El Toston Bar + Map

Started by TripleH, July 09, 2013, 20:31:21 PM

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M&MS2014

Hi all,

Matt here :) Yes El Toston is closed up until tomorrow, Saturday 15th - we're getting in stock etc for opening up the Bar in time for the Six Nations. Our plan is to open the bar only until we settle in more and plan to kick this all off (excuse the pun!) with the matches on the 15th, opening up the bar from 11am through the day. We will have things like sandwiches and chips available to munch on but larger meals we're holding off - mainly due to the bulk of our equipment still on it's way in shipping!

Gayle and Alan are still around, and hopefully will continue to be - they're diamonds and have been great in helping us settle in!

When I know what our plans are for opening time beyond the 15th before we really get ourselves like Gayle and Alan have, I shall post on up for you all to be kept in the loop :)

Hope to see most, if not all, at the Bar at some point in the (near?) future!

Matt

falkirkdan

Hope you will be open next Thursday as we arrive then.   Tell Gayle and Alan look forward to buying them a drink or two.
Danny

TripleH


Champlain Girl

Triple H
We were there three weeks ago and Mel and Mat were running El Toston. They were doing sandwiches etc, but as we were going they put a menu board up. They are on Facebook, so you can always ask Mat how things are?

CG

westhamrule

 :D Had a couple of drinks and a very tasty jug of sangria in this bar so it is most definitely OPEN  :D

SoCal

Toston now advertises Sunday roast beef starting at noon for 8.50 euro.
Biking and beaches - total freedom

Windermeregolfer

Quote from: SoCal on April 21, 2014, 18:20:31 PM
Toston now advertises Sunday roast beef starting at noon for 8.50 euro.


SoCal - Hope they cook it as you like it, with freshly prepared vegetables.

M&MS2014

Hola All!

Apologies for the lack of updates, I must admit the forum has slipped my mind!

We're back up and running with the opening times as follows:

Tuesday through Friday 12pm (or thereabouts depending on how busy the village is!)-12am (closing 2am on the Friday), Saturday and Sunday 10am - 2am. As previously, we're closed on Mondays and until the trade in the village picks up a little more we're not opening earlier in the mornings Tues-Fri.

We have our menu up and running which is, in most respects, similar to that which Alan and Gayle ran but we've tweaked a few things, dropped others, and added some of our own. The Thursday Lamb, for instance, is not being ran as we wish to put our own mark on things. We do the Roast still, but not EVERY Sunday - we're only doing this on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month. We've also added a bit more of an extensive Cocktails menu for those who are a tad adventurous! ;)

Quote from: westhamrule on April 20, 2014, 21:43:32 PM
:D Had a couple of drinks and a very tasty jug of sangria in this bar so it is most definitely OPEN  :D
Glad the Sangria went down ok! Recipe came from a Master! - Alan himself!

The bar has also gone through a bit of a re-paint too - the posters are gone, and new décor is on the walls as the music wasn't our taste - plus we wanted to put our own mark on the bar. Music nights are still to go on though! We had our first music night held on Good Friday, and we'll be having music the 3rd Friday of each month as a definite. Any others will be a bonus depending on who's in the village and wants to strum along!

I -think- that's the majority of updates so far! We're having a new website built which is currently under construction so bear with us (www.eltostonbar.com) so we'll have direct control to keep there better updated ourselves, and as ChamplainGirl said below, we are on facebook which is updated as and when too - www.facebook.com/ElTostonBar

Any questions, do ask away and I'll do my best! Or if you wish, drop me an email on matt@eltostonbar.com

Cheers!
Matt

P.S: Roast is with fresh veg, indeedy! Roast Potatoes too!

M&MS2014

Hi again all,
just to keep you all in the loop, the below was just posted to our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/ElTostonBar)

QuoteEl Toston Bar         2 mins ago·

2 months already?!?!

We have a slight alteration to the opening/closing times for the week of Monday 12th through Sunday 18th May, as follows:

MONDAY - CLOSED, WEDNESDAY CLOSED
Tuesday and Thursday - 5pm to 12am
Friday - 5pm to 2am
Saturday and Sunday - 10am to 3pm, 5pm to 2am


Thereafter our hours will be 10am -> 3pm, 5pm -> 12am on Tuesdays through Thursdays (inclusive), and 10am -> 3pm, 5pm -> 2am on Fridays through Sundays (inclusive), closing Mondays as normal.

MinRich

A bit odd not to do Sunday Roasts every Sunday ?

I would think it would confuse many customers as to what sunday in the month it was ?

Just my input but your appeal is to generally English Customers , or is that changing too ?

M&MS2014

Quote from: MinRich on May 07, 2014, 09:31:45 AM
A bit odd not to do Sunday Roasts every Sunday ?

I would think it would confuse many customers as to what sunday in the month it was ?

Just my input but your appeal is to generally English Customers , or is that changing too ?

