Bar Pilar

"La Pilareta" is one of those specialized places, with a long history and a grand tradition that lets them enjoy success year after year.

The specialty of this bar is, of course, the "clóchinas" which is what they call mussels in Valencia. It is always crowded during the hours of lunch and dinner, so the waiter (who is a bit serious, by the way) gives you a piece of paper with a number to be called, like in the fishmongers.

The Mussels are delicious, the broth is scrumptious. But besides clóchinas or mussels there are many other dishes. The potato salad is tasty and the bravas even better. The tray of artichoke is also pretty good.

The bar is very nice, very well preserved. I’ve known it for many years and I've always liked it. It has improved in recent years (extra care, better lights) and is one of those places that you like to show your friends from out of town.

This week I went on a Thursday, not many people, very pleasant, but the mussels, always famous, I have to say they were very scant (a bowl of soup with a few mussels floating) and with hardly any flavour. We also ate broad beans, also very traditional there and they were very tasty, as they always are.

I thought that the Pilar bar would take more care with their portion sizes and the taste of yesteryear.

They recommended a tapas bar on Calle Moro Zeit, but they didn’t tell us the name ... And we found the Pilareta. The mussels, delicious, the broth with which they serve it spectacular, the potato salad is good but a little bland and the “Esgarrat” (roasted red peppers with desalted cod), incredible!

The locale, with great tradition. Highly, highly recommended.