & chips try the Kon-Tiki in Fuengirola - John was trained at the Fish Friers Association and ran two chippies in Leeds before coming out to Spain.

[casita-bonita]

We went to Lews in Torrox Costa yesterday and had a lovely cod, curry sauce and bread and butter to share, wonderful friendly service.

Their 'pick'n'mix breakfast is good too! We had any 5 items from a choice of about 10 for 2.99€

We were there yesterday lunchtime aswell for a large bag of chips and a pickled onion open wrapped to go. Then planted ourselves on a bench outside and tucked in... My wife won't cook me chips at home so this is a welcome occasional treat.

[costakid]

Where is Lews in Torrox Costa? Thanks in advance.

[jukim]

Just up from the lighthouse and down from Russels English shop - middle of the street which is called avenida del faro. If you turn right at the last roundabout leaving Torrox Costa on the Nerja road it's about halfway down on the left hand side.

[ladymuck]

petrololdracer. us soft southerners prefer rock and chips which you up north dont seem to have we also like our onion vinegar.
mushy peas just make you *beep*.

[ladymuck]

why cant you say *beep* for goodness sake , its not swearing