Tag Archives: gastronomy

galicia getaway – guiri day

25 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by in food & drink, friends, gastronomy, getaways, holidays, markets, spain, travel, trips

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guiri day (2)One day while Jorge was away filming Gastrópodos Anna suggested we embrace our inner guiri and spend a day, well, being guiris in the city. So we met up not far from the Cathedral and, after a short “tour” of the centre, ended up at the market. Market visits are one of my favourite things to do and the market in Santiago really is something special. And being with Anna, I also learned a lot.

guiri day (1)

Later on we stopped for a light lunch at A Maceta, a modern-style restaurant with a fusiony menu. As most of the dishes were large plates we stuck to a couple of Anna’s fabourites: crispy fried patatas bravas with a lovely spicy sauce, and an Asian take on the classic bocadito de calamares. The perfectly fried chipirones were served in a soft bao bun with citric mayo. Very tasty.

galicia getaway – complimentary tapas

23 Tuesday Aug 2016

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complimentary tapasNotice that I don’t call these “free tapas” (as they are so fond of calling them in Granada). But they are complimentary, included in the price of your drink, which like in Granada, are usually more expensive than in Sevilla. I paid up to 2.80€ for a caña in Santiago, which of course is outrageous. A typical caña in Sevilla is 1.20€, though you don’t get a “free” tapa with it. To be honest, I prefer to just pay for what I want to eat without elevated drink prices.

That’s not to say the complimentary tapas in Santiago de Compostela (also in A Coruña and Lugo) aren’t delicious. Many of them are. And, as I discovered on the “Ruta of Complimentary Tapas” one evening in Santiago with Anna and Jorge @thekilomeaters, you do actually end up quite satisfied and, also, quite stuffed. As I say, I usually prefer ordering what I actually feel like eating, which may coincide with whatever bar you happen to stop into, but it also may not. But I have to say I was never disappointed with the range of complimentary tapas offered at most of the bars, and part of the experience was not knowing what I would end up eating. Definitely something fun to try now and then.

london getaway 2016 | day 10

12 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by in gastronomy, london, sevilla, travel, trips

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My last day in London and I’d made plans with Fiona Becket @food_writer to meet her for a last lunch in town at a restaurant she was reviewing. That was