Eating on the Camino

[Camino 2]

Just wondering if evening meals are easily available along the way.

Cheers!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Yes, in some places.
In others, you'll have to cook for yourself or picnic.

You'll probably also have to adjust your eating schedule.

The Portuguese, like the Spanish, don't eat dinner at 5 pm :lol:

 

[bactman]

Finding food was never a problem, most of the albergues or logical stops along the way are in a town or near a pub/tavern. There were two albergues, outside of Caldas de Rais and in Teo, that seemed to be fairly remote. Finding food may be more of an issue at these albergues than others.

 

[hel&scott]

One word - CUSTARD - they put it in everything and after 4 weeks on the road enough already!

 

[Anniesantiago]

It's called Flan in Spain and Portugal.. and I LOVE it, love it, LOVE IT!

YUMMMMMMMM...

 

[Dael]

I fear that you may have asked the wrong question. "When can I eat?" might have been more to the point.
Lunch is the main Spanish meal of the day. It's usually served from 1-2pm onward. I quickly adapted to finishing my days walk to coincide with this and after, had time to wash clothing etc/ have an afternoon "think" and blether with friends before going out in the evening for more blethers over a beer. (Blethers = chatting).
Many bars cater for our needs with a Pilgrim lunch, 3 courses with wine for circa 12 euro.
By Scottish standards the evening meal is expensive and served very late - 9 - 10pm onward which is usually when the night lockdown takes place.
You will quickly adapt to living your life to the rhythms of the sun.
P.S.
Quite like Flan but what is the lovely sweet served with honey drizzled over it?
Dael

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The menu del dia is the cheapest way to eat out in Spain. Here are a few things worth knowing before you order.

1. Lunchtime Only
Menús del día tend to only be served at lunchtimes - and usually only on week days. Arrange your eating habits around this fact and you'll get the best food in Spain at the best price.

2. Spanish Only
As a restaurant's menu del dia tends to change every day, it is unlikely that there will be anyone on hand to translate it into English. Some restaurants then kindly assume that as you are not a Spanish speaker, you couldn't possibly want then menu del dia, even though they probably have one. If you aren't offered a menu del dia, ask "¿Hay menú?" (EYE men-OO?), but remember to bring your phrasebook!

3. Primeros and Segundos
Your meal will be split into three - a first course, second course and dessert or coffee. The 'primer plato' will usually consist of your carbohydrates or vegetables, and the 'segundo plato' will be your meat and fish. If you prefer, you can usually order two primer platos (but not two segundos).

4. Coffee or Dessert?
You can usually choose from either coffee or dessert for your final course, but sometimes the coffee won't be included. Ask, "¿Esta incluido?" (est-AR in-clue-EE-do?).

5. Save Some Room?
Don't expect much of your dessert. Plus, very occasionally you might find there is no desert offered at all. You will see 'postre' on the menu if it is included.

6. Tax Included?
Beware, in touristy places you might find the price of the menu doesn't include tax. It will say "IVA incluido" or "IVA NO incluido" on the menu.

7. Inside or Outside?
Frequently (and not just in touristy places) there will be a supplement for sitting on the 'terraza'.

8. Wine or Water?
In many restaurants, the standard serving for wine or water is a carafe - whether there are two of you or you are dining alone. Which means that if you both order wine, it will probably be a carafe to share, but if you're very lucky, ordering one wine and one water could get you a full serving of each!

9. ...Or Something Else to Drink?
Most menus will say 'con pan y vino/agua' (with bread and wine/water), but it is usually possible to order another drink - but not always. If you don't feel like wine, check something else is allowed (using the above "¿Esta incluido?") - beer is usually OK, coca-cola or other soft drinks are often not.

Menú del día’s are basically fixed price menus. They were introduced by Franco to ensure the workers received at least one hearty meal per day. I frequently hear best thing, Franco and menú del día spoken in the same sentence, which is why, although no longer obligatory, many restaurants still maintain the tradition. And not just the traditional restaurants – trendy bars and Michelin-starred chefs can’t resist the challenge. The rules of the menú del día are: must be served during the midday break; must be satisfying – in both a monetary and belly-filling way.

 

[hel&scott]

Quite like Flan but what is the lovely sweet served with honey drizzled over it?

Sounds like leche fritters, sounds odd but if you have had it you will be a convert. A baked milked custard that is then cut into squares, fried (sometimes after being dipped in crumbs) and the smothered in syrup... yum!

Spanish Flan is also great, and the little custard tarts in Portugal are wonderful, but trust me the yellow goo they stick in everything soon looses its appear and you begin to long for something sans-custard.

Good points about the meal times, but this advise is geared to the Spanish side of the border, in Portugal the English influence is evident in both some of the dishes and the opening hours. You will find it much less rigid in opening and closing times with most places being open wider hours and food more freely available throughout the day. Meals from 5 or 7pm even in remote rural towns. The range of food is more limited and plain though.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I think the honey-drizzled thing you mention is "cuajada." It is soft sheep´s milk custard, sometimes with honey, or cinnamon, or a packet of sugar on the side; most often seen on the camino Frances in Castilla y Leon. It often is served in a little terra-cotta crock.

