Food

[Genecamino55]

What are the bests meals and drinks i need to try on my camino ?

 

[CWBuff]

Eat local foods and delicacies wherever you are

 

[J Willhaus]

I like the tarta de queso. Tortilla Español is also a favorite and pimento de Padron. In the winter I like Caldo Galego.

 

[David Tallan]

Be sure and try the tortilla de patatas (also known as tortilla de España). Many suggest trying the pulpo in Galicia.

 

[J Willhaus]

The little scallops known as Zamborinas are also tasty in Galicia. I like pulpo, but not everyone does and it is kind of expensive so maybe try a bite with others. I made the mistake of ordering too much last winter for a student group and we had to throw quite a bit away. Bean soups (fabada is one name) and lentil or garbonzo bean soups are also tasty.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

In addition to the above tasty suggestions, I often order Chiperones (baby squid), prepared in a variety of ways...yum!

 

[Genecamino55]

Im not sure why.. but i was expecting to see polos.. chicken .. but that does not seem to be showing up…

 

[dbier]

Northern Spain cuisines are not the same as Southern Spain. For example, dishes made with rice (paella, arroz con pollo) are more Southern, because rice grows in the south of Spain.

 

[trecile]

Im not sure why.. but i was expecting to see polos.. chicken

That would be pollo, with two Ls.
You will usually see a chicken dish option on a menú del día or menú peregrino.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Im not sure why.. but i was expecting to see polos.. chicken .. but that does not seem to be showing up…

That's because you asked for suggestions on the best food. Chicken is commonly on the pilgrim menu which whilst adequate , even tasty sometimes is definitely not what I would call the 'best' food.
As with nearly everywhere nowadays chicken and pork are the cheap options, Beef, lamb, the occasional vegetarian dish, and fish the best. That's not to say that you can't find the occasional very tasty chicken or pork meal, but they do tend to take more care with more expensive ingredients.

Re: drink, many of us enjoy Tinto de Verano - literally Summer Red wine. It's a basic red wine cocktail, very refreshing. Aquarius is a light refreshing sports style drink. And the fresh O.J served throughout Spain is just fantastic.

Spain has a number of excellent Michelin star restaurants, and by many standards they are incredibly cheap.

Otherwise, as advised above simply ask what the local speciality is. On the Primitivo I had lamb, spit roasted over the fire ( in the middle of summer!). Pulpo in Galicia is worth trying, but different villages seem to have different fish specialities so worth asking - especially if you get to the coast.
In Santiago at the end of my first Camino I had a very tasty fish dish which incorporated squid ink, various shellfish and pasta, unfortunately no idea what the name is. From that dish I got my camino shell, I've cleaned it, strung it, and carried it ever since.

Whilst it depends a little on where you are, often waiters speak at least some English, if in doubt ask for their recommendation.

 

[Pelegrin]

Be sure and try the tortilla de patatas (also known as tortilla de España). Many suggest trying the pulpo in Galicia.

Better " tortilla española" with potatoes and (onions). The other one is " tortilla francesa" which is the omelette.

 

[Pafayac]

I suggest bread and water, in order to complete a perfect pilgrimage.

But personally, I like pimientos de Padrón, chorizo, queso, cerveza Estrella, vino rojo del Bierzo y blanco de Galicia...

 

[PiesIrlandeses]

Empanada, a pie typically filled with tuna, pork or even cecina (dried, cured beef).

Buy un cuarto (or a whole one if you are in a group) at a panadéria and have it later on the trail for lunch. Delicious.

 

[Anhalter]

My favourite approach is to have an eye on what the locals seem to fancy. I feel that the Spanish are very involved with what they eat which usually means, if the locals are eating it it has a good chance to be good.
Quite a few times I even joined in a line in front of a shop without even exactly knowing what they are selling. Never been disapointed.

 

[naplesdon]

Poulet Basque is a fairly common item on menus in Navarra. Moracilla starts to appear on menus once you reach Logrongo and it has so many derivations, it is worth trying, especially in Burgos.

