ekscrunchy

Waiting with bated breath for more!!

mdn

Ah! Surely we cannot simply move on to Catalonia without a visiting a sherry bodega in the sherry triangle. On our last morning in Jerez, we had booked a last minute tour at Bodegas Tradición, a short walk away from our hotel. A couple we met in Seville had recommended this particular bodega as they are reputed to age their sherries far more than most others and the owner has put his art collection, said to be among the best private art collections in Spain, on display at this bodega. The art is remarkable and consists of work by Goya, Velázquez, Zurbarán and El Greco.

After the tour, we did an elaborate tasting of various sherries along with jamon and queso. We learnt all about the solera process used to make sherry, how the owners had procured some of the finest sherries and assembled a top notch team to create a quality product. We were glad we could fit this in even though we had waited until the last minute to reserve this tour.

We headed to the airport for our flight to Marrakech. I’ll skip the Morocco part and jump to landing in Barcelona a couple of days after Christmas. If one lands in Barcelona at 11:45 am, it’s mandatory to head into the city to have a quick bite before proceeding to Barcelona Sants station for the 40 minute train to Girona! This is how we found ourselves at La Bodegueta Provença, a popular tapas bar. I was ready for some high quality wine at Spanish prices after paying luxury hotel prices for wines in Morocco. Thus we had a dry white wine from Emporda along with niscalo mushrooms a la brasa, coquinas a la plancha and some gambas! This was a perfect little spot and in line with our rule of never sacrificing a good lunch or dinner if the train or flight time allows us to make a stop rather than noshing at the airport.

We have other rules too. For instance, we never travel with checked luggage; carry-on only! In Morocco, we had hit our first hurdle related to this rule as we had failed to find a laundromat that did wash and fold and charged by the kilo instead of per item. It had never been an issue in several EU countries or even in Asia.

Arriving at the Hotel Palau Fugit in Girona, the first line of business was to find a laundry that could wash our clothes and return them to us the next morning. As we checked in, it was hard to ignore the gorgeously designed and appointed boutique hotel right in the heart of charming old town Girona. Every door knob, art work, seating and linens had been carefully and deliberately selected by someone with a true sense of luxury and design. When I asked about a laundry service, I was told the hotel offers FREE laundry service and even irons, steams or hang dries any clothing item for guests! For us, this could very well be the best perk offered at any hotel! This was love at first sign!

After walking through old town—a town dripping with charm—and taking in the various sights and views, we stopped for a coffee near the cathedral perched atop the old town. We still had a couple of hours to kill before dinner. So over coffee and then a vermouth, we finalized the next day’s itinerary. We had 3 nights in Girona. The first full day would be a drive to Figueres for the Dalí museum and a couple of mountain towns in the Baix Emporda. The second full day was for a drive to the Costa Brava for a drive to the coastal towns with the third day left to explore Girona or to hit anything we missed or had learned about during our first two days of excursions.

Massana Restaurant, Girona, is located outside old town but a quick 11 minute walk away. It has a Michelin star. I’d had some difficulty choosing one among the several lauded restaurants in this area. We didn’t want El Celler de Can Roca, an extraordinarily opulent dinner, but we wanted something good. At Massana, one can choose between a tasting menu or ordering a La carte. Despite my initial hesitation of going for the tasting menu, the options on offer quickly got the better of me and we got the Tasting menu; gluten free modifications no problem.

We were the only ones in the restaurant and I began fearing that perhaps I had made a poor choice. Once the first canapés arrived, we were drooling! The waitress and the somm, delivering warm but exacting service interspersed with conversations about their lives, wines, the local culture and more. Course after course delivered some of the most delicious food we have ever had. There was lacquered quail, foie gras glazed with white chocolate served alongside an anise and five spice flavored biscuit with crunchy corn kernels (what dreams are made of!!), guisante peas with hake kokotxa, carpaccio of wild mushrooms with prawns and truffle with a pine nut vinaigrette, and their signature: Massana’s grilled duck with herbal oil and pear… EXTRAORDINARY! A dish that’s been on the menu since 1986. There were a few other courses too. They were all very, very good. Of all the Michelin star, tasting menus I have ever had, Massana’s goes probably to the top 3 of not the very top! We woke up the next day craving more bites from our dinner the night before—the foie, the quail, the lacquered eel, the duck, oh the duck…, craving more of that conversation and the warmth with which it was all done even though we were the only people in the restaurant. The staff at the Palau Fugit had reaffirmed our experience when we had remarked to them how great our dinner had beeen. They agreed Massana is among the very best restaurants in Girona and went further to say that we would likely eat better food in Girona and the Costa Brava than we would in Barcelona. We both called and made a second reservation at Massana for our last lunch in Girona.Then we picked up our Hertz car at Girona station and drove to Figueres to the Dalí museum. Car pick up and drive no issue at all. Like Dalí and his life, this museum is eccentric, but beautiful. When you read about Dali and learn about his life, one wonders what exactly he was up to! Then we drive on to Besalu to see the old town and then to Olot for lunch at Le Deu, a restaurant that focuses on the local “mountain style cuisine” of the Emporda. Translate that to hearty stews, meat, game meat and trout. We had the signature meat filled potatoes (think a meat filled ravioli but instead of pasta, it was two squares of fried potato enclosing the meat), butternut squash soup, roasted rabbit, and braised beef with mushrooms. A hearty and good meal of a different variety than our dinner the previous night. Also note that Le Deu is big with 2 floors and seating for maybe 80-100 people. It was somewhat empty when we got there at 13:30, but was absolutely packed by the time we left and there were some 20 people waiting to get in. All locals.