Super. Right up there with queso fresco y membrillo, another cheese dessert pilgrims often overlook (often offered only to the Spanish customers)...

 

[Dael]

Thanks - yes that's the one. Heaven.
Hope all is well with you both.
Dael

 

[Canuck]

Cuajada, part of my weekly grocery list while in spain.
The best I had was in Mombuey on the VDLP, at the hostal in the center on the main road.

I also enjoy Pan de Calatrava for dessert.

 

[camino-david]

Could also be toasted goats cheese served warm with the honey drizzled over the top. It's so delicious it's decadent and lustful. I had it a couple of times, once in Navarrete and the second time was, I think, in Villafranca Montes de Oca.David

 

[elzi]

Hmm... well it's not quite as well catered for as the Frances.

Watch out for Sundays. I spent a Sunday night at a place called Briallos with nowhere to find food. There was a rumour of a shop a km or so away that some other pilgrims went to find only to discover it was shut on Sundays. Spent the night very hungry which was made infinitely worse by the fact that the local people were having some kind of huge feast/party inside the albergue with food and wine everywhere but didn't offer any to the half a dozen poor starving pilgrims who had to watch them eat (and listen to it all night) :'(

Also caught out by the time changes walking across from Portugal into Spain. Portugal seemed to work on a more 9-5 system unlike Spain which has more of a siesta type setup. Basically that meant that we were able to get breakfast quite early (like 8-9am ish) in Portugal and it was a bit of a shock once we crossed the bridge into Spain suddenly to find nowhere to have coffee open until after 10am. This makes a difference if you are walking early to avoid the heat and really want some caffeine and/or a bathroom.

Also I hate to sound like I'm moaning but as a vegetarian who doesn't eat fish (my own fault I know) I almost fainted in Portugal a couple of times because I couldn't find enough protein to eat. Was good foodwise to finally reach the bars of Spain with their staple "tortilla espanola"!

I think my point is that mostly there's plenty of food available en-route but bear in mind that as a quieter way there might be slightly less options available. And take some spare food on Sundays!

 

[Caminando]

Elzi, being a vegetarian isnt easy anywhere, but worse in Spain and Portugal. But I have often wondered why vegetarians dont carry suitable proteins such as lentils, cheese etc; such proteins are available of course in these countries. You can bring your own, or lentils can be bought in tins.

You know you'll have problems, so this one's a mystery.

Hmm... well it's not quite as well catered for as the Frances.

Watch out for Sundays. I spent a Sunday night at a place called Briallos with nowhere to find food. There was a rumour of a shop a km or so away that some other pilgrims went to find only to discover it was shut on Sundays. Spent the night very hungry which was made infinitely worse by the fact that the local people were having some kind of huge feast/party inside the albergue with food and wine everywhere but didn't offer any to the half a dozen poor starving pilgrims who had to watch them eat (and listen to it all night) :'(

Also caught out by the time changes walking across from Portugal into Spain. Portugal seemed to work on a more 9-5 system unlike Spain which has more of a siesta type setup. Basically that meant that we were able to get breakfast quite early (like 8-9am ish) in Portugal and it was a bit of a shock once we crossed the bridge into Spain suddenly to find nowhere to have coffee open until after 10am. This makes a difference if you are walking early to avoid the heat and really want some caffeine and/or a bathroom.

Also I hate to sound like I'm moaning but as a vegetarian who doesn't eat fish (my own fault I know) I almost fainted in Portugal a couple of times because I couldn't find enough protein to eat. Was good foodwise to finally reach the bars of Spain with their staple "tortilla espanola"!

I think my point is that mostly there's plenty of food available en-route but bear in mind that as a quieter way there might be slightly less options available. And take some spare food on Sundays!

 

[mikevasey]

One word - CUSTARD - they put it in everything

It's called Flan in Spain and Portugal.. and I LOVE it, love it, LOVE IT!

and the little custard tarts in Portugal are wonderful,

Pasteis de Nata(de Belem) :| :twisted:

tried the the custard tarts in Belem soon bought myself another ticket and got another one, and another one, and another one......

 

[wdbillingsley]

In Galacia we found great salads, "mixta" with locally grown lettuce, tomatoes and onions with just a little olive oil and vinegar as dressing. Potatoes cooked several ways were also very fresh and tasty. Many places served the menu de dia in the evening as well as at lunch. For breakfast, some places would cook eggs and bacon but they usually didn't start out offering that, you had to ask if they had anything else after being offered postres.

 

[bjorgts]

We returned yesterday from Portugal. Have been walking 8 days from Lisboa to Rabacal (before Coimbra). We found that one of the differences from Spain was that the eatingtimes were not so strict. We could get something to eat - even something near to a sort of dinner - throughout the afternoon. But this was south. May bee it is different in the north from Porto?
Bjørg

 

[catattack]

Is it possible to eat only on supermarket/shop food? I guess I'll treat myself to the occasional restaurant/cafe/pilgrim's meal, but I am such a ridiculous budget, it is well,........ridiculous.

