Editor Pick
Restaurant Chema
- May 22, 2001
- Rated 4 of 5 by
HAP from Santa Monica, California
'Chema' is located in the bohemian neighborhood of Triana which is famous for its ceramics and is located on the other side of the Guadalquivir River than the city center. 'Chema' is one of my favorites in Sevilla and I have taken my parents and a good friend here and everyone left more than satisfied. Since the Spanish don't eat until way after my father's bedtime, we were the only ones in the place and had excellent service by owner Jose' Maria Chema who serves a delicious meal with humor and grace.
Start your meal with a bottle of the house wine (which you can take with you for 800 pesetas = about $5 May 2001.) Both red and white are delicious and very inexpensive. Don't forget to order a side of olives while you're reading the menu.
For the first course I had gazpacho which in Andalucia is served in a glass as a drink, not as a soup. Everything here is delicious, so I won't be repetitive. I've also had the house salad which consists of chopped tomatoes, onions, peppers and fish eggs. (Don't expect lettuce, carrots, etc...)
The restaraunt is known for its fish cooked in Salt. The fish is placed in a casserole dish and covered with a layer of salt, but the fish only obsorbs what it needs and doesn't taste salty, but is cooked to perfection. Ask your waiter to serve it at the table because there is a definite art to deboning and serving the fish.
Do order desert. Jose' Maria will prepare a mixed plate if you can't decide what to order.
My only complaint about this place is that sometimes they don't have some of the things that are on the menu.
You can also have tapas outside if it is nice or in the little bar in the front. Their tapas aren't the ordinary tapas you'll find in most places in the center.
From journal La Sevillana