Tucked away on a quiet side street in Liverpool city centre is a ‘tiny slice of Tenerife’. I’d heard rave reviews about Castro’s and decided I just had to try it out for myself. My first initial thought was that there were plenty of Spaniards eating in there – which I took as a good sign.
Owned by Borja Castro-Cabrera, the shop boasts all five-star reviews on Tripadvisor, and is a nod to the traditional cafeterias found in his native Tenerife. Castro’s is on Hackins Hey, nestled between two famous and busy pubs, the Denbigh Castle and Ye Hole in Ye Wall.
Despite the pouring rain outside, I felt like I’d stepped inside a coastal restaurant in Spain in 30 degree weather. Initially, my friend and I had planned to take our food to go, but the vibrant atmosphere and lively Spanish music was enough to change our minds. Though there is minimal seating inside, we managed to grab a window seat to enjoy our food.
The food is prepared behind a counter in the middle of the cafeteria, which really adds to the homely feel of the place. All ‘bocadillos’ are generously filled, served on a warm, crispy baguette. A small selection of tapas plates are also on offer, including Tortilla de Papas – a freshly made Spanish omelette, Pata a la Gallega – pork leg with olive oil, paprika and black pepper, and homemade meatballs – pork and beef meatballs served with the family’s recipe tomato sauce.
Borja made us feel right at home. Everything on the menu sounded incredible, and it was difficult to choose. He offered us a small portion of The Mechada filling to help make up our minds – a baguette spread with tangy Mojo Picon (a Canarian spiced red pepper and tomato sauce), generously filled with meltingly soft spiced shredded beef and topped with sweet, nutty cheese.
The Mechado was delightful but, with a craving for something a little more salty, I went with the Hamon – a baguette filled with serrano ham, nutty Manchego cheese and topped with a generous spreading of Mojo Picon.
