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Costa del Sol's story is one of hard work, a family united, an American dream and a commitment to quality, creativity and award-winning taste.
That was the perfect recipe as Jose "Pepe" Feijoo and family celebrate a quarter century of success as one of Hartford's oldest "white tablecloth" restaurants.
"I can't believe it is a quarter of century," says Feijoo, who, with his brother Javier and sister Maria, is still at the helm of the well-known Spanish cuisine restaurant on Wethersfield Avenue.
"When we came to the United States from Galacia (a region of Spain), we all worked at other jobs. I was in construction, my sister worked in an accounting department at Sage Allen, my brother Emilio was a chef at the old Hilton and Javier was in college," he said. "Everyone knew something and when we put it together, we had what we needed to open the kind of restaurant we wanted."
The family however, was conservative when it came to opening a restaurant. Well aware of the pitfalls, they kept their day jobs, with Pepe Feijoo doing most of the restaurant construction himself on property was not the family's first choice.
"We wanted Franklin Avenue because that was the place to be then if you had a restaurant," he recalls. "But we found this spot and figured at least we were in the South End and this is where we stayed."
Feijoo and family were not so consumed with establishing an ethnic restaurant as they were with opening a fine-dining place that would feature the food they knew best.
Its menu is a blend of traditional Spanish, home-style dishes, including its signature, made-from-scratch paella, offered four different ways.
"It is our most popular dish," said Feijoo about the four types of saffron rice casseroles with seafood, chicken, chorizo and vegetable. "On Christmas Eve we will prepare 400 paellas for take-out. We have many diners who come here just for our paella."
But there is much more.
Entrées including Tabla Iberica with its Serrano Spanish dry-cured ham; Mariscada, a seafood casserole with squid, mussels and clams; and Bacalao, house-cured codfish are some of the entrees on the menu, which also includes pork and beef dishes as well as daily specials. Besides lunch and dinner entrees, Costa del Sol also offers as assortment of tapas — small plates, including its popular Pulpo, a Galacian style octopus dish. Desserts include the traditional flan and restaurant made ice cream in flavors like goat cheese.
"It is the perfect dessert with a good Spanish wine," Feijoo says.
Tuesday nights at the restaurant features a tapas happy hour. And on any night, the homemade brandy-laced red or white sangria is always served.
Feijoo is humble about the success of the restaurant and the tale of a family that pulled together.
"We have learned a lot over 25 years, and we have taught as well," he say, explaining the assorted special kitchenware he has introduced other restaurant owners to including the plancha, a flattop grill that originated in Spain.
And changes over the years?
"Diners are much more educated about their dining choices," he says. "and they want to spend less, and I don't think we ever let them down. We are a humble family that did what we wanted to do with perseverance and discipline. There are not so many family-owned restaurants anymore, and while it's not a rose garden, (sometimes we argue) we are proud and think we have done a good job."
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Costa del Sol, at 901 Wethersfield Ave., is offering a three-course dinner for $25 from Nov. 1 to 13. Information: 860-296-1714 and costadelsolhartford.com.
Small Bites
>>Keep an eye on the Restaurant At ON20 at One State St. in Hartford. Noel Jones is making some changes that have nothing to do with the menu.
