Aqua Grill, Aruba

Aqua Grill Restaurant is located near the high rise hotel area on Aruba’s Palm Beach. You can walk there in a few minutes from any of the hotels and if you’re staying in the low rise area it’s barely a five minute drive. This place is known for seafood. We sat down for a nice supper at a place that I’ve passed many times but had not had the opportunity to give a try. Well, one appetizer was crab cakes.

Plenty of real crab meat there and not the least bit greasy. Another appetizer was a mixed salad. You have to eat your greens every day!

Then came the main course. A sea bass from Chile with the trimmings.

And a top sirloin, too, because I really don’t like fish.

The meals were tasty and well presented by a caring staff. Service here is well worth the 15% service charge. I tried to snap a photo of the room, it didn’t come out so well.

There on the left is a massive wine cooler. Look over the wine list carefully and you’ll surely find something you like. All in all, Aqua Grill is a solid seafood house worth your money. It’s at the upper limit of my budget so I’ll have to save up before coming back.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on July 30, 2010 at 11:05 am  Leave a Comment  
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Señor Frogs, Aruba

Señor Frogs is a fun place to have a snack and a drink. They recently relocated from the seaport area to the boulevard along the highrise hotel strip. They’re located just across the street from the Radisson now. It’s easy to find, just look for the frog.

Catchy advertising there. You’ll also find some unique seating as shown below.

This place fills up quickly. And now that they’re close to the hotels you can have a few and not worry about driving back to the hotel. Just be careful walking.

Enjoy your party in a responsible way. Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on July 21, 2010 at 10:39 am  Leave a Comment  
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Posada Casa Vieja, Spain

Posada Casa Vieja, located in Turégano (not far from Segovia) stands on an old village square that will take you back centuries. The photo below hangs on the wall in the dining room, along with several others taken during the early days of photography through the 1920’s or so.

The posada itself is the building on the left with the three balconied windows on the upper level. Not much has changed in the past couple of hundred years as you can see from the next photo.

We happened upon this place in search of a good supper. (Sadly, supper the night before was awful and I needed culinary redemption to preserve my faith in Spanish cooking.) I saw local families loitering near this place and decided to pop in and see what was on offer. Upon entering the building you’re in the taberna, which is a welcoming spot for drinks and small fare.

The fellow behind the bar is the owner (third generation at this point) and he works hard keeping his customers happy, as does his waitstaff who left no need unfulfilled. So, we take a seat in the dining room where those photos are hanging.

After ordering, I scope out the photos which show village life back in the day in black and white glory. Things were not easy back then but the people have risen to the challenge. Then the food arrives. After a couple of salads, a sea bass filet comes.

Sorry about the shaky photography. There was wine, too. Then a bit or roast baby pig.

That dish is famous in this part of Spain. Don’t pass it up. Tasty, crispy, very good! After the meal, I learned my waitress was originally from Poland but now living in Spain with her husband and baby on the way. The owner and I also had a nice chat about my other favorite restaurant in Aruba, Casa Vieja, which is a Colombian joint. He laughed at that and my rudimentary Spanish. Then we were on our way for a good night’s sleep before trekking on through the hills and dales of España the next day.

Published in: on July 10, 2010 at 12:47 pm  Leave a Comment  
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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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