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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Local Lunch, Spain

Several posts ago, I mentioned the usual fare I enjoyed while traveling through Spain. You might also remember my post about the town of Biar, where I had a good hike. Well, I also met a couple of cats and ate a tasty lunch. Dead center in the middle of that town is a hostal type of place with a bar/restaurant downstairs. From your table you look out at the town plaza which is complete with church and fountain. We entered here looking for a bite to eat and the bartender made some good recommendations. Take a look.

On the left above you have a puff pasty with carmelized onions and mushrooms. Light and delicious that was. On the right, you have pork medallions in a heavy sauce with red peppercorns. Filling and powerful. The bartender was spot on with his suggestions and I thank him publicly for them. And here’s a view of the place.

Just what you’d expect to find in small town Spain. Too bad I can’t remember the name. No worries. It’s easy enough to find.

Published in: on June 22, 2010 at 10:17 am  Leave a Comment  
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Usual Fare, Usually Good

From the start of this post, let me ask for forgiveness from my Spanish speaking friends. I don’t remember the correct terminology for the food I enjoyed in Spain. Thus, I’ll use English words and let the pictures show the dishes.
In general, I found the usual fare to be usually good. That is to say regular meals, nothing fancy or expensive, were generally tasty and well presented. For example, at the Molino de Santillan, where we stayed for a night, we ordered supper from the menu of the day. For appetizers we started with a field green salad as seen in the next photo.

Note the vivid freshness of the contents above. The other appetizer is a pair of fried eggs with fried bread crumbs. This was unusual for me as I normally eat eggs for breakfast. The flavor couldn’t be beat because they used sausage or something mixed in with the breadcrumbs for extra flavor. Take a look.

Those grapes were a nice touch, too, adding a bit of sweetness to the plate. For the main course we both ordered the pork medallions with potatoes. As I said, a regular dish which is shown below.

Let me say that it was filling and fortifying, two things you need when your days are filled with activity. But it doesn’t end there. Molino de Santillan offered a breakfast spread that I found in most of the small hotels where I stayed. There’s meats and cheeses, coffee and juice, fruit and cereal. Take a look.

All in all, this is what you can expect when gallivanting about Spain, staying in small hotels, and eating accordingly. Don’t miss any meals!

Published in: on June 18, 2010 at 9:50 am  Leave a Comment  
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Eating on the Road, Spain

Well, not literally eating on the road, but rather making a stop at a joint just off the highway in Spain for a much needed meal. After all, I was hiking around castles and churches all morning and worked up a good appetite. (I’ve mentioned this a lot lately here on the Bent Page.) Rolling down the exit ramp, I spotted this sign:

Man, couldn’t go wrong, right? Especially since the parking lot was loaded with trucks and construction vehicles. In I go, getting a table on the far side of the room where I could watch the crowd. Food was hearty and tasty, a good combination to refuel for more traipsing about the ruins of Spain. I enjoyed the sausage soup and here’s a photo to show you.

Service was quick, which I appreciate when enroute to the night sight. Not every meal has to be an event. Some are for strictly nutritional purposes rather than entertainment.

Published in: on June 14, 2010 at 10:35 pm  Leave a Comment  
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