If you want one of the better deals in Sevilla for lunch, head to Bar Kiko. This extremely small tapas bar is on a small side street in the Alfalfa area and home to a 6.50 euro menú de día, which does not disappoint. When we came to the door of Bar Kiko, the smells poured out and we followed our noses and our stomachs into the small room. One of the women motioned for us to go towards the back where there were a few tables since the bar was full with maybe six people sitting in it. We grabbed a chair and immediately an explanation of the menu of the day was given. For 6.50 euros, you get two plates and a drink.
My first choice was the daily special of arroz con pollo. This is a very typical dish in southern Spain and one that you can try anywhere. Here, at Bar Kiko, this dish was served piping hot and when I took my first bite, I immediately felt like I was sitting in a rustic Spanish home eating a wonderful home-cooked meal. The rice was tender as were the pieces of chicken, but what made this dish have depth were the different vegetables that were cooked in. There were peas, lima beans, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and mushrooms that were all mixed in and warmed me to the bone. I was actually sad when I finished this dish, but I knew that I had more coming.
The first dish my husband selected was the Sangre con Tomate. This is a blood sausage cooked in a thick tomato stew mixture. He ate it so fast, that I almost did not have a bite of it. But, when I did, it was not what I expected.
Now I know what they do with the bags of blood at the market. They make it into this wonderful tender sausage. It has a dense cake-like consistency and the metallic taste of iron, but the flavors of the sausage with the tomato stew is a pleasure to your senses. So far, round one for both us was amazing. Now to round two...
I have never been a fan of beef liver as it always reminds me of my childhood fishing days. But, I have read that it is must try here in Spain. I have not seen it on a lot of tapas menus, so I had no doubt in ordering it when I saw in on Bar Kiko's menu. It is grilled with salt and pepper and served with a basil oil sauce. As you can see, I received three big slices and it was a little too much liver. But for the two slices that I had, it was delicious. These liver slices were like a paté and not chewy at all. The basil brought out hints of brininess and it went perfectly with my vino tinto.
My husband's second choice was a bit milder than mine as it seemed that there were more chicken selections on the menu that pork or beef. He went with the Pechuga de Pollo or chicken breast that was lightly breaded and fried. It was perfectly cooked and not dry at all. The thin slices of breast meat were accompanied with sherry vinegar and olive oil and gave it almost a fish and chips type of feel.
This was one of the rare times that paying 6.50 euros each made both of us full and we were happily patting our bellies as we left. Bar Kiko is a great find in the center of Sevilla to go to if you are wanting a home cooked meal. Thanks for sharing your appetites with me on this Thursday. Until next week...
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