Then we kept driving south towards Girona, making a stop in Banyoles to hike around the beautiful lake in the Parc de La Draga to burn off some calories.

It was already 5 pm by the time we returned to our hotel. Christmas lights were still on in town and as we walked around we noticed decorative wooden logs with red blankets and painted smiley faces on them. There was one such log at our hotel too and the staff informed us that the log is called Tio Nadal and is part of a Catalan Christmas tradition. If kids take care of the log, as Christmas approaches, the log “sh#ts” out gifts for kids. : ) I’ll let you guys read about it on Wiki! In Barcelona, we noticed entire shops dedicated to Tio Nadal and his coveted act. We found it hilarious albeit bizarre.

For dinner, the hotel had recommended and reserved a table at Arròs i Peix in old town Girona. It reminded me of La Marea de Marcos in Jerez where you enter to see that days seafood offerings in a show case. You pick items you want and the quantity by weight. Once seated, you also get a small menu, largely focused on rice dishes. We got a small variety of shell fish and a arros negro! I specified that I like socarrat on my paella. The prawns, razor clams etc. We’re perfectly cooked and the rice with squid ink and seafood was truly delicious and with the crunchy socarrat I had requested. A great example of a simple restaurant that makes excellent food!

We walked around town a bit more before calling it a night. We had done a lot and covered a lot of ground on full day 1 in Girona. The next day was for the coastal towns. I’ll start there on my next post.

ekscrunchy

I just want to tell you, again, that this report is absolutely smashing! I was planning to go to Valencia around Thanksgiving, but you are making me rethink!! I've never been to Girona, only to Barcelona with an overnight side trip to Cadaques. I love the food detail. Also: I'm sorry I did not give the full picture of Marea de Marcos in my writings.

Vonse

What a terrific trip report! Thank you for taking the time to write such a beautifully detailed report.

We're planning to spend some time in Girona in the fall and are torn between Palau Fugit and an apartment on the same street. The hotel really looks wonderful and I especially love the fact they have laundry services. I'm also following your restaurant choices very closely. We have Normal on our list, which is right down the street from the hotel.

Looking forward to reading more!
~ Leslie

lrice

Love love love reading all of this. We also were in Andalusia during December and this report is bringing back such AMAZING MEMORIES!

I have had a January of kids home in LA followed by two weeks in Miami with family. I will tackle my own trip report next month once I settle back home!

Thank you for sharing! And a quick reply about restaurants, we had one of our best meals at La Azotea Conde de Barajas and had many pretty and delicious American-style breakfasts at the location in Barrio Santa Cruz.

studenttobe

Loved the report-sounds like a marvelous trip! Many thanks for sharing

natylou

Thanks again for this installment. We don't love Barcelona but have never been to these towns on the coast. This area sounds like some where I would enjoy immensely. And any hotel that does laundry for free is on my list! Looking forward to the next post!

mdn

Sorry for the silence. It got busy for the past few days.
ekscrunchy No need to apologize for La Marea de Marcos. I will blindly go wherever you lead us. I've gained so much knowledge, enjoyed so many delectable dinners due to your reports that any pointers from you automatically become the gospel! La Marea de Marcos was very good. It was just that they didn’t have anything on display. I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t put pristine seafood out on display for merely 2 diners reserved for that evening.

All others, thanks for your encouragement! lrice Good to know about La Azotea. I’ll keep it on my list.

Picking up in Girona on full day #2. We walked to the parking lot outside old town to pick up our rental and drive to Begur. It was early enough that most shops and restaurants were closed except for a few coffee shops. We hiked up all the way to the top of Begur Castle, a 30 minute walk from the parking lot outside old town. We walked around the small plaza, but as most stuff was closed, we drove to the Paradores de Aiguablava, a short 15 minute drive. The recently renovated Parador is located atop a hill from where one has stunning views of the ocean and some of the cozy coves along the coast. We stopped here for a coffee and to admire the views. It was sunny, but still a bit cool to go to the beach.

With not much else going on since this is the off-season, I was eager to head to Palamos, renowned for its Gamba de Palamós, the red prawn. We’d reserved a lunch at La Gamba right on the marina in Palamos. This is a quaint little fishing town with a long history of fishing. In fact, there’s a fishing museum in town, which I thought was very well done and extremely informative.

We were promptly seated at La Gamba with a nice view of the marina. We tried a glass of the Lalut Blanc de Noir from Calalunya, a white made from Cabernet Sauvignon! I was surprised when the Gambas de Palamós arrived. My ignorant self had assumed these would be the same as the big red carabineros found throughout Spain. I was wrong. These were normal sized reddish colored shrimp simply sautéed with a sprinkle of salt. They weren’t the deep, blood-red carabineros, but their taste was indeed divine! I also wanted to try pulpitos aka Popets (tiny octopus). Alas, it was not the right season for popets, but the waiter recommended espardeñas. In what little I understood of his Spanish, he said the texture is similar to squid and maybe octopus, but the flavor is far better. Google told us these were sea cucumbers and from their €60 price for a small plate, I figured it was a delicacy! Porque no!
The espardeñas were exquisite—almost crunchy, sweet with a hint of brininess—simply sautéed with a squeeze of lemon. My wife didn’t mind them either!

