Menu del Dia: Cafe Bar el Mirador

Cafe Bar el Mirador, another restaurant in Albaicin, offered a meal well worth it's price. Though the three course menu del dia included only a few choices, all the dishes were highly satisfying. All the groups ate outside on the patio of the restaurant, under the heat of the sun, and the meals offered a refreshing contrast. For the first course, while many of the other groups chose the salad, our valiant group member, Emily McNab, selected the salmorejo, and did not regret her choice. According to Emily, the salmorejo was "amazing!" It was basically the same recipe as we made [in Clase de Cocina], but thicker, and heartier. All in all, a refreshing yet filling start to the meal. Next came the main course, where again, Emily chose the road less traveled with the lomo, or pork, and fries rather than the more popular selection of calamares and fries. This time, her choice may not have been as wise as in her selection of the first course, and Emily found the pork to be slightly overcooked. However, this dish was still quite good and the fries were well prepared. Lastly, the sandia, or watermelon, which was served as the final course, could certainly be called one of the highlights of the entire meal. The watermelon was incredibly fresh and wonderfully ripe, the perfect end to a meal on a hot day.

Raciones: Babel

The third and final restaurant we visited on Thursday was called Babel, recommended to us by the promoter of Taberna Macande. This location had by far the best raciones I have ever tasted in Granada. The place was slightly overcrowded and the smell of smoke was a little overwhelming, but the waitress was very attentive and apologized for the slow service as a result of the large number of customers. The décor of the bar was also very interesting. Horizontal and vertical strips of photos lined the walls throughout the bar, each photo the face of someone from a different country. From the leathered, wrinkled face of an elderly African tribesman to the toothy grin of an Indian adolescent, the photos seemed to capture the individual spirit of all the countries around the world.
The white wine we ordered had an excellent flavor; very dry yet fruity at the same time. As the conversation flowed, the waitress brought our first ration: cous cous served with what seemed like a salsa of sorts composed of red and green peppers and raisins. The combination of the spicy peppers and sweet raisins in conjunction with the cous cous was amazing. After finishing every last grain of cous cous, we were already somewhat full, but couldn’t resist indulging in our second ration of curry chicken with potatoes. The creamy curry sauce of the chicken was incredibly rich and delicious, and the portion size was so large by the time we left we couldn’t have eaten another ration if we had tried! We would definitely recommend this location to others.

Taberna del Beso

Our second location, Taberna del Beso, is a bar situated on one of the main streets in Albaicin not too far from Plaza Nueva. When we asked the waiter for a menu, he handed us a handwritten sheet of paper with a disappointing selection of only four raciones. Also, our group chose to sit outside, and considering Albaicin is located on the side of a large hill, at times I felt I would tip over in my chair or watch my wine glass crash to the ground after sliding off the slanted table. The waiter didn’t seem to pay too much attention to us at all, and only brought us a tapa with our drinks because we specifically asked him to do so. However, the racion we ordered (tzantziqu) turned out to be absolutely delicious, with just the right balance of fresh cucumbers and onions which was perfectly complemented by a basket of warm bread.

Raciones: Yomato

On Thursday, we ventured into the city to dine on raciones, which are generally larger than tapas and are intended to be shared amongst a small group of people. Raciones (unfortunately) do not come free with drinks like tapas do. Our first location was a little different than the other places we had visited previously. It was a Japanese restaurant called Yomato located off of calle Reyes Catolicos, one of the main roads in Granada. With our Alhambra beers we ordered a ration of sushi and spring rolls, both of which were delicious. It was my first time trying anything other than California Rolls, so I was a bit nervous about the raw salmon in the sushi we ordered, but the flavor was excellent especially when combined with the pickled ginger and soy sauce.
Our final ration was an order of tempura mixta. When the plate arrived at the table, we were immediately disappointed. Included in the medley of tempura vegetables was lettuce, oddly enough, which basically just tasted like the batter they had used to fry the vegetables. The portion size was also relatively small to share with four people, and I was definitely still hungry after we left. Also, the waiter did not take too kindly to us when we asked for la cuenta (the check) shortly after our tempura arrived at the table. In the end, I would not recommend this restaurant to others seeking good locations to get raciones in Granada due to the lackluster choice of tempura vegetables, the rude waiter, and the bland décor .

