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:
These little gems were presented to start the meal:
The two appetizers were creative and delicious. The first was a leeks and spinach terrine that you see in the next photo:
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:
This incredible meal was finished with a warm almond cake and vanilla ice-cream that truly hit the spot:
All this was served in a pleasant dining room you see here:
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:
When traveling, be sure to enjoy the local cuisine as much as possible.
In-Flight Choices
Several months ago, American Airlines sent me a pleasant email, declaring I could select my entree for the upcoming flight. What a pleasant surprise! Normally, you watch the stewardess roll the cart past your seat, hoping you’ll get your choice. Not a huge issue, but then again, customer satisfaction matters in a competitive industry. So, giving a passenger the opportunity to have his preference means happy days. Of course, there are only two choices, which is fine with me. After all, we’re on an airplane, not in a swanky restaurant. On recent flights, I went with the egg option for breakfast that you see in the next photo:
Breakfast on American Airlines flight from PHL to MIA.
The decal on the side even had my name on it. Makes a guy feel important. Food was simple and tasty, again for onboard an airplane. Lunch on the next flight you see below:
Lunch on American Airlines flight from MIA to AUA.
The novelty item here was the pretzel stick you see in the upper left of the frame. That salad was also very fresh, and I do like my greens with most meals. I very much like the fact that American Airlines gives me this choice. It may seem like a small thing, but it matters because it shows the airline is thinking about ways to make things better. Thanks for a friendly and safe flight.
Tags: airline food, airplane, American Airlines, commercial aviation, cooking, dining, eating, first class, flying, food, food photo, photos, travel