La Perla Playa del Cura — Restaurant in Torrevieja

Mixed impressions, to be honest.

Let me start with the good. The place made a great first impression – very cozy, with delicious coffee and breakfasts. The service was excellent, the waitstaff were very friendly and helpful with recommendations. The atmosphere was welcoming and clean.

Now for the disappointment. It’s about customer focus and the management’s attitude toward the staff. We ordered breakfast, two coffees, and water, which totaled €19. We were sitting on the terrace, and after finishing breakfast, I decided to do some work on my laptop. The terrace was empty, with unoccupied tables, and there was also plenty of free space inside – the place was about 70% empty.

At one point, while I was on the phone, a waiter approached, apologized, and said that if we weren’t going to order anything else, he would have to ask us to leave. Immediately after, the “boss,” as he was referred to, came out and said, “If you’re not ordering anything, don’t occupy the table.” Since we weren’t ready for lunch yet, having just had breakfast, we were forced to leave. Unfortunately, I wasn’t even allowed to finish my phone call, as the waiter apologized again and explained that he might get in trouble if we stayed – those were the “boss’s” rules.

I don’t quite understand why this mattered so much, considering there was plenty of free space, likely around 70%. I never linger in places if I see they’re short on tables and I’ve already...

We were welcomed by a very serviceminded waiter, and chosed one of there special offers. 1kg big t-bonesteak and a bottle of wine for 39,90€. We added still water and bread with additional aioli&crushed tomatoes. After that, it all went down...we waited, and waited. It was an early dinner. We were the only guests. We sat down around 17:15. We asked after 1h. A really sweet female waiter tried to help us, but our waiter who took the order, was constantly on the phone, a looong time. After some time he cane and explained that the steak was in fridge, and quite cold. Thats why it was a loong prosess to prepare it on the grill. Finally, after at least 1,5h, it came to the table. We were 3 women who shared it. Most of meat were half warm, and the rest cold, and some parts rare minus! Positive things; good grill taste, nice potatoes(2 pieces), nice padrons/aubergine and salat. We were not happy, the waiters were sorry. We didnt pay for bread&aioli, and had three big "shots" of limoncello/baileys for free. They was huge in cognac glasses. That made up for some of the negatives, so I left a little tip because they tried to make up for the lack of communication&service. Note to them: inform the guest, make other reccomandations, be humble, get off the phone, serve warm meat! I see many good reviwes, and surely you can be more lucky...

I visited the restaurant and ordered grilled dishes. My impressions were overwhelmingly positive.

Firstly, the food here is truly excellent and very tasty. The shashlik was cooked to perfection, with juicy and flavorful meat. The lula kebab did not disappoint either – tender, with a rich blend of spices. The khachapuri deserves special praise – a crispy crust and stretchy, very delicious cheese. The grilled vegetables were outstanding – fresh and infused with a smoky aroma.

The wait time for the order was not long compared to other establishments, which was a pleasant surprise. The service was top-notch, with polite and attentive waitstaff.

In addition to the main dishes, the additional treats are worth mentioning. The lavash was fresh and soft, the perfect complement to the meat dishes. The fresh herbs added even more flavor and aroma to the meal.

This restaurant has become a true discovery for me, and I will happily return again. I highly recommend trying their dishes – you...