I don't get the point of this post unless it is to drive up traffic to your blog.

How can someone "show you something better?'

To be blunt, you are eating in the wrong places. Where exactly have you been in Spain?

To be fair to the OP, I've been to Spain dozens of times, eating high end and low and, on balance, I certainly don't like Spanish food nearly as much as Italian. Frequently blander with poorer ingredients and too much focus on meat. but that's just me.

There are regional foods that are exceptional and unique to that area. The food has dramatically imporved over the years as the countrry has become wealthier. Yes it is good as French and Italian biut it must stand on its own.


I always stay away from the beef and concentrate on local seafood or whatever the specialty if inland including pork.

As far as the OP is concerned he is flogging his blog and I will not even open it.

As much as anything I enjoy the bar/tapas scene in Spain. I do agree that potatoes and ham can get a little boring. But it is not an equal comparison to compare a Spanish tapas with French set down restaurant. Different culture.

Have traveled extensively in europe and find that countries fall into several ategories:

Really great food almost everywhere: Belgium
Almost universally good food: Italy (except Venice)
A lot of places with good food - but you have to be quite selective about restaurants (almost everywhere else)
Some places with good food but quite a few places with bad/awful/strange food (most of the UK - sorry but true)
Those with a lot of sub-par food where you have to plan where to eat (Russia)

We had a lot of really good food in Spain - but also a couple of places where the food was poor (despite the price and reputation) ands some where it was mediocre (when we stopped someplace without a plan).

One of the things I don't get is serving salads full of little bugs - have they never heard of rinsing the salad greens? Also - you need to be careful about other ethnic places. We were sent to a Chines place in Madrid by the hotel - and it was nothing like any chinese food I had ever had (I'm not aware that olives are a major ingredient in China- and I suspect it had been severely modified to match someone's idea of Spanish Chinese food).

"One of the things I don't get is serving salads full of little bugs" It's nothing but a little free meat.

Olives and olive oil play a role in the Basque cuisine served in Singapore and Hong Kong.

www.camemberu.com/2010/04/spanish-master-class-at-afc-studio.html

We have our favorite restaurants in France and Spain. The cuisine in one is not better than the other, just different and unique, which makes traveling worthwhile.

There is plenty of Hispano-Chinese food in New York (chifas is the term used if it is Peruvian Chinese), as you know, but I am not sure that olives figure into the dishes! Then again, they just might.

I've had some outstanding meals in Spain, particularly in Basque places, but overall Spanish cuisine doesn't do much for me compared to, say, Italian or French or Turkish or Moroccan or any number of Asian cuisines.

we had very good (and not so good )food in Italy, France and Spain.
What is the point?

IMO,the Spanish do a great job with seafood and they've a lot of good stuff to work with.

If had to pick one town in Europe in which to eat, day in and day out, I'd go for San Sebastian.

Is confusion and "dissatisfaction" a result of Spanish customs? Small bites, late lunches and dinners, a lot of fried stews,etc?

I have been to Spain and Italy around 30 times over the past 10 years.

The OP is riddled with so many generalisations, I wouldn't know where to start.

"is Spanish food not that special"

Well Spain is home to some of the most highly rated restaurants in the world. If you are so worried about quality, put your hand in your pocket and go to better quality restaurants in Spain.

Good to hear that other people have had more success with Spanish food. Perhaps yanumpty is right and I should dig deeper in my pockets on my next visit - Barcelona in January 2011.

You do not need to dig deeper but came and visit and explore rather than stay on the tourist trail.

PS I like the links to your commercial website

I would also agree with riberiasacra. If you see pictures of the food on boards outside : avoid.

Barcelona has wonderful food, so with any luck you will find it.

Jeremy's pictures are really typical. This is exactly the type of food that you get when you eat in 2-star and 3-star hotel restaurants, especially when you have booked half board or full board. You may also get this kind of food in simple restaurants.

In fact, Spanish cuisine has two faces - you find this kind of mediocre food and you can also find superb gourmet cuisine.