 

[Grousedoctor]

Tapas! Tapas! Tapas!

Best tapas bars in Pamplona

Pamplona is famous for the festival of San Fermín — the running of the bulls. If you go, these are the best tapas bars in town.

www.spain-holiday.com

And my favorite foods in Galicia include pulpo, Pimientos de Padròn and sepia (cuttlefish) very similar to calamar.




Outside of Portugal, I found pastel de nata at the end of Rua do Franco in Santiago. What a delicious dessert or snack any time of the day.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

What are the bests meals and drinks i need to try on my camino ?

bean stews are common across Spain, roasted lamb is a classic, fresh asparagus in Navarra, morcilla (blood sausage) in Burgos, botillo (I'll let you google that one) in Ponferrada, any kind of seafood across Spain (but we like to believe it's fresher in Galicia), salmorejo (from the south) will be around (tomato summer soup), so will gazpacho, hake is delicious, so is the trout, both will be prepared with regional recipes depending where you are, we eat a lot of fish, so indulge, manchego cheese, idiazabal cheese, ulloa-arzúa cheese, the bread is to die for, and there is always bread at your meal... and much more...

regarding paella, go the extra mile and make sure it's not precooked or some frozen ready to serve variety. chances are, if it's on a budget menu, it will be one of the above. in any case, it's not the easiest thing to find a good paella along the Camino, more of a Mediterranean/Valencia dish.

Break the bank and try La fábrica in Burgos for an almost Michelin star experience with local and regional specialities.

 

[DeansFamily]

If you find yourself staying in Logrono, make sure to go out and enjoy the amazing variety of tapas available in their "tapas district". Every bar has their speciality, so try and sample what they all offer. But remember, if you are staying at the Municipal albergue be back before they lock the door at 10 pm (we made it back with a minute to spare, but it was a great night)

 

[CWBuff]

Many of us have suggested that its probably for the best to book private accomodations in Logrono. Tapas crawl is very hard to resist and chances are you're not going to be back in bed until close to 2 AM (or later)
Probably a nice relaxed sleep until say 10:00 am will be in order

 

[trecile]

If you find yourself staying in Logrono, make sure to go out and enjoy the amazing variety of tapas available in their "tapas district".

This area is on Calle del Laurel, and it's definitely worth the cost of a pensión or hostal to be able to stay out late, then sleep in a bit after a tapas crawl.

Calle Laurel - Visita Logroño

Web oficial de turismo del Ayuntamiento de Logroño (La Rioja).

www.visitalogrono.com

 

[andonius]

Almost all has been already been said, but I'll try to give my Spanish approach.

The French Way traverses all the north of Spain, with very different regions and culinary traditions. So I’ll give you my pick region by region.

First, the four most typical Spanish dishes you will find almost everywhere are:

• Tortilla de Patatas (Whether it has to be done with or without onion is a permanent argument here in Spain, and it divides the country more than football or politics…It’s up to your taste)
• Gazpacho : A typical Andalusian cold tomatoes soup present in every Spanish home in summer.
• Paella: Well, not typical from the north of spain, but the best known Spanish traditional dish. If you want to give it a try look for a good restaurant specialized in it (or ask the locals). Paella in normal restaurants in the north is a lot of times a tourist trap that no spanish will ever eat.
• Tapas: Varied small dishes, very different one form another. They’re a tradition in Spain. In many bars they’ll serve you a Tapa when you order a drink. In the last years is more and more common to have a complete meal of tapas or “raciones” (small dishes too, but bigger than tapas and normally to share). You can find Tapas and raciones of almost everything you can imagine, from olives , sausages, vegetables or potatoes to highly elaborate dishes as small pieces of meat or fish with varied sauces. A must in spain. Just pick a bar that has a good selection displayed and point the waiter wich ones you wanto to try. Tapas and raciones are ideal to share with your pilgrim friends. Best for me is a “ración de patatas bravas”, fried potatoes with a hot and spicy sauce or a “Ración de Jamón Ibérico (spanish Ham), but you have literally hundreds of kind of tapas and raciones .