Then we walked through town for a bit and when we came across restaurant La Menta, we wanted to stop as this had been on our list as well. It was full of locals as opposed to La Gamba which clearly had a good mix of tourists as well as locals. The proprietor took one look at us and said he didn’t have any gamba de Palamós since they were selling for €215 a Kg right before Christmas and none of his customers were going to pay those crazy prices. Note: if you want expensive delicacies in this town, go to La Gamba, but if you want to eat like the locals, La Menta is a great spot. We enjoyed our razor clams here.

We then proceeded to visit the fishing museum and then did an hour long English tour (tickets sold in museum) to witness the seafood auction that takes places in the afternoons right next to the museum. We were in a viewing gallery on the second floor looking down towards trays of gambas, octopus, various fish and shellfish making their way off the fishing boats returning to port and on to conveyer belts inside the auction room. The auction is digital and as soon as it’s sold the fish is in a small fish market, getting cleaned for the wholesalers who just bought it. One can walk through this market and I recommend this experience to any piscine lover!

After debating whether we wanted to stop in Pubol to see the third of the Dalí triangle sites, we decided to drive back to Girona in the late afternoon so that we could enjoy the hotel and other stops in Girona before dinner.The hotel had reserved a dinner at Mon Mignon in old town. It’s a beautiful old, cellar like room with an arched rocky ceiling. Unfortunately it became clear that there was only one item on the menu that could be modified to be gluten free. This was a surprise as on the night before at Arroc I Peix, we had fried squid that was gf because it seems in Catalonia they mostly use chickpea flour to coat fried seafood and hence their deep frier was free of gluten contamination. We felt sorry for the restaurant and ourselves and ordered the arroz negro sans most of the seafood as it had gluten somehow, except squid. I was thinking fast on my feet, metaphorically and physically. I dashed out of the restaurant after placing the order and raced up the few blocks towards Restaurant Normal, the casual restaurant from the Roca brothers, to check if they could seat us in 30 minutes. While they didn’t show availability online, the waitress said they could absolutely seat us. Satisfied, I ran back to Mon Mignon to my abandoned wife feeling as if I’d saved the day.

Restaurant Normal: looks very normal, feels very normal; no gothic arches here. I was excited to see a “Sacha omelette” on the menu, made famous by Restaurant Sacha in Madrid. Since we had a reservation at the OG in Madrid, we skipped the omelette, we ordered smoked beets and an arroz with cuttlefish and pork ribs. Both were fine, but quite normal. I’d debated choosing between Normal, Massana, Divinum, Nexe and other fine places. We think Massana leaves Normal in the dust heap! Later that night, just around midnight, I regretted not ordering the Sacha omelette as I got an email from Sacha saying our reservation had been canceled as they would not be opening for the first few weeks of January due to some renovations.
The next day was our last in Girona before heading to Barcelona in the evening. We chose to linger in Girona. We tasted ice cream at Rocambolesc, a Roca family owned shop with avant garde ice cream flavors that magically work and they are also very Insta friendly! We then went to Mercat del Lleó, a nice market with fish, meat and grocery stalls. Final stop was lunch at Massana, our second meal here. Today, the restaurant was packed! But the same waiter was and somm greeted us and had saved the same table we had earlier. We didn’t do the tasting menu as we had a train to catch, but the restaurant was happy to make us anything we wanted from either menu as we were almost regulars already! Haha. Again, the canapés, the lacquered quail, foie with a faint coat of white chocolate, prawns with rice, Massana duck, and an absolutely delicious gf chocolate cake with pecans to cap off the meal. Blown away all over again!!
We had to hurry to make our train to Barcelona. I’ll pick up in Barça next and conclude with our magical time in Madrid, the end of a truly dreamy trip.

natylou

Another very enjoyable post!

mdn

Thank you natylou !

Onwards to Barcelona. Despite having visited Spain a handful of times, we’d only spent about half a day in this town while we were in transit. Our delayed visit may have been influenced by friends who do not think much of Barcelona, but of course there a legions of people who absolutely love it and want to move there.

We checked in at the Almanac hotel in a great location that’s very central. The room was spacious with nice views overlooking Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes. The hotel has a nice rooftop bar with fantastic views and we made this our first stop. Then we went on our walk to dinner, stopping by at Hotel Casa Fuster, which has a beautiful, old-school lobby bar with a live band.

When we arrived at Butafumerio, a restaurant known for its seafood, we were surprised to see the hive of activity. This is a large restaurant with a large staff! We were quickly whisked away from the entrance and seated at our table, near the bar area per our request. Very quickly a waiter was there to take our order even before we had had a chance to look at our menu. A manager followed soon thereafter to clarify the gluten free options, which seemed limited on an otherwise extensive menu. There is all sorts of seafood here as well as some big spenders, as witnessed by colossal lobsters and crabs being paraded to various tables. Before long, we were being offered said lobsters and crabs. Since our options were limited other than grilled seafood, we ordered a centolla crab and a side of something. I can’t recall as the speed of service and the hive of activity around us was too chaotic for my taste. While the crab was wonderful, we were eager to leave this place which felt like a popular, large scale restaurant in Times Square. We may have enjoyed it more in another quieter corner of the restaurant.

