Los Reales

Okay.

There were no staff watching the animals, even though they were clearly getting overstimulated. In half an hour, I saw a horse nearly trample an emu, kick a donkey three times, and push a child off the fence. A sign had apparently been there for four years saying not to feed the horse, but it got agitated when it saw the others eating. It was unrestrained, kicking the fence and other animals. Nobody came to stop this or make sure it wasn’t being fed. I had to stop a little girl from giving it a snack, even though it was supposedly receiving veterinary treatment. We told the waiter, but nobody even came out to check on the horse. We also saw children chasing a bird and throwing stones at it. It had escaped and couldn’t get back in, and it was terrified and exhausted. Whenever the children left it alone, it collapsed from exhaustion. We had to tell them to let it rest. The establishment and the parents weren’t the ones stepping in. It’s a welcoming place, but these are animals and people can behave unpredictably. Someone needs to be looking after the animals, especially during busy shifts. If the place is going to draw people because of the animals, it should be clear that they’re cared for.

We really enjoyed the menu, even though I hadn’t come across that style before. First they brought several dishes to share in the middle of the table, then we chose a second course. Wine, soda, and water were included, followed by dessert and coffee. For a meal for two, the service was impeccable and the food excellent. It was all part of the set menu, which felt like great value for the money. Definitely worth a visit.

We hadn’t planned on lunch, but decided on the spur of the moment to stay. There wasn’t a table available and we had no reservation, but they quickly offered to set one up for us, and the service afterward was just as prompt. We thought the food was good. The Sunday menu isn’t cheap, but we feel it’s worth the price and will definitely come back when we can. It’s also a lovely place to bring children and visit the zoo so they can see the animals. We felt very comfortable there.