Restaurants in Spain

BARCELONA MAY 2003

Garduna
Jerusalem 18
Back side of the Mercardo

Both Mom and I had their large mixed salad (with lousy tomatoes, when just 10 feet is the wonderful mercardo with its beautiful displays of fruits); excellent sausage with white beans in a garlic and parsley sauce; bottled water; bread. 24.20 Euros/$28.16

Mikel Etxea
C/ Ferran 15
Our meal started with house red wine and a plate of cooked pulpo - octopus cooked in a spicy paprika sauce. We also tried several other tapas, which were delicious. Great choices in tapas in a variety of prices. About $40 for the two of us.

Restaurant El Port Vell
Along the port
Bottle of house wine; steak with a blue cheese topping; potatoes. Mom's steak was tender, while only 1/2 of my steak was tender (and I like it rare). My recommendation is to stick to the tapas and typical Spanish foods. $40.

Spain 1996

DON FERNANDO
Calle Ferran, 16, Barcelona
Off the Ramblas
I had a great fish soup and a steak dinner. My Mother had small meal of fried calamari. White house wine included. $16

Santa Ana
Santa Ana, Barcelona.
Next door to Hotel Cortez. I dined on lamb shoulder with wild mushrooms, a huge salad with sardines, anchovies and tuna. My Mom had salmon in a cream champagne sauce. We had a very dry white wine called Bach. $41

LAS PAMPLOMAS
Calle Jaime, Zaragoza.
This is near the Basilica. For lunch we had fried calamari, fish, asparagus, and a delicious potato salad. We had wine with our meal and flan for dessert. $29.

TAPAS: We had wonderful tapas at the following places in Zaragoza:

- TABERNA de CARLOS, on Calle Flandro

- EL TIO on calle A. Augustin

- CASA LUIS on Romea, 8, recommended from the Frommer's guidebook.

All had a very good variety of tapas and we were the only tourists there! We enjoyed: Fried calamari, salmon on toast, gambas (shrimp) in garlic oil, battered/buttterflied anchovies, pate, mushrooms, Spanish omlets, octopus. El Tio was a lively place packed with locals.

EL CUCHI
Plaza Mayor, Madrid.
We ate here a few times in 1994 and 1996. I had ribs, salad; Mom had chicken in a cream sauce with a salad; wine. $43. Another time we had roast-suckling pig. This restaurant is located two doors down from the famous Casa Botin, where Hemingway used to dine here. (1996 and 1994).

PLATERO
Espoz y Mina #20,
Off the Puerta del Sol, Madrid.
The owner, Ramon Val Leocadio was a very nice man. He treated us like we were his most special guests and had great food. We had pork, salad, wine, bread, and flan for $17.50. On another night we had breaded veal with fries, a mixed salad, wine, bread, and flan (love that flan!) (1996).

PIZZERIA SAN MARCO
C. Meson de Moro 6, Seville.
This is off Calle Mateos Gago where we stayed at Hostal Goya (one of our favorite hotels). This restaurant, recommended by the Frommer's guidebook, is located inside an old Arab bathhouse. Great Italian food and great prices. We ate here twice we enjoyed it so much. Get there as it opens because it packs up quickly. We had Scalopini de Gorgonzola with fettucini, salad, and wine. Moms scalopini came with a marsala sauce; tiramisu for dessert. $34. Another time I had a lasagna type dish, which came in a casserole (hot and bubbly) with mortadella, cheese, tomato and eggplant. Mom had crepes with ham and mushrooms in a bechamel sauce; red wine and tiramisu ($27). Very good meals here! (1996).

HNOS. MACIAS
Directly down from the bullring in Ronda. An interesting ham and egg soup; salad; pork in a wine sauce; lamb; red wine. On the house, Mom enjoyed a brandy and I had their apple liquor. $35. (1996).