The next day was going to be hectic: packed with Casa Battlo, an orchestra performance at Palacio de la Musica, Boqueira, Sagrada towards sunset and then of course, prep for NYE dinner at our hotel. I’ll just say that everything you’ve heard about the genius of Gaudi is true and we were blown away by what he envisioned and built over a 100 years ago. Even with the tech available now, it would be challenging for most architects today. I highly recommend the performance at the Palacio de la Musica, a stunning venue where we were lucky to catch a special NYE performance with concertos from Strauss, Leonard Bernstein and others, all of which were conducted by a woman, a rarity!

Boqueria was hopping on this day as people were leaving office early and doing various office and family gatherings at the popular places here. We had to wait almost 40 minutes for a seat at El Quim. Merriment was in the air, regulars were tipping their waiters generously. The frenetic staff were drinking gulps of beer after a group cheers whenever a patron left a good tip. The menu here is focused and they also have a Josper Grill. I don’t know how this grill is different from other grills, but there’s a place is Miami that devotes a portion of their menu to the Josper Grill which they’re proud of. The tortilla, huevos Fritos con chipirones (baby squid), gambas Al ajillo y reduction de cava, razor clams and calamar from the Josper. All EXCELLENT! Prices were fair (although this is Boqueria), food fresh and prepared in front of you behind the bar, fast service and a lively fun atmosphere. Just what we needed!

We didn’t expect much from our NYE dinner at our hotel. From experience, we know this is a time for hotels to milk their captive customers with an expensive, sub-par meal. As much as we liked the Almanac, the dinner was a complete fail: no wine or cava by the glass, every course was monotonous without distinct flavor or texture, the live music too loud and the service was so confused that 3 courses had to be taken away to be replaced by the right dish that we’d selected. However, nothing new on a NYE at a hotel anywhere in the world. We made it to midnight and the 12 red grapes. The other highlight was that a friend of ours texted saying she had just gotten engaged and was planning a wedding for this fall just outside Barcelona. We went to bed assured of another trip to Spain!

Jan 1 would have been a challenge for lunch had we not found the Tragaluz group had most of its restaurants open. We’d booked Tragaluz, but after noticing the pasta dishes on that menu, we chose to go to its sister restaurant, Mordisco, across the street on Passage de la Concepció. This is a cute small street lined with some reputed restaurants, including Harry’s Bar. We were the first ones at Mordisco and were surprised when all our courses came out at once within minutes of placing the order. This was disconcerting and it cluttered the whole table leaving no room for our own plates. The grilled red peppers weren’t sufficiently grilled or caremelized, the arroz nowhere close to the flavors we’d tasted in Girona and Andalucia and the carpaccio of champignons was made with white button mushrooms devoid of much flavor. A disappointing first meal of 2024.

I had to do better for dinner, else all memories of Barcelona would be blemished. After walking around a few popular neighborhoods in the afternoon, we were ready for dinner at Paco Meralgo. There was nary a person on the streets and the city seemed very quiet, but at Paco Meralgo, it was a different story altogether—lively and jovial. Indeed, this would be a savior. We tried the Obama croquette, escalivada (a Catalan dish of roasted red peppers and eggplant), small prawn open omelette and bravas. All good and more importantly, a good dinner on a day when most places were closed.

Our final day in Barcelona was reserved for the Miró Foundation museum, the Park Güell and a few neighborhoods we wanted to spend time in. We’d enjoyed our lunch at El Quim so much that we went back and enjoyed it just as much on this second visit. We also sampled some seafood and other items from various vendors in the market. After that we were fortunate to catch Park Guell at dusk with a beautiful sky, but the crowds were out in full force. I suppose when you create something so beautiful, they will
come! We finished the evening at Bar del Pla and Cal Pep, two iconic tapas bars in Barcelona located close to each other. I will say my Pa amb Tomate at Bar del Pla could be the best version I’ve ever had. Both places are worthy stops, but know that Cal Pep prides itself on its fast and gruff service. It’s purposely done to add character I suppose. A tourist couple next to us asked the bartender for a menu and he replied with “if you need a menu, I will have to ask you to leave.” Ha. He went on to ramble off the tapas available that day and the tourists obliged.

On to Madrid, a city we absolutely adore, for our final two days. We’d selected the Bless hotel in the Salamanca neighborhood. We’d been blessed with good weather throughout the trip, but Madrid was rainy. The lobby cafe of the hotel was buzzing with people having coffee, a lively and inviting atmosphere. Our room was stunning, big velvet divans by the windows, a huge bathroom, plenty of light. We were already happy with our choice! Right next door was the famous Alex Cordobes cheese cake shop that had a small line, but nowhere close to the 2-3 block long lines that Maribel had reported just before Christmas. I tried to peek in and was told that they wouldn’t be selling any cheesecake by the slice until the following day at 10 am. Note made, we walked with umbrellas to La Catapa for lunch, a restaurant that’s been recommended on these boards.

La Catapa proved to be absolutely perfect! It was quiet when we arrived with one solitary patron at the bar, but it got busy fast. The casual ambiance, friendly service, and the food simply delicious. The jamon de mar is a dish said to have been pioneered by 3 Michelin star chef Angel Leon of Restaurante Aponiente in Andalucia. However, the version at La Catapa is exquisite. It’s tuna belly aged for a month or two and then sliced thin like jamon! This was a thing of beauty, with the requisite moisture, but also a more concentrated flavor, that simply melts in your mouth and has a loooong, lingering finish. Stunning! I know the very best sushi masters in Japan have techniques of aging fish, but it is a fine art. We also had the carabineros in a bean stew and tuna tataki. This is a place that made me happy instantly!

