Harry Poulton, a British expat who has lived in Benidorm for about 10 years, recently enjoyed his first steak meal in the Spanish resort and was pleasantly surprised by the experience. He shared his discovery on TikTok to inspire other Brits planning a visit.
Finding a hidden gem
On a hunt for a decent steakhouse, Poulton stumbled into the Old Town's back streets and found what he called an absolute hidden gem: Entrecôte Steakhouse Salsa Café de Paris. The restaurant opened just last month and specialises in charcoal-grilled premium meats served with their signature sauce. He looked at the menu and saw fantastic starters and a good selection of meats aged up to 21 days.
Poulton ordered a Coca Cola, and a waiter arrived with a selection of meats to choose from. He was gobsmacked, saying 'Oh my goodness I was not expecting this.' The options included a 500g Ribeye steak, 1kg Ribeye on the bone, fillet steak, Entrecôte steak (sirloin), and a pork rib matured 21 days. The meats come from Galicia in northwestern Spain.
The meal experience
Poulton selected the Entrecôte and asked for it well done. He first had bread with aioli, then the main meal arrived with a beautiful presentation. He admitted he hadn't had a steak in a long time and wasn't sure he had one in Benidorm before. Tucking into the steak, he said: 'Wow, absolutely unbelievable. The meat itself is very very juicy, full of flavour, it's been cooked to perfection and covered in their signature sauce. With the sauce, I'm detecting a bit of butter, pepper and I think there might be a bit of brandy as well and it's really different, I'm really liking the taste. For me, the meat is really soft and juicy. It's incredible.'
He was apprehensive about the meat as he doesn't like it raw or with blood, but the restaurant did a 'really good job'. After the meal, he had dessert: Pain Perdu (brioche dipped in milk with cinnamon, caramelised in butter and orange juice) and tiramisu.
Overall verdict
Concluding, Poulton said: 'It was incredible, mouth-watering. I think what makes this place stand out is that you get to choose the meat that is cooked which I think makes it 10x better because you know what you're getting. The food was cooked very very well and the staff are friendly, the service is quick and I think the prices are reasonable. So if you're looking for a decent steakhouse in Benidorm in the Old Town this is the place to go to.'
Social media reactions were mixed, with some criticising his choice of well-done steak, saying things like 'Well done steak absolutely a no no' and 'You've destroyed that steak... what a waste.' Others were amazed by how delicious it looked, commenting 'Looks so yummy' and 'Yum.'
