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Dining Guide: Local Eateries
Stop work, have a leisurely meal, or go to the beach (if you live close by) for a few hours, have a sleep in the heat of the day, digest the food you've just eaten. Then in the late afternoon you resume work until the late evening. It's a great idea. There are local restaurants where they do a sit-down lunchtime 3-course menu under 8 Euros, with a drink included (beers or wine or fizzy drink). Or a buffet with choices of starters, main meal options, desserts, coffee or tea, and beers or wine under 10 Euros. And dinner? Don't think of going out to dinner before 9:30 pm; the waiters are only putting out tablecloths and crockery even then. On one vacation to Jerez de la Frontera in the south of Spain, we took a recommendation from the hotel porter who said a particular restaurant nearby was muy muy popular. Ok, lets give it a go.
On another vacation in Spain, this time the streets on Las Ramblas in downtown Barcelona, were packed with diners, queuing up for tables, at way past midnight - and we found out later that was still considered early. When you vacation in Spain, a good idea is to do as locals do… eat out at the local restaurants. No, on second thoughts make that mandatory.
Depending on what you like and which region you're based in for your vacation, there could be caracoles (snails) in your paella dish, fried cabrito (young goat) done in a spicy sauce, bulls blood in a sausage, conejo (rabbit) with luscious tomato and wine salsa, or callos (tripe) stew with chorizo and white wine. Gazpacho, is a delicious cold soup made from mashed tomatoes and other vegetables, wonderfully soothing and refreshing on a hot day, even for those who are not too keen on vegetables. Flanked by both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, you are always sure to find fresh caught seafood in most of Andalucia. The Moors introduced a number of food types to the Iberian Peninsula, among them dates, olives, lemons, and oranges. In southern Spain, you can curious combinations on the same table such as pork and/or rabbit casserole alongside fried squid and fish dish with lemon wedges. In Castille, hot garlicky soups with chunks of bread called sopa de ajo castellana are popular.
Chorizo is available all over Spain, but chistorra is particular to the Basque region, and served primarily as tapas. Chistorra is a hidden delight as it is so-o-o moreish! Around Madrid and central Spain (e.g. Castilla y Leon), variations on regional Spanish dishes abound. It is also a region known for its meals based on wild game, pheasant, partridge, lamb and wild boar; some excel in suckling pig and suckling lamb. To the east, Catalonia borders on the Mediterranean Sea - a seafood cuisine. Inland, Catalonia is made up of valleys, and mountains, such as the Pyrenees, which contribute other important staples to the cuisine. Mushrooms grow in all parts of Catalonia, as well as other vegetables and rice. Catalonia is well known for its various sausages and mixed vegetable stews. In eastern Spain, you might consider ordering suquet, a tomato stew of fish, shellfish, potatoes, and wine, spiced with saffron. The Moors also introduced artichokes, nuts, dried fruit, and rice, which grows abundantly in the swampy land near the Mediterranean, and important spices such as saffron, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The mass production of rice is especially important in Valencia. Paella is a rice dish, usually cooked with either seafood or chicken and seasoned with saffron. Sometimes it's cooked with rabbit and caracoles (snails). And of course Valencia, of which Alicante comes under, enjoys global recognition because of the regional speciality, when a vacation to Spain comes into the conversation: "... and of course, you'll be having a paella...".To be fair, southern part of Costa Blanca is blessed with many restaurants that do most of what the rest of Spain has to offer, so it is easy to stay in one spot and enjoy them all. One dish that is universal is good steak, and by virtue of the Hispanic relationship between Spain and South America we have top quality steak on offer here everywhere, courtesy of Argentina. One particular offering is solomillo con foie, which is a huge fillet steak done to perfection with a decent medallion of foie gras which has been caramelized on top... Whatever it is and wherever you go, the term 'vacations in Spain' is synonymous with gastronomical delight, whether you're passing through or enjoying your holidays here. We have four great restaurants near Perleta Magic. We have eaten at all four and they are all excellent. We prefer casual dining to high gastronomy, but that's just us. Remember, the best dining guide is you, the next is your friend, and the third is us - we love food, because we regard eating out recommendations as important as them eating at our table... nothing less than total satisfaction.
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