Here a few tips how to eat better in Spain:

- Tapas can range from bad to excellent. At most bars, the tapas are on display. From the look of it you can judge how good they are.

- In order to find a good restaurant, the Guide Michelin helps. Just use www.viamichelin.es and click on "restaurants".

- Maribel's guides have excellent recommendations of restaurants. If there is a guide available for your destination, read it. http://maribelsguides.com/

If you spend €8 on a 3 course meal you can expect an awful meal.

I have only been to Barcelona in mainland Spain, but I enjoyed the food. It was fresh, tasty and well presented.
It did cost more than €8 though.

Likewise on La Palma, which has a strong South American influence to the food. Simple, hearty, fresh meals. Go to the tourist restaurants if you just need to fill up and aren't looking for anything special, but there are some really good, small local restaurants around, with excellent food, though not many fish dishes, considering it is an island.
It helps if you like goat on La Palma.

Four Spanish on the top ten list of the prestigious San Pellegrino world's best restaurants ranking.

Two of them in Catalunya and two of them in San Sebastián in the Basque Country. Three US, one Italian and no French among top ten. 10 Spanish among the top hundred (12 US, 12 French, 8 Italian).
http://www.theworlds50best.com/

According to the world's most famous chef at the moment, Ferran Adrià (El Bulli), San Sebastián (pop. 170 000) does not only hold four of the finest restaurants in the world (Arzak, Mugaritz, Martin Berasategui and Akelarre) but is also the best place to eat in the world "in terms of what you can get at any place you happen to walk into".
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2005/mar/13/foodanddrink.shopping2

Going for pintxos in San Sebastián is food heaven!
http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=en

Try this place in Barcelona. It's off the radar but the 42 euro tasting menu is out of this world, served by an engaging and enthusiastic chef:

www.restaurantedruida.com/

"In fact, Spanish cuisine has two faces - you find this kind of mediocre food and you can also find superb gourmet cuisine."
The same can be said for Italian or French cuisine.

The quality varies from restaurant to restaurant .
High prices don't guarantee a great meal.

I had better Italian food in New York than some places in Rome.

I had some decent food in Spain, and I really like Spain a lot. However, I don't go anywhere mainly for the food, and would not call it memorable or something I would go back for. I think a lot of it is mediocre, and part of my issue is also just that I don't care for the type of food the cuisine is based heavily upon. The only outstanding thing I had there was the wine, I do love Spanish wine and drink it all the time even at home.

We ended up just doing tapas bars--that way we got to try a lot of different dishes, and we enjoyed it very much. But Spain doesn't stand out as a culinary mecca.

"But Spain doesn't stand out as a culinary mecca" Really?

I take it you've never heard of El Bulli, El Celler de Can Roca, Mugaritz, Arzak, Martin Berasategui, Akelarre, Etxebarri, Ruscalleda Sant Pau, Quique Dacosta or Can Fabes, to name just a few of the best.

Tapas do not make a meal, nor do they represent the best of Spanish Gastronomy. Tapas and pintxos are something you eat when out socializing with your friends, before sitting down to lunch or dinner.

As anyone recently been to the UK? I have had some terrible pub meals there and they cost twice as much as Spain.

Paul, tapas are NOT Spanish food, but something you have while you have a drink!!!! They are not "dishes", and Spanish food is so varied from region to region that it doesn´t make sense to talk about it in general.

In small Nerja (pop. 20 000) in the Málaga region, I would at least recommend three restaurants for an excellent Spanish meal. And Nerja isn't that special.

Sollun:
http://www.sollunrestaurante.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g315917-d717414-Reviews-Sollun_Restaurante-Nerja_Costa_del_Sol_Andalusia.html

Casa Luque:
http://www.casaluque.com/restaurant-in-nerja.php

And for the best fresh fish and seafood, extremely popular La Marina:
http://www.guideofnerja.com/pages/gutierrez/marina_en.htm
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g315917-d1002965-Reviews-La_Marina-Nerja_Costa_del_Sol_Andalusia.html

"Spanish food is so varied from region to region that it doesn´t make sense to talk about it in general."
Same as French and Italian food.