Menu still appealing towards the English, yep - its similar to Alan and Gayle's in content. Luckily, in regards to the Sunday Roast, we do advertise when the Roasts are available so should help people to know when it is - we'll update here for sure, and Facebook and our new website (when launched in the upcoming few weeks) will make it clear... plus people can always get in touch if they wish to know! Easy peasy lemon squeezy :)

bevlos

Went in on Saturday night for a drink and to decide where/what we would eat. Only us two and another couple in the place around 7.30pm. They were finishing a meal when we arrived. We sat on the patio and when we were served asked for a mojito. We were told they don't do this drink so we ordered a sangria and a small beer.

Once this arrived that was it service wise. We were not offered a menu or asked if we wanted to eat or if the drinks were ok etc, in fact the next time i saw anyone was when i went to the bar to pay for the drinks. Britains got talent was on the TV and the staff were watching this saying they hoped some good acts were on.

We went and had a meal somewhere else as we couldn't compete with BGT. When we left the bar was empty.

M&MS2014

Oh, dear! We're very sorry to hear your visit was a disappointment. We do have a quite extensive cocktail menu, 23 in fact, so, as you can understand, some do not make the final list!
Although not a big fan myself of BGT, our customers at the bar at that time asked if we could put it on so we agreed. It was over soon, and they left happy that we could indulge them.
I, myself, did check that you were both enjoying your drinks but I did not take a menu out at that time as you had not been there that long.
I hope you had a pleasant meal at wherever you ended up and apologise again for your disappointment.
   
     

MinRich

Quote from: bevlos on May 20, 2014, 20:11:35 PM
Went in on Saturday night for a drink and to decide where/what we would eat. Only us two and another couple in the place around 7.30pm. They were finishing a meal when we arrived. We sat on the patio and when we were served asked for a mojito. We were told they don't do this drink so we ordered a sangria and a small beer.

Once this arrived that was it service wise. We were not offered a menu or asked if we wanted to eat or if the drinks were ok etc, in fact the next time i saw anyone was when i went to the bar to pay for the drinks. Britains got talent was on the TV and the staff were watching this saying they hoped some good acts were on.

We went and had a meal somewhere else as we couldn't compete with BGT. When we left the bar was empty.

You should have stayed at home , you only seem to moan about the place anyway - 11 years on a forum and 25 posts too !

bevlos

Thanks for the feedback minrich (legend??) i thought forums were a place to comment freely on your experiences and to ask questions (my mistake) as for moaning about the place get your facts right! I can and will comment how i like when i like simples!

If you care to look i have just commented how good a meal i had in Lajares and the great experiences i have had with pluscar...if it's good i will say so if it's not i will say so.

You may not like my opinion or you may have different tastes/opinions to me but get over it that's life! As to the number of posts since i joined, sorry i did not know you had to write a certain amount per week/month, i tend to look each day at whats going on a contribute if i want to.


MinRich

#45

The Chinese is a place we use regularly as is El Toston , never have we recieved anything but good quality service and food at both places . Too many people take notice of bad posts on forums rather than good posts and hence a response to your negativity . El Toston has new people running it and the last thing they need is people posting bad things about them . They need support as we all do in our new jobs and if you had wanted a menu , you could have asked for one and that would told them you wanted to eat , they have alot of people visit who do not eat there . They will learn from this experience i am sure but it will have more of a negative effect on their business than positive after your post .
Just criticism is worthless , being constructive at the same time is of great value , thinking before you post is important . If all we received was negative comments about our work we would all get very down and some would give up

SoCal

@bevlos - feel free to post what ever you desire. Leave it to the reader to decide whether your contribution has value or not.  Everyone does not have the same experiences, hence the importance of making the contribution. In the end, the reader can decide what probability he or she will have a positive experience at the establishment.  In addition, some features of an establishment might be valued higher by one person than another. For example, El Horno has great meat, but a worthless view, while La Marisma has good wines, an unbeatable location and view, but I haven't found the food worth ordering.  Hence I tend to write long-winded (or as Americans would call them, "British prose" ;) ) contributions so that the reader can decide which feature he or she values the most.

M&MS2014 provided an excellent response which makes me inclined to visit the new El Toston - especially if there is some live music such as Jose Blanco's flamenco guitar playing. In general, I have little interest in a British bar or a Chinese restaurant on a Spanish / European island. The only reasons I have visited one is based on the recommendations of the forum members and for entertainment purposes.
Biking and beaches - total freedom

isleswing

Quote from: MinRich on May 22, 2014, 09:22:53 AM

The Chinese is a place we use regularly as is El Toston , never have we recieved anything but good quality service and food at both places . Too many people take notice of bad posts on forums rather than good posts and hence a response to your negativity . El Toston has new people running it and the last thing they need is people posting bad things about them . They need support as we all do in our new jobs and if you had wanted a menu , you could have asked for one and that would told them you wanted to eat , they have alot of people visit who do not eat there . They will learn from this experience i am sure but it will have more of a negative effect on their business than positive after your post .
Just criticism is worthless , being constructive at the same time is of great value , thinking before you post is important . If all we received was negative comments about our work we would all get very down and some would give up

I can't see that Bevlos made any comment or criticism, just stated what happened on their visit, without judgement, which was perfectly fair.
If businesses receive negative comments, they should take it as an opportunity to reappraise themselves and consider whether those comments were justified and, if so, act upon them. Without fair, but negative they may never see what they're doing 'wrong' and never improve their service (and profits)

M&MS2014, the owners, gave a fair reply to the post.

