Moonrise Supper, Trujillo

The moon was rising over Trujillo, Spain. The sun had set, draining the sky of light.

The statue of Pizarro looked out over a mostly empty plaza mayor. Only a short distance from here stands a row of restaurants, and it was to one that I was bound.

There was a kindly gentlemen standing in front of this place and he handed me a menu to peruse. Finding several dishes that appealed to me, I decided to take one of those tables above. Immediately, I noticed small details that indicated this was a good choice.

The individual oil and vinegar bottles were just one example of the small things that make a big difference. Service was about the best I had in Spain. Of course, I like to start with a salad and the kitchen assembled two varieties. One was the standard mixed greens, vegetables, hard boiled eggs and so on.

All the ingredients were off the farm fresh. The other salad involved more exotic items like anchovies and goat cheese.

Again, freshness and flavor ruled the day. Considering the enormous size of these starters, I was severely concerned about my ability to consume the main course. One was a stuffed salmon as seen next.

As I’m not a fish eater, I had the pork skewer. Thankfully, the portion was reasonable.

Again, you see the details tended to here with a plate appropriate to the style of the dish. No big deal, some might say. Yes it is, I retort. A place that gets the small things right is bound to carry it all the way to the end. And this place did. Sadly, I came up short and was unable to have dessert. My own fault for packing down two big courses and bottle of wine. Ah, well, it was well worth it.

Published in: on July 6, 2010 at 11:33 am  Leave a Comment  
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A Fine Snack

If I parachuted into Siberia, I’m sure I could find a pastry shop. In Spain, it is much easier as there are many fine bakers of sugary delights. In Trujillo, there was one on my route and I didn’t pass up the opportunity to sample the goods. A couple of cookies and pastries were wrapped up and I was on my way. Of course, I supplemented this with an ice-cold Coca-Cola back in my room at Posada Dos Orillas.

That’s a beautiful sight! The netbook was open to show that I was working a bit during this voyage of discovery. However, I never passed up the chance to sample the local flavor.

Published in: on July 2, 2010 at 3:05 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Country Quality, Spain

In the previous post, I discussed my stay at Hospedería Convento de la Parra. This post continues at the same location, taking a look at the fine supper served in the restaurant there. Entering from the lobby, you’ll first encounter the bar where you might want to have a cocktail or three.

Properly fortified, enter the dining room and take a seat.

Hopefully you brought a hearty appetite and sophisticated palette. The meal began with a cup of consommé, a nice touch that I had not experienced before in Spain.

I apologize for the poor photo quality of the one above and the next one. Bear with me, they get better. The next course consisted of a bowl of tomato soup topped with a slice of toast, which is seen in the lower portion of the next photo.

At the top of the photo you see the highly creative goat cheese salad that contains toasted apples and onions. The concoction is a myriad of funky tastes that simply makes you stop and wonder who thought it up. The Convento de la Parra may be out in the country, but this is big city style food. Our main courses were more typical. On one side of the table a filet.

On the other side, a plate of fried eggs with the blessed jamón ibérico.

It should be noted here that the town of La Parra is located in the heart of the region where those black footed pigs are raised. Thus, the ibérico shown above is locally originated. The flavor was all there. Sadly, after all this food, there was no room for dessert. Let me take a moment to mention the service. The two women serving the dining room did a wonderful job, putting up with my lousy Spanish and keeping up with the tables like the professionals they were. Most important (to me) was that as high class as the food was, the mood was friendly (almost but not quite casual). A great meal with friends is hard to beat.

Published in: on June 26, 2010 at 10:55 am  Leave a Comment  
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Upscale Dining, Ronda

Regular Bent Page readers may have noticed I’ve had a number of posts about Ronda, Spain. Well, here’s another one, and it’s also about food, my second favorite subject. This time we’re leaving the regular chow behind for an upscale supper. Due to the volcano in Iceland many tourists were unable to make the journey to Spain. Thus, Ronda was quiet, especially the restaurants. In other words, reservations were not necessary. (Take note: always make reservations if you’re interested in a particular restaurant. A few minutes on the phone will prevent hours of disappointment.)

We chose Sol y Sombra for supper. Showers passed just before we set out for the place, creating a movie-like scene.

Inside, we were one of only four tables due to the aforementioned volcanic activity. Our waiter was a friendly chap, eager to chat because he wasn’t as busy as usual. We took his recommendation for a local wine that turned out to go well with our food. Let’s get to the plates, shall we? Appetizers: feast upon this creative take on salad greens, tomatoes, and dressing.

Or, if you like your starter a bit heavier why not try the asparagus with salmon and sauce like this:

Both of these were presented beautifully. Tasty, too, although the sauce on the asparagus was a touch heavy. Hence, more wine! Moving along to the main course. How about this duck concoction.

Yes, that’s a strip of duck breast wrapped around a fig, several of them in fact. Stunningly good. Then there was seared pork with an interesting salsa of peppers and chives.

Wow, reviewing these photos, I’m reminded of another reason why I found Ronda to be my favorite place visited during this trip. The people on the street, in the shops, and at my hotel were universally friendly and helpful. All of them were eager to chat, some of them as interested in the United States as I was in Spain. These exchanges added an educational element to the visit that I might have otherwise missed between sightseeing and fantastic meals like the one shown above.

Published in: on June 24, 2010 at 10:13 am  Leave a Comment  
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