Menu del Dia: Restaurante el Aji

On Wednesday, for our first menu del dia assignment, we chose to feast on a three-course meal at Restaurante el Aji. The restaurant itself is situated in a beautiful location on a hilltop overlooking the moorish quarter Albaicin. There was a limited variety of options that could be chosen for each course, but the choices offered turned out to be fair enough. For the first course, our choices included ensalada mixta (tossed salad), salmorejo (thick gazpacho made with bread), or pasta pomodoro. The second course offered either churrasco (barbeque meat), verduras (fish), or pescado (fish), and the dessert selection included crema catalana, a cinnamon crème brulee and pennacotta, which was similar to a minty flan. Our group has chosen to highlight the ensalada mixta, churrasco, and the pennacotta in today’s blog. The ensalada was refreshing and, by itself, was a small but satisfying enough starter. However, the churrasco, was also accompanied by a salad, which altogether emphasized the lightness of what should have been a more hearty meal. Additionally, the meat came with a skin or encasing that was unpleasant to some of the diners. Lastly, the dessert, pennacotta, could be seen as either poorly made, or as an acquired taste. The jiggly texture of it did not appeal to anyone in particular. Overall, this particular meal left diners with the feeling that, although their money may have been better spent elsewhere on a more hearty meal, the food was not all too bad. We felt relatively well received at the restaurant, although our status as American tourists was all too apparent with our digital cameras and casual dress. However, this spot was a great find because it was well off the beaten path and didn't seem touristy in the slightest.

Tapas: Taberna Macande

Our final stop on the first night of our Granada tapas escapade was a quaint bar by the name of “Taberna Macande.” The décor of this location truly gave credence to its name, as the wagon wheels and wooden barrels truly gave the impression of an old Spanish tavern. With our wine and beer came the first tapa, albondigas (meatballs) in tomato sauce with thinly sliced fried potatoes drenched in olive oil and salt. Both items were excellent “comfort foods.” As the meatballs slowly disappeared, our group leader ordered a tapa known as “huevos estrellados,” and assured us all we would truly enjoy it. However, due to slow service and a miscommunication between the waiter and the kitchen, a half and hour later we were served scrambled eggs with ham and potatoes. It wasn’t “huevos estrellados”, but it was still delicious! Despite these minor complications, Taberna Macande’s friendly atmosphere, excellent wine, and savory tapas make it a great restaurant and social hangout.

Tapas: La Oriental

La Oriental was a teteria at the end of the road going up the hill away from calle Reyes Catolicos. It was an authentic taste of Granada in the twelfth century. It is important to remember the ever-strong presence of Arab culture in Granada as it was the last Muslim stronghold in Spain. I think this particular teteria was a perfect window to past Granada in this regard. It was a small place with soft Arabic music playing in the background with the sent of fresh tea leaves ever present. A young waiter by the name of Ahmed greeted us and was happy to accompany us on our journey back to the old Arab Granada. The menu included dozens of different types of teas from all over the middle east and Persia as well as an assortment of crepes. Of course in any Arabic establishment the shi-shu is mandatory and this place was no exception. We sampled the Pakistani, Moroccan, and Turkish teas as well as the chocolate crepes and chocolate crepes with cream. The crepes were light and delicious and each order of tea came with an individual tea pot with more than ample quantity. The shi-shu was delicious and smooth although the flavor variety was a little lacking. Although this was not the standard Granada experience, it was quite delicious and a great look at a vital part of Granadan society.

Tapas: Minotauro

Minotauro is a truly authentic experience of the Granada tapas culture. It is a standout in the city with its boisterous Minotaur logo and the flurry of napkin drawings decorating the walls inside (see photo on the right hand side). We were greeted with friendly faces and good service upon our entry and the moderate prices were welcomed with particularly large complimentary tapas. It consisted of a bread similar to a bagel in shape but fluffier in texture. Each of these was cut in half and filled with either a slice of fried pork loin or fried chicken fillet, similar to a mini bocadillo. These chicken and pork sandwiches had lettuce, mayonnaise, and of course, an olive garnish in the center of the platter. The entire place had a good energy about it. I know when I travel I search for the places that are off the beaten path where no tourists dare to venture. Minotauro had a vibe of classic Spanish social values that was thick with history. It took only a few minutes before the drinks were flowing the harmonious laughing ensued and the Spanish was gushing from our lips. I would recommend this as a great introductory tapas bar to see a typical Spanish tapas experience. It is conveniently located just a few blocks from Calle Reyes Catholicos (the main street running through Granada) and awaits anyone looking for an affordable Spanish experience with all the trimmings.