Although tapas ( mostly "raciones" now)are not a meal, after not being able to resist having a great many
pintxos, I often don't have much room for a full lunch or dinner.
"As anyone recently been to the UK? I have had some terrible pub meals there and they cost twice as much as Spain."
Must agree...the worst food ever was in Scotland and Ireland. Fortunately, in London one can find many good restaurants.

Yes - but Latin American food isn't like food in Spain. the food in Spain is closer to that in France in many cases - but with an even stronger emphasis on seafood and pork.

And I'm used to Chinese food that is Hunan or Szechuan or whatever - not stuffed with olives (which I don;t care for).

If you don't eat tons of food normally, tapas certainly can be a meal, they are for me. And in the US, there are restaurants now where I live that people order tapas as a meal. And they are run by Spaniards, actually. Anything cn be a meal if you eat enough of it, and of course, tapas are food, in any case.

That's one thing I didn't like about Spanish food, it was very heavy. I had some fried fish in Seville at a good restaurant that is supposed to be a specialty around there and I nearly got sick, it was just disgusting to me. Too much frying around there.

I would never go out and eat a bunch of tapas before dinner, who can eat like that.

The thing is, you don´t eat a bunch of tapas, just one or two, with a glass of wine, and then you dine, one hour later or so...

And frying is done in olive oil, healthy and good to keep your cholesterol levels low. So yes, it may be greasy sometime, but very, very good for you!!

Those Spaniards running restaurants where they serve tapas as a meal are just making money out of a custom that is popular in the US, a imported habit that just doesn´t make sense in Spain (at least, not in many parts of Spain)

mikelg
You talk about food in Spain as if its the same everywhere. Here in Murcia, Tapas is a meal. Murcia city which is the 7th largest in Spain is full of wonderful tapas bars which are full to the brim. Most restaurants have tapas and Al a carte. You take your choice. If in a group most people choose several differant tapas dishes and everyone dives in. Its a great way of spending an evening. Throw in a few bottles of vino and your in heaven.The same can be said for Valencia which is spains 3rd largest city. Granted its only 135 miles from Murcia, which might explain the similar eating habits, but your description of tapas does not apply to everywhere in Spain. You liken it to an appetizer and i can say from my experiance that both those large regions of Spain do not treat tapas as a starter.
If you just order drinks then you get a bowl of nuts and a plate of olives with the drink. Gratis i might add
I am enjoying the thread by the way and am waiting for more customs and traditions. The only problem i have is being able to buy a bottle of Jumila vino for Euro 1.10.

mike, we had a ton of great tapas ( raciones) at
Cerveceria Catalana for 20 euros pp including a glass of vino.
The place was jammed with locals as most tapas bars in Barcelona and Madrid.
Sitting down for a formal dinner was often more expensive and not half the fun.

then, eyelids and danon, we are talking about Raciones and not Tapas...The bowl of nuts and olive is a tapa. And yes, I enjoy a good evening having raciones with friends...

Galicia does not have tapas, unless they are tourist traps.

I've had fabulous food in Spain -- I've been all over the country -- delicious seafood, roast pork, duck, olives, olive oil, vegetables. El Bulli, the innovative restaurant north of Barcelona, is famous around the world. San Sebastian has excellent restaurants and chefs that are doing great things with food.

Spain tends to encourage innovation rather than sticking with the traditional foods as France and Italy are prone to do.

I've certainly had Cuban-Chinese food in New York that featured olives. It can be very good, actually, but if your expectation is for the kind of chinese food served in most of the US, it could be kind of odd, particularily if you do not care for olives. My sister once had a lovely time eating in La Palma (and mostly the little bites flogged in better touristy restaurants), but she likes ham, olives, fried codfish, preserved fruit etc. I think a lot of it depends on what you like, how you order, and what your expectations are.

