Cafe Bar Plata …One Year On-.
The Grapevine catches up with Chris and Christine from Bar Plata, on the beach front of Algarobbo Costa, one year after they first took over.
I am sitting in part shade, part sunshine listening to background music with the sounds of people chatting and eating looking out to sea with palm trees around me – perfect. I don’t usually write while I am at the business location, but I had time and I didn’t really want to leave. Customers arrived at Bar Plata knowing Chris by name and he knew theirs. New customers walking along the front, probably with no intention of a coffee or a meal, looked at the menu and the surrounds and then sat down. It is not the biggest café-bar around or indeed the only café- bar, but there is definitely something about it that probably makes it the best. To be honest it is more of a bistro than a bar now. One year on they have extended their food menu, increased their range of beers and wines, changed furniture and installed a plasma screen T.V.
Chris last spoke to The Grapevine coming into the World Cup and summer season. Both were incredibly successful for them. The plasma screen T.V originally brought in for the World Cup has remained. In fact, whilst I was there they were asked to show the England game that evening and a table was booked for 16. Chris explained they now have new dishes on the menu such as chicken bites and chilli sauce, spicy chicken burgers and chilli burgers. However, they have still retained their usual specials, kids and vegetarian meals. Probably the most successful item on the menu is their shank of lamb and rosemary. The evening meals at Bar Plata are so successful some nights you can’t get a table.
Overall their first year has been great they have settled well into living in Spain having now bought an apartment, acquired a dog and are working extremely hard. Chris explained that the summer was a bit of a culture shock with the heat and the hard work. He wore a pedometer one day for fun and he clocked up over 7kms in one working day! Chris believes their success is down to well presented good food, high standards of cleaning, and friendly service. I was given the opportunity to read their visitors book comments such as “Great pies”, “Best burgers”, “Great service”, “Fabulous food and great service”, “amazing lumpy bumpy Cake” appeared regularly. Chris and Christine look to add new dishes to the menu and better their service all the time. They now loan out passes to the nearby pool to customers and will always make sure kids are well looked after with puzzles and games.
In truth, my discussion with Chris at Bar Plata was cut a little short due to the amount of customers he had coming in that he had to serve while Christine spent all her time in the kitchen. However, he did mange to tell me a few items of importance. Bar Plata will be closed form 4th November to the 1st of December. They are taking what appears to be a well earned rest and a honeymoon they never had. Chris and Christine are first holding a private party to celebrate their year at Bar Plata and then are flying to the Dominium Republic for 2 weeks. They will return refreshed and revitalised for the Christmas period which they are already taking bookings for. Also to note they are now working winter hours so they are open Wednesday to Sunday 10.30 -10.00pm with the kitchen open all this time, and finally plans are well underway for the first Bar Plata beer festival to be held on 10th December
