Food in Spain | The Bent Page

Antollos, Santiago de Compostela (June 2014)

For pinxtos, tapas, and vinos in Santiago de Compostela, Antollos is the place! This is a relatively small joint, usually jammed with locals and a few tourists on the road to Santiago or just food lovers like me. And here’s the reason why:

Tapas at Antollor, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

On those two plates you have a variety that is both delicious and creative. There is the tortilla española on the left with a typical bocadillo, but also an empanada. On the right you have various fish concoctions as well as another tortilla. But there’s more such as this pair:

More tapas at Antollos, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

And there was even more, but I was too busy eating to take photos. The guys behind the counter will wander the floor, bringing out fresh, hot items for you to try with the ones you already selected. Of course, there’s plenty of wine to be had. Take your time, enjoy it all!

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on July 7, 2014 at 12:33 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Antollos, cooking, dining out, food, food photo, photo, photos, pintxos, Santiago de Compostela, Spanish food, Spanish restaurant, tapas, travel, vacation

La Consistorial, Oviedo, Spain

La Consistorial is one of those great little bars that I’m constantly looking for while traveling.

La Consistorial, Oviedo, Spain.

It’s on the far edge of the plaza in the heart of Oviedo Spain. A few tables outside as you see above, and some more inside, all populated by regulars.

Interior, La Consistorial, Oviedo, Spain.

There was a little sign that said tapas made to order so please be patient, that type of thing. I thought to myself that’s a good indicator of quality and took a seat. While catching bits of conversation from around the room, I perused the offerings and made my selection. The lady behind the bar slipped away and produced some very fine tapas.

Tapas at La Consistorial, Oviedo, Spain.

In the photo above you see a crab salad with an anchovy, a little bocadillo, then a four cheese version with a bit of marmalade. Very tasty stuff here and super fresh. Of course another round had to be enjoyed.

Fresh tapas at La Consistorial, Oviedo, Spain.

This time it was the salmon with cream cheese, and a jamón, peppers, and egg. Of course the freshness made all the difference. I chatted with the bartender/cook/operator of this place. We discussed the difference between fast food culture in the USA and Spain. If you’re careful, you can actually find reasonably priced “fast food” in the form of these tapas for a price that isn’t significantly more than a garbage fast food meal typical to the USA. I’d much rather have the tapas in a place as unique as this than some meal out of bag at the drive-thru window. Enjoy every meal and find the good ones!

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Food in Spain

on July 2, 2014 at 11:46 am Leave a Comment
Tags: cheese, cooking, fast food, food, food photos, La Consistorial, Oviedo, photo, photos, Spain, tapas, travel, vacation

Supper, Villa de Ábalos, Spain

While staying overnight at the Hotel Villa de Ábalos, I highly recommend eating supper there. When you make your reservation, be sure to let them know you would like to dine as well. It is a truly home-cooked, Spanish meal. The menu changes with the seasons and the availability of fresh ingredients. Here is the carta as provided during my visit:

Menu for supper at Hotel Villa de Ábalos.

These little gems were presented to start the meal:

A little something to start the meal at Hotel Villa de Ábalos, Spain.

The two appetizers were creative and delicious. The first was a leeks and spinach terrine that you see in the next photo:

Leek and spinach terrine appetizer at Hotel Villa de Ábalos, Spain.

The other appetizer was a sautéed vegetable medley that I was so anxious to eat, I forgot to snap a photo. But, next came the entrée, and what a fantastic one it was. Slowly cooked oxtail then removed from the bone and placed inside a sort of dumpling with a very nice sauce, as you see in the next photo:

Oxtail presented inside a dumpling for supper at Hotel Villa de Ábalos.

This incredible meal was finished with a warm almond cake and vanilla ice-cream that truly hit the spot:

Warm almond cake with vanilla ice-cream at Hotel Villa de Ábalos.

All this was served in a pleasant dining room you see here:

Dining room at Hotel Villa de Ábalos, Spain.

I would also like to mention the owner of this fine hotel makes his own wine, which is very good, especially the white. A bottle with dinner or afterwards is a great addition to the meal. Here’s a photo of the bottle:

Preferred wine at Hotel Villa de Ábalos.

When traveling, be sure to enjoy the local cuisine as much as possible.

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Food in Spain

on June 26, 2014 at 9:43 am Leave a Comment
Tags: boutique hotel, cooking, dining, fine dining, food photo, La Rioja, menu, oxtail, photo, Spain, Spanish food, supper, terrine, travel, white wine, wine, wine glass

Lunch in Haro, Spain

After checking into my hotel in the village of Ábalos, we drove a short distance west to the town of Haro, Spain. Here the various wineries operate tasting rooms and gift shops. The town itself is worth a stroll, which we did, ending at a little bar for lunch.

Bar/restaurant Madrid in the town of Haro, Spain.

Inside, we found the usual bar with various tapas under the glass.

Interior of bar/restaurant Madrid in the town of Haro, Spain.

We sat at one of those round tables you see on the left of the photo above. And here’s a look at just a few of the tapas we enjoyed:

Various tapas at bar/restaurant Madrid in Haro, Spain.

There were several more rounds of tapas, including this batch:

More tapas at bar/restaurant Madrid, in Haro, Spain.

This was another great local meal, the kind that I prefer. I only had a few minutes to chat with the lady operating the place. Next time, I plan on lingering longer to learn some Spanish and experience the local scene a little more.

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on June 21, 2014 at 7:11 am Comments (1)
Tags: appetizer, bar, cooking, dining out, fast food, Haro, photo, photos, restaurant, Spain, Spanish food, tapas, travel, vacation

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The Bent Page

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Antollos, Santiago de Compostela (June 2014)

La Consistorial, Oviedo, Spain

Supper, Villa de Ábalos, Spain

Lunch in Haro, Spain

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