If I were to set off in the morning, will it be easy to find a shop with enough food for the day, or even the next day?

Any other gluten sensitive eaters on the camino? How did you go about finding food that isn't full of gluten?

Is it ok to freely cook dinners / breakfasts or whatever at the hostels?

 

[Anniesantiago]

Some albergues have kitchens.
Some do not.

Some albergues have kitchens but no pots/pans/silverware/dishes
Some do not.

Millions of pilgrims have walked and survived - a great number were vegetarian.
Just go.. you'll be fine.

But remember, "NO TOCA LA FRUTA!"
In other words, unlike in the USA where you can prode and poke the fruit to see if it is ripe, you do NOT want to do this in the tiny tiendas along the way. Just point to the one you want and trust it will be fine. Plenty of dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, vegetables, olives, and other great food all along the way.. learn to spot the tiendas (tiny markets often in homes with no advertising) and you'll be fine.

 

[catattack]

Coolio! Sounds fantastic. Sounds like it will be a culinary (budget) delight.
Thanks!

 

[peregrina nicole]

Something to watch out for in Portuguese restaurants is the habit of putting bread, olives, etc on your table while you are looking at the menu. If you have spent time in Spain, you think that they are free tapas. In Portugual, generally, they are not and they show up on your bill. You have to be on the watch for this and just say 'no' (or 'nao') when you see your waiter attempting to do this.

We started in Porto and did the Central Route and didn't really have any problems getting food. However the late dining hours are not totally compatible with a peregrinos need for an early start. My boyfriend loves fish and sea food. I don't. When I asked questions about the Portuguese route when we did it in 2009 we were told that you have to go to Matasinos for the sardinas. He loved them. You can take a tram out there from Porto and just say 'sardhinas?' to people and they will point you in the right direction. There are not the sad little creatures that are packed into a tin. These a reasonable size. They are grilled with the guts still in, so you have to be careful when you slice into them. Going through Vinho Verde country was lovely. We never ordered wine from the bottle, we just got house wine. You should also try the pimentos de padron (and you pass through the town of Padron just before Santiago). These are small peppers that look like jalapenos but aren't. They are lightly fried and served with rock salt. Some are quite sweet and others are eyewateringly hot. It is like Russian Roulette with peppers. I'm not really a pepper fan, but I like these and always have them. They don't travel well. I have had pemento de Padron in restaurants in Glasgow and London and they are not the same. If you like pork and see 'secreto iberico' on an menu, get it. It will be the best pork you have ever had. it is a thin cut with veins of fat which is cooked on a grill. It is crispy and seared on the outside, but tender on the inside. Of course, if you are a veggie, this won't float your boat.

 

[Pieces]

just returned from walking Porto - Santiago. Plenty of food. Supermarkets are scarce in Portugal, but there are small stores along the way and many cafes / bars for small snacks to buy and bring.

Portugal is way cheaper than spain btw. It is possible to eat and also find fruit and nonmeat meals, most places will make you an omelet if you ask with cheese or potatoes, but if one is a health fanatic it can soon become a problem. Beware that supermarkets in spain are closed on sunday, in fact everthing is. Apart from that one can always find something even between 5 & 8 pm in spain when the restaurants don't normally serve.

 

[pablo.m]

I think the honey-drizzled thing you mention is "cuajada." It is soft sheep´s milk custard, sometimes with honey, or cinnamon, or a packet of sugar on the side; most often seen on the camino Frances in Castilla y Leon. It often is served in a little terra-cotta crock.

Super. Right up there with queso fresco y membrillo, another cheese dessert pilgrims often overlook (often offered only to the Spanish customers)...

Hi - I'm no stranger to spanish food but you sound a little more well versed in the tipico dishes along the camino - & I'm collecting those types of dishes myself at the mo on a separate thread
(https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-history-of-food-along-the-camino.32563/)
I'll be walking the northern Route shortly & am in the process of sketching out a rough plan touching on dishes/restaurants/chefs/food highlights along that way... not necessarily haute cuisine but more authentic/genuine pilgrim food.
Would love your input RS

 

[pablo.m]

just returned from walking Porto - Santiago. Plenty of food. Supermarkets are scarce in Portugal, but there are small stores along the way and many cafes / bars for small snacks to buy and bring.

Portugal is way cheaper than spain btw. It is possible to eat and also find fruit and nonmeat meals, most places will make you an omelet if you ask with cheese or potatoes, but if one is a health fanatic it can soon become a problem. Beware that supermarkets in spain are closed on sunday, in fact everthing is. Apart from that one can always find something even between 5 & 8 pm in spain when the restaurants don't normally serve.

I found in Portugal the way to a belly full of happiness was best accomplished by wandering into one of the many low key back street tipico bar/restaurants & starting a conversation about food. Recommendations & tasting plates follow soon after, & when you leave that little place you are farewelling new friends. They love their food, & they love to share that love