Then, region by region, my pick is:

• Navarre (Pamplona) : Famous by its vegetables. Don’t miss Navarra’s white Asparagus and “Pimientos del Piquillo” (peppers either made in the oven or made with different meat or fish fillings). Also Trucha a la navarra (fried trout with Ham) is very popular.
• La Rioja (Logroño): Also a vegetables región. Try the “Menestra de Verduras” (
  vegetable stew) made of assorted vegetables. Also a traditional dish is “Patatas a la Riojana” (Potatoes with a strong sauce made of chorizo (sausage), red and green peppers and meat). While in Logroño, as many have said, don’t miss the famous “Calle del Laurel” an excellent place for tapas. Go from bar to bar trying their best (¡¡those fried mushrooms….!!!)
• Castilla (Burgos and Palencia: You enter a land of cereals and meat. Try the Burgos Morcilla (blood sausage, much better than it’s name suggests and a must in spain).. Normally served as a Tapa in small pieces because a full dish is just too much for anyone). Also try lamb, the main meat in the area. Roasted lamb or “Lechazo Asado” is delicious. Finally legumes are very good in the area and their bread is also very good.
• Leon: Here we will replace the lamb’s meat for cow or Ox; red meats. Served in big pieces and delicious. There are also some typical dishes as Botillo and Cocido Lebaniego in the Astorga area that deserve a try. Be careful as they’re strong dishes and you will need a nap after to make your digestion. Two special recommendations: Astorga is famous also for it’s chocolate and Sahagún for its leeks (puerros). Don’t miss them.
• Galicia: You have everything good in Galicia: the most fresh fishes, vegetables, red meat and seafood. The musts for me will be:
  • Pulpo (Octopus). (Probably the most famous is made in Melide, but you find it everywhere)
  • Pimientos de Padrón. Small green peppers. The saying says that “some are spicy and some are not”. Normally one out of ten or twenty will be VERY spicy, but you can’t distinguish which until you try them. That’s the funny point.
  • Marisco (seafood): every kind of seafood is excellent in Galicia
  • Queso (Cheese). Galician cheeses are normally soft cheeses, ideal for a tapa or a dessert. Two of the most famous are from two Camino towns: O Cebreiro and Arzua
  • Empanada (as said before by Piesirlandeses in the post, it’s a pie typically filled with tuna, pork or even cecina (dried, cured beef). Order a small piece as they are usually made very big (for 6 to 8 persons)
  • Cow or veal meat. A good Chuleta de Ternera (veal cutlet with french fries or salad) is delicious.
  • Fish: Galicia is the main fishing region in Spain. So any fish will be usually good.
  • Bread: Excellent in Galicia.

Regarding to drinks; wine is the king. Red wines all along the way, but specially in Castilla and Rioja and white wines are better in Galicia (Ribeiro and Albariño more acid and Godello better in a meal) and Navarra (dryer than galician whites) .

A Spanish tip that Peterexpatkiwy has already pointed. In summer we don’t order Sangria as normally is a tourist trap. What we order and prepare at our homes is “Tinto de Verano” which is half or a little less than half wine with and a lot of ice and the other half Lemon refreshment or sweet soda (gaseosa), according to your taste (my wife likes it with lemon and me with soda, but that’s the rule in our marriage¡¡¡). Very refreshing, lighter and not as sweet as normal sangria which is made also with fruits and a lot of sugar.

Beer is also excellent in Spain with a lot of well known brand that very form region to region.

Hope that helps. I’m hungry now and I think I’ll give a try to my last and best recommendation: Spanish Ham. Try the higher quality ones (Iberico, Guijuelo or Serrano) and you will tell me later,

¡Buen Camino!

 

[akane81]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Tarta de Santiago, I loved it and had it almost everyday.

 

[Orford girl]

I like the tarta de queso. Tortilla Español is also a favorite and pimento de Padron. In the winter I like Caldo Galego.

I will agree, But try local foods wherever you are and always something new. It's also an adventure1
Buen camino.