EL PUERTO DE SANTA MARIA

And it's the long sad Sunday
Of the early resigned

I´ve just purchased 14 euros worth of freshly cooked shellfish including several types of prawn, whelks, crab claws. I walk around the corner and sit down at a table. A waitress comes up and gives me a plate, takes my order for beer and water, brings me some implements for eating the hard-shelled stuff.

The two couples walk into the restaurant.
Man 1: I think it´s a fish place
Woman 1: Why don´t you ask one of the waitresses ?
Man 2: You better ask one of the waitresses.
Man 1: You´re right mate I´ll ask one of the waitresses. Hey ! Por Favor !
Waitress comes over.
Man 1: Menu ? Mimes opening a book.
Waitress hands Man 1 a menu. Man 1 looks at it quizzically.
Man 1: Fish ?
Waitress: Feesh ?
Man 1: Yeah Feesh ? You know - PEH-SCAR-DOH.
Waitress: Ah ! Pescado - si.
Waitress shows Man One the fabulous range of fish and shellfish that the restaurant has. Man 1 looks unimpressed.
Man 1: Nah. I don´t want fish. NO PEH-SCAR-DOH.
Man 2: I don´t fancy fish.
Man 1: Chicken ? HAVE YOU GOT CHICKEN ? You know - POLL-OH.
The Waitress shakes her head. Now it´s her turn to look quizzical. The place where she works is one of the most famous in El Puerto. Famous for the 20+ varieties of boiled shellfish. Famous for its Freiduria. So famous people come from Cadiz and Sevilla just for their lunch. Everywhere you look people are eating fish.
Waitress: No hay pollo.
Man 1 shakes his head.
Man 1: Well I don´t want fish - let´s find somewhere we can have chicken or something.
Man 2: Good idea.
Man 1 and Man 2 get up and go. Their partners follow.

Romerijo has been going since 1952 and is terrific fun...but it´s not the place for chicken.