We spent the afternoon walking around a bit in Salamanca hoping the rain would subside. Before long it was time for dinner at Taberna Laredo. We thought we would go early to beat the crowd, but it was absolutely packed to the gills! There was almost no room to stand. Some patrons at the bar advised us to find another place as without reservations they said this place was impossible. Luckily we had reservations, but wanted to take in the bar atmosphere first. Then my wife noticed our solitary lunch pal from La Catapa at the bar with friends. Almost an hour went by with us fervently trying to find a place at the bar. Finally, our lunch pal, who had also noticed us, came over and said they were about to leave and we could get their spot. He also recommended his favorite dishes knowing that we shared similar taste! We got the omelette with guindilla peppers, rabbit ribs (a signature item), and a few other dishes. All amazing but the atmosphere in this place is absolutely rollicking and it will be on our list for our next trip.

At 9:45 am the next morning I was in line at Alex Cordobes for my promised slice of heavenly cheese cake. But when it was my turn, I got my first eye roll of this trip! The sales person said they did not have any slices. When I explained that I’d been asked to come back at 10 am today for a slice, she brushed me away saying maybe later and called the next customer. I also learned it’s not a gf cheese cake. Dejected, I walked back to the hotel where the doorman was curious then disappointed to hear my story.

As I waited for the elevator, the manager came to greet me and was so pleasant in her manner and curiosity in learning about our trip and experiences so far in Andalucia and Catalonia. Soon after, we found ourselves at the Mercado de La Paz where we loaded up on some gourmet Cristal peppers from Navarra and other canned and jarred items. A tortilla at Casa Dani also beckoned, but not too much, as we had lunch coming up at a new place winning plaudits.

Haramboure is a new restaurant recommended by @Maribel and on the list for ekscrunchy . We were eager to try it. The restaurant, though refined, smells like a bbq grill in Texas. They cook a lot with fire and wood and the place is dark and in a basement like room. Service is precise and warm and we were the only tourists in this place. We had the piementos Cristal con terreznoz, hake in emulsion and a bacalhao. The fish dishes were good but we weren’t impressed with the pimientos: they had not been caremelized enough and the pork belly had rendered so much fat that the peppers were generously doused in bacon fat.

As soon as we got back to our room, we found a gf orange cake with a jar of “azahar” honey from Seville. There was also some chocolate ganache and a beautiful poem about two people dancing through the orange trees of Andalucia, traveling through Spain and so on. When my wife read the poem, it was clear this was our first experience of ChatGPT and AI deployed in the hospitality industry. The manager had remembered everything I’d said to her about our travels so far and sent a special jar of honey where the bees pollinate among the orange blossoms “azahar” of Andalucia! This was next level service!!

We then strolled through another neighborhood and the Reteiro park and got back in time for our spa time and prep for the last evening of this trip. As soon as we got back after our spa appointment, the phone rang with the manager enquiring about our experience and then… then she said “I heard from the doorman about your cheesecake experience at Alex Cordobes this morning. Our chef has made you a fresh gf cheesecake. Would it be okay if I send it up to your room with a wine of your choice?” We ate that cheesecake and drank the Muga Gran Reserva knowing we would never stay at any other hotel in Madrid ever again!

Final dinner: no reservations. We walked to La Catapa as we wanted another taste of the jamon del mar. This time the owner greeted us and explained the various specials as well as the process to make the jamon de mar. We got a couple of specials, but one thing we had missed on this trip that had never happened on any others before were exquisitely grilled pimentos de Cristal like at Elkano in Getaria, or La Manduca de Azagra in Madrid. So we hopped in a cab and headed to the Chueca neighborhood for our second dinner. La Manduca de Azagra is a family owned restaurant that was empty on our last visit in Dec 2021 when the owner had mentioned the pandemic had been a cruel blow. We were happy to see it was full and thriving. After we explained that we stop every time we are in Madrid, they found us a table just so we could try the peppers along with a couple of other dishes. We finished the night with a photo with the parents and daughter that own and work at the restaurant. They work with fresh peppers from their farm, but gave us a recipe for how to get the peppers caremelized just right!
Start with a jar of Cristal peppers (380 g) or other red peppers. Heat half cup of evoo and crisp 4 sliced cloves of garlic to golden brown. Remove garlic. Reduce heat and very gently simmer peppers for 12 min. Then place peppers only in a 400F oven on an over rack for 12 mins until edges crisp up. Score peppers into strips, add flaked salt, golden garlic and a bit of the evoo. Enjoy.

This is how our glorious trip finished. We started with no checked bags, but left with hearts and checked bags full!

Vonse

This is just wonderful - thank you!

ekscrunchy

MDN: Again I want to let you know how much I appreciate this report, and how much I enjoyed reading it. Not only that, you gave me some good information that I can apply on future trips to Spain.

Cal Pep was a bar I fell in love with a long time ago, when Pep was still a fairly young man. I will long remember a few of the dishes we sampled there, on several visits: The tiny clams, the butifarra sausage, etc. I'm so glad that it is still going strong. I remember how we would arrive well before opening and how people would hover over our seats at the bar waiting for us to finish. One of my most enduring memories of Barcelona, where I've not been in at least 10 years and need to get back to, with a side trip to Girona, where I've never been.

