November 1
By email
Hello from Ireland,
We noted the letter from Della Brock 16/10, with reference to above Feria at Torrevieja Port.
I am writing to advise that we too, (party of five) went to enjoy the festivities and a meal at the feria at the port in October, and we too were ripped off in the outlet tent in which we chose to dine (nearest the boardwalk).
There was no menu, but we noted that there was a Spanish party of people seated just inside the entrance and they had been served with a very large platter of various food and meat, pollo, pudding etc. that looked appetising, so we gauged that it would be a good eatery.
We indicated that we would have a similar platter of food as the group had.
Thereafter, everything went downhill very fast. We were eventually “presented” with a platter of ribs , which were total fat and no lean, and we couldn’t ascertain what type animal they came from, then there were burnt pork ribs, black! These were on a small bed of chips and garnished with a few roast peppers.
We immediately asked again three times for what the Spanish group had, which included chicken. We were just ignored on this request. We gnawed as best we could on the ‘rib bones’ but it was in vain, there was nothing to get off them except fat, so we abandoned them, and we ate the chips, having ordered an extra chip portion and two tanks of beer.
The staff knew they were ripping us off. They constantly stared at us. It felt in hindsight that they were deciding how much they would chance ripping us off. When we requested the bill, the waiter arrived with a little notebook with €66 being our account total.
We had anticipated that, (if it had been very good) should be €50 max. We refused point blank to pay the €66 and pointed out the platter of bones and fat. Eventually, he changed the bill to €56, but we only gave him €50, very reluctantly, as we felt they were little more than conmen.
Another puzzlement was that the original party at the entrance still had their full platter of lovely meats etc. untouched on their table as we left. They looked like ‘plants’. It would never be the norm for us to complain and we would never refuse to pay our bill in full, but this experience was a rip off from start to finish, and well they knew it, no prices displayed, inedible and non-descript bones.
Be very vigilant when you attend this festival in May. Ask for menu and prices and be happy with the surroundings.
Yours sincerely,
The Donovan and Conway families, Dublin.