Food in the British Isles gets routinely dumped on, but I can always find things to eat that I like very much, and have learned to avoid some of the more awful things inflicted on the unsuspecting (burgers, for example).

Just to chime in, tapas are not considered gourmet food. I have had mediocre sit down dinners in San Sebastian. There are restaurants and then there are "gastronomic temples" in the Basque country, Catalonia and Madrid mostly. If you don't mind spending 130 eu per person you will experience the world's finest food at any of the places Robert mentions and more.

mike, I know.
when I was in Spain for the first time ( many years ago) bars in Madrid would give tapas with drinks. I seldom find that anymore.
What we had on recent four visits to Spain was always raciones or pintxos.
It is hard to find such wonderful way to sample different dishes in other cuisines ( mezze in Turkey and some other countries is similar).

We've had excellent gastronomic (business) lunches at Restaurante Kokotxa, with one Michelin star, in San Sebastia-Donostia. It's still priced at only €25/person, including everything (wine, bread, coffee, desert).

www.restaurantekokotxa.com/home.php

http://www.eitb.com/video/en/detail/529997/a-run-this-weeks-pintxo-championship/, so you get an idea of how a pintxo is made. This is the pintxo championship (Basque Country), a extremely popular event.

To me Spanish food is sort of overrated..... Before going there I heard so much about how much personality this food had, how special it is (the ones telling me this were mostly brits though)

Went to Spain and ate in one of barcelona's most expensive restaurants and I not only had an overdose of potatoes and ham but all their food is extremely greasy (yes I know is olive oil but so what?)

Indian, New Orleans, Mexico, Chinese, Middle eastern.... that's the type of food I like....

I found Spanish food interesting, but not enough so to make me crave a return to Spain just for the food. I did enjoy tapas bars, developing a taste for vermouth, cod fritters, and fried anchovies.

XUTKA: <Went to Spain and ate in one of barcelona's most expensive restaurants and I not only had an overdose of potatoes and ham but all their food is extremely greasy (yes I know is olive oil but so what?>

Guess the Spaniards are just like the Italians, who you categorized this way on another thread:
<Italians are masters of scamming dumb tourists with many overrated unremarkable sights and things to do>


Some people, perhaps, are best off remaining at home.....

For the record, I just returned from one of the best eating weeks of my life:

Where?

Barcelona!

Spain has the best potato chips in the world. We ate a bag a day, they were that addictive.

And, thanks to Josele, we swooned over the food in Malaga.
We found Spain to have good food in so many places vs France and Italy where it seems to be more and more difficult to luck out on finding a good restaurant.

"We found Spain to have good food in so many places vs France and Italy where it seems to be more and more difficult to luck out on finding a good restaurant."


Agree...
Lately, I have found many meals in Paris rather disappointing.

I am in Madrid right now and I am enjoying the food. We are staying in an apartment and the first night we were here we picked up a pizza from a Dominoes around the corner (I know, I know, not local cuisine, so Ugly American, etc. etc.) but it hit the spot after being up for 30 hours and not having the energy to sit down in a restuarant or cook a meal in the apartment.

The next day we went to Segovia and tried a "touristy" restuarant right by the Cathedral and got the Menu del Dia and the food was pretty good. I had lamb and my husband had steak and I think they fry the meat instead of broiling it, so it was different than what we are used to, but still tasty. The meal included a yummy chicken and greens salad with salsa and a delicious dessert, plus bread, wine and beer. It was only 11 Euros per person and I feel worth every penny. We left the restaurant full and happy.

We then went to Botin in Madrid and my husband had chicken and I had the roast pig and even though I rarely eat meat, I enjoyed my meal. It was pricey (72 euros for both of us) but the atmosphere was great and the waiter mixed up my order so he kept bringing us free shots of something with the word "Martin" in it that was really strong, so by the time we left, we were pretty happy. LOL

Anyway, the point is, we have been enjoying the food here in Spain and have no complaints. We were in Venice last year and the food was sooooo terrible, we almost starved and went bankrupt (LOL) so we are very happy to get good food at good prices here in Spain.