You know that I have La Catapa already booked, in Madrid.. Will be sure to order the jamon Del Mar!! I'm so glad you enjoyed that, and Laredo, despite the scrim at the bar. I liked those rabbit ribs, but I'm not sure I would order them again. Delightfully crispy but not much meat...for me I think I prefer the lamb ribs that I had on my first visit (before they moved to the current location) but I think they removed those from the menu.

GREAT that you tells how to make those peppers at Manduca de Azagra! I've thought of them often, but I thought that they made them with fresh red Navarran peppers. I kept trying to imagine how they sliced raw peppers so thinly..surely a mandolin. So now I have to put the tinned Lodosa peppers on my shopping list. I've brought them home in the past, and they've gone up tremendously in price (what else is new?!). I have a recipe from Dani Garcia, from his now-shut restaurant in Manhattan (I think he opened another in NYC, not too long ago) one I've made a number of times and it is excellent; this is from the NYTimes, from 2013.

<<<The Spanish chef Dani Garcia’s side dish of caramelized piquillo peppers enhanced every one of our entrees at the new Manzanilla in the Flatiron district.

Drain 8 ounces of jarred or canned piquillo peppers, reserving the juice. Sauté peppers in a teaspoon of olive oil in a hot skillet, turning once, until they are singed with brown on both sides. Arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Heat oven to 275 degrees. Bring piquillo juice to a boil with 1 ½ tablespoons sugar and 4 tablespoons water, pour over peppers, cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until liquid has mostly evaporated. Drizzle peppers with 2 teaspoons olive oil and serve...>>>

About your pioneering visit to Haramboure; I haven't booked that restaurant yet. I wish I could find a menu online, but if I do go, will certainly avoid the pimientos de Cristal.

I will try to book Sacha, which I missed last March; it seems like a tough table to snag, and I do not have full confidence in the concierge service at my hotel, so will be on alert to try as soon as my dates open. Speaking of hotels, the Bless sounds wonderful--would you stay there again? I think its is close to where I will stay (will check the map). I love staying in that Salamanca/Chamberi neighborhood; much prefer it to the area near Sol/Gran Via. MUCH prefer.

Again, superb report!! Mil gracias!! Very impressive that you had two dinners the same night!! Its a great plan: Sample a highlight dish at one place before heading to the reserved restaurant..I might try that myself, but since last year, I have less capacity than I used to have (I'll let you guess why) and might have to leave some tidbits on my plate.

Also, if not too much trouble, let us know what you brought home!!

Maribel

I've loved every single detail of your report, mdn, and sorry to see it end! Love your writing style, your hotel choices, your dining choices, your stamina (boundless energy!), your spirit of adventure about trying new foods and about everything else!!

Some observations about your wonderful dining:
Yes gambas de Huelva are usually served cold, ime. Gamba roja de Dènia, ime, is grilled (try them next time at La Catapa--he usually has both off menu).

Sobretablas doesn’t have a Michelin star but still has its Bib Gourmand. The female chef, Camila Ferrero won the “Rising Chef of the Year” award at Madrid Fusion in 2020 and her partner, the sommelier, hails from Can Roca, where they met. We didn’t have the tasting menu. It is a very pretty mansion in a part of Seville that often gets overlooked.

I’m going to ask Azahar to take us the La Cochera del Abuelo, that she’s been raving about. Glad you hit it.
We’ve booked La Cuchara de San Lorenzo too in Córdoba for March, so really glad you enjoyed it.

It’s really a shame that El Campero & Antonio & Ronqueo in Conil were closed, (also Francisco Fontanilla at the beach is great), but there’s always a next time, especially for La Castillería / Venta el Toro in the tiny hamlet of Santa Lucía.

Thanks to you, I’ve now added the beautiful Palau Fugit and Arros i Peix to my Girona list!

I also struck out with the slice at Alex Cordobés, so after waiting in line for about 15 min., arriving at 9:45, I made my way in and purchased the smallest, traditional one they had to take home. After dragging it around all day and on the bus home, it arrived rather ragged, but it truly is the best cheesecake I’ve ever tasted (along with the “runny” cheesecake at Fismuler (where the Haramboure chef ruled the kitchen for 12 years).
Those very long 2-block long lines pre-Christmas were for purchasing one of the 50 Roscón cheesecakes (at 40€ a pop, 1 per customer), photo here, that are only sold on Fridays before Epiphany. I didn’t want to line up at 6:30 am for the slight chance of snagging one, so it will have to wait until next year!

About La Catapa—-I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Miguel Angel is a dear friend of mine, a sweetheart, and really tries hard to accommodate his guests.
Our favorite dishes: Rabbit ribs !!! (every bit as good as Laredo’s and much meatier), potato & truffle croquettes, any wild fish for 2 he has that day, especially virrey (baked on a bed of potatoes, unlike Güeyu Mar’s, but equally delicious), goose eggs with truffles (seasonal), tear peas from the Maresme topped with egg yolk (seasonal), ortiguilllas, his famous jamón de mar, verdinas with calamares and carabineros.

I’m really impressed by the service at The Bless. I initially thought it would be too “Ibiza-ish” with a too hip, hedonist atmosphere (from the Palladian hotel group), but it appears that your personalized service really did shine. It has an enviable location right in the heart of the best of Salamanca, on its most elegant street. So your report has completely changed my mind!