Personally, if a host seemed to me, to be more interested in watching TV with a small group, than 'working the room', I'd be thinking carefully about whether I want to give them any more of my money. Maybe give them another chance.

El Cotillo is startlingly well endowed with eateries, for it's size and position, so competition for custom is fierce.

Rumjockey

First time I have heard of "an extensive cocktail list, 23 in fact " and it does not include
a Mojito !!!
Well done Bevios with your comments , you are entitled to your views , they were obviously taken on board by the new owners . Would be interesting to hear your comments after a second visit , who knows ,Mojito's may have made the list .

Ivemovedon

truth is the new owners have a hard act to follow. They will learn by their mistakes and will probably have to change things around and promote what does well and scrub out what doesn't. Running a bar /restaurant in El Cotillo can't be an easy ride. Look forward to giving them a try when next over.

jg

Quote from: stedge on May 23, 2014, 19:11:47 PM
truth is the new owners have a hard act to follow. They will learn by their mistakes and will probably have to change things around and promote what does well and scrub out what doesn't. Running a bar /restaurant in El Cotillo can't be an easy ride. Look forward to giving them a try when next over.
As we all will - I do draw the line at Flintstones in Corralejo, though.
JG

SoCal

#51
<<I one wrote a long review... but the website deleted it and any other long winded post one has ever made...>>
Biking and beaches - total freedom

jg

Quote from: SoCal on June 06, 2014, 13:53:56 PM
A short review of El Toston – the breakfast experience.

<good stuff snipped>
But I assure you this - you can keep your brown sauce. It must be an acquired taste. ;)
Conversely, feel the same about tomato ketchup but I like brown sauce.
JG

TripleH

Is El Toston sticking to the rigid closing time of midnight during the week?

suendrob

As usual El Toston was our first port of call when we got to El Cotillo.  By this time, I'd been up for 36hours, so I didn't want to give an opinion straight away.
Yes, redecorated and spruced up, but not really changed. New people are perfectly pleasant and keen.
Well stocked bar, menu a decent, safe range, nothing overly ambitious. We really cannot remember what we ate, but we were perfectly pleased with it. Did call in for a drink another night and they're doing decent trade, so good luck to them, we wish them well.

I hope this does not sound like 'damning with faint praise'. It's a good bar with good food. A good gathering place of an evening.

amberambler

10 weeks to go until we are at El toston. 8)

MinRich

Were in El Cotillo for 2 weeks , went to El Toston for an evening meal and they were closed !
Can't remember what day but was between 14-28 March.
Never went there when Alan and Gayle ran it and it was shut .

jg

Quote from: MinRich on March 31, 2015, 10:36:21 AM
Were in El Cotillo for 2 weeks , went to El Toston for an evening meal and they were closed !
Can't remember what day but was between 14-28 March.
Never went there when Alan and Gayle ran it and it was shut .
As I understand it the new opening days are the a=same as when Alan and Gayle were there - at least that's how it seemed to me.
JG

MinRich

Quote from: jg on March 31, 2015, 21:04:51 PM
Quote from: MinRich on March 31, 2015, 10:36:21 AM
Were in El Cotillo for 2 weeks , went to El Toston for an evening meal and they were closed !
Can't remember what day but was between 14-28 March.
Never went there when Alan and Gayle ran it and it was shut .
As I understand it the new opening days are the a=same as when Alan and Gayle were there - at least that's how it seemed to me.

Yes shut on Mondays , but this wasn't a Monday ! We have been there three times now since Alan left and its been shut every time ! Won't be going back .

Dave Diggler

This is probably going to be classed as heresy, but here goes.... We've visited El Toston twice on our various hols, admittedly both times were under the previous owners.  The first time, the place was empty, brightly lit, little or no atmosphere & Eastenders was playing on the telly by the bar, we had one drink & left.  We gave it the benefit of the doubt & tried it again on our next trip, pretty much the same.  Not really the kind of place we seek out when abroad, or at home for that matter ::)  We'll have a walk past in October & see if 'owts changed.  I'm not saying it's a bad place, just not our taste that's all.  There are bars with better atmosphere & service to be had, Ferrets for starters.