Ekscrunchy,
About your rezzie at La Catapa: if you can, change it to 8 pm to get the full attention of the staff, owner Miguel Angel (please tell him I sent you) and somm Nico from Vejer (ask for his best wine by the glass selection). The bar area, like Laredo’s, just gets crazy busy after 8:30. We were there at 8:30 on Tues during Madrid Fusion, and the joint was absolutely jumping, no one moving until long after 11. Because he’s again the #1 tapas bar on Maribona’s yearly list, it’s always packed to the rafters. The dining area leans more sedate (where Nico acts as somm), but the bar scene just buzzes with activity. I’m not surprised that mdn saw a regular at Laredo, as the regulars tend to roam from La Catapa to Laredo to La Castela to La Montería, all excellent Retiro dining spots, much loved by the locals. Thursday is the new Friday in the Retiro and Friday can be a zoo!

About Haramboure, Miguel Angel swears by the Tarta Tatin de Cebolla de Zalla, so make sure to try it, along with the pencas rellenas de tartar de atún and the tarta Saint-Honoré con crema y trufa rallada for dessert. All his vegetables come from gardens in in Vizcaya and Aranjuez. Too bad about the non-caramelized pimientos de Cristal, though. If you want to take some home that are heavenly (and pricey!), purchase a jar of LC (La Catedral) pimientos from Lodosa, Navarra at La Paz.And although Haramboure, has no menu online yet, there are plenty of recommendations from Capel and other gastro critics here:
https://www.gastroactitud.com/restau...mboure-madrid/
https://www.lavanguardia.com/comer/sitios/20231016/9302665/haramboure-mejor-bistronomie-llega-barrio-salamanca.
https://www.elmundo.es/metropoli/gas...6418b4596.html

ekscrunchy

Maribel I'm so glad you wrote this now. Because you did so, I checked my e-mails and found only a "request for booking" from LA CATAPA. But not a confirmation.
I just wrote to Miguel Angel, saying that you had recommended his restaurant and asking him to confirm the table. My request is for 8:30 but I will plan to arrive by 8pm to avoid much of the fray. Ii don't remember my motivation, but I had requested a high table in the bar area, figuring I could see the action but not have to squeeze in to place my orders, and I would have more guidance from a wearier than from the bar staff. If you think I ought to be in the dining room, I will amend my request.

If I had not read your post here, its would have slipped my mind and might not have found a table!

After the less-than-rave report on this thread about HARAMBOURE I admit that it crossed my mind whether I should substitute LAKASA, but as soon as I read the links you just posted, I'm sure any negligible fears will be put to rest.

The Cordobes cheesecake has taken its place on my list of quests. And, because I usually do not take dessert at restaurants (too full, usually) I often stop on my way back to the hotel to pick up something sweet. Anything with chocolate and points for chocolate with a spicy component, and also caramel/dulce de leche. Not so much on the whipped cream.

You may have tackled this subject before, but if you could again let me know if you have any ideas for really special pastry within a few blocks of my hotel, that would be great. Buying it outside the restaurant allows me to experience a new shop, and have a treat to look forward to near the end of the evening! Of course if a restaurant has a lauded pastry chef and a stellar dessert, I could eat that there and maybe buy a small pastry for middle of the night cravings!! And if not a few blocks of my Hotel, maybe on or near the route back from Retiro to my hotel, and from TASQUITA DE ENFRENTE back to my hotel. I'm pretty sure I will not order dessert at TASQUITA. Oh, and also. pastry convenient to LA BIEN APARECIDA or my hotel; I booked there for Sunday night. I'll put my (incomplete) Madrid restaurant list on the Madrid eating thread, if I've not already done so...

I will take a look art the BLESS; I think they have an indoor pool and they are bound to be better priced than my-now-regular place.

Maribel

Hi ekscrunchy,
After the first email that was a confirmation of your request of a booking, you should have received a second one, usually a day or two afterwards, with a confirmation. It would have said, as mine always do, "We confirm your reservation and look forward to hosting you. Your reservation details are as below..." This would have come from the same email address: [email protected]

I've been on the fence about telling you to reserve not in the bar area but instead in the more sedate dining room, because the bar area has become so extremely busy and crowded. Especially, if you've booked on a Thursday or Friday night. Although you would miss the buzz and the fun of seeing the dishes being consumed by other diners, you would get more personal attention in the dining room, I think, especially since you've told Miguel Angel that I "sent" you.

The ALEX CORDOBÉS cheesecake is heavenly. Because during the Christmas-Epiphany rush they weren't selling individual slices, I just bought the smallest one. But they do indeed sell a Belgian chocolate one and one with dulce de leche. Here are the flavors. The shop is very small, just one long counter and displays on both sides of it; it looks like a very expensive jewelry shop, as does another of my favorites, ORIOL BALAGUER, which is on Ortega & Gasset 44, just east of the Plaza del Marqués de Salamanca.
Here are his treats.

Now you've got me started on pastry shops! A topic dear to my heart! Here´s another that I love, love, love, now in the hands of Oriol Balaguer himself, LA DUQUESITA.. This is a jewel box of a shop that now has a lovely tea room to the side. Come here for croissants, chocolates to die for, macarons, just everything. When I stayed in Almagro, I would go there every morning. It's within walking distance of your hotel. Rush hour is at 11!

And speaking of Almagro, another favorite, where I bought my tronco de Navidad is BALBISIANA, near the Alonso Martínez metro at Génova 1, again, walking distance from your hotel. She has 2 shops, one there and one at Velázquez 55 (handy as well to the BLESS). The one on Génova is always busy and sometimes there´s a waiting list to have coffee and pastry in the tiny bar area.

And then there's...the second branch of LA MALLORQUINA, at the corner of Velázquez 39 & Hermosilla, just a block south of Alex Cordobés and handy to the BLESS as well and just a 7-minute walk from Restaurante LA BIEN APARECIDA.

About pastry shops near LA TASQUITA, not much, given that street.

But near your hotel in Almagro, for chocolates there´s 24 ONZAS, a tiny shop at Zurbano 54. for handmade truffles and bombones de autor.

When I toured the BLESS right when it opened (it's a complete remake of the former Gran Hotel Velázquez) I was a bit put off by the note on my coffee bill saying "service isn't included" (meaning leave a tip), which I've seen creeping up at several places, including Ramiro. And the downstairs is entirely devoted to the many bar areas.....with a DJ booth, and the GM gave us a card saying "hedonist" manager or something like that, so I thought it might be very Ibiza-like.
Berasategui's restaurant didn't work, he pulled out after a year, but you don't dine in your hotels anyway, except for breakfast.
That said... I was quite impressed by mdn's report of the personalized service he received there. The rooftop pool next to the Picos Pardos lounge, a dipping pool, is seasonal. And Picos Pardos Sky Lounge does take bookings from non-hotel guests. The spa has a Jacuzzi type pool. There used to be a bowling alley in the basement, but they must have turned that into the spa/wellness area.

Maribel

AARGH, eks, stay tuned. My very long post with lots of yummy pastry shop info and well as my thoughts on La Catapa went into moderation! It will appear someday.

ekscrunchy

ps. That is the EXACT impression I had about THE BLESS before reading the excellent review here. I thought is would be filled with "influencers.' pounding music in the public areas, and
and a "Zen"Ibiza vibe!! Even the name of the hotel seemed to accentuate that kind of atmosphere. Frankly, I thought it would be too "young" for me! I'll put it on my list of possible hotels for next time.

Maribel, I read the three detailed reports about HARAMBOURE. The onion taste looks like reason alone to go there. But, as usual, I've spiraled into confusion after reading about another restaurant in Gastroactitud. I'm going to add the one to the Madrid eating thread, to keep things more organized. I hope you will take a look and let me know your thoughts.

Maribel

Which one in Gastroactitud? I read it daily. The author of Gastroactitud is Julia Pérez Lozano, the wife of José Carlos Capel, the food critic of El País an co-host of Madrid Fusión.

It's so funny that we were on the exact same page about the Bless. The Palladium group is known for its Ibiza style.

mdn

ekscrunchy I am so glad my little report has given you a few things to ponder upon. I have attached a pic of the Haramboure menu as well as the Meru and the beans we had there. The beans were a bit like the southern red beans and rice. I would have loved to try their onion tart, but since it want gluten free, I would have been the only one eating it and the possibility of wasting some of the dish gave me pause. I should have gone for it!

At La Azotea in Seville where I tried the rabbit ribs, I felt the same way as you do: crunchy but little meat that’s often dry.

I’ll need to give the Dani Garcia NYT recipe for the peppers. Thank you! I love his Casa Dani spot in the Hudson Yards and especially their tuna T-bone carpaccio.

Madrid hotel: we looked at pics of the Orfila and at least in the photos, the bathrooms looked a bit small whereas the Bless has a HUGE American luxury hotel sized bathroom. Originally that was the factor that swayed us. Having experienced their service, location and large room, I think Bless will be our Madrid choice for some time
to come.

Our shopping included several jars of Osés brand Piementos del Cristal from Lodosa (Navarra) and a variety of tinned fish all of it purchased at Montequerias Bravo. I was tempted to get some beans, but since I’ve recently come across Rancho Gordo beans from Napa, I resisted. I know you love your beans, so take a look at Rancho Gordo.

Maribel I will def need to look for Gamba Rona de Denia next time, which should be this September when we attend a friend’s wedding near Barcelona. Debating a side trip to Valencia/Mallorca or maybe Galicia, both of which will be new to us.

The Somm at Sobretablas is indeed a fantastic guy and is from Girona. In fact, he was the one who convinced me that Massana was a solid choice for dinner in Girona over some of the other places I’d been contemplating.

For us, there will always be a next time for Aldalucia and I’m sure at some point we will be able to try El Campero, Vent El Toro and La Castilleria.
But overall, a big thank you for all your insights, guides and your encyclopedic knowledge!! We have benefited so much due to your presence here.

Haramboure roasted peppers w pork belly

Haramboure menu

Meru grilled with emulsion

The jamon Del Mar from La Catapa

Legumbre del dia. These were a bit like southern red beans and rice.

Maribel

mdn,
Glad you purchased those pimientos de cristal. Isn't the Mantequerías Bravo lovely?

You're right about the Bless bathrooms. Did you have a bath butler? When the hotel first opened, they advertised the butler service to prepare one's bath.

For an avid food lover like you, I highly, highly recommend a trip down to Valencia after Barcelona, AND a side trip to Dènia for that incredible gamba roja de Dènia and more glorious seafood plus rice dishes. I have lots of recs for Valencia and Dènia on the Marina Alta when the time comes. You simply have to go to El Baret de Miquel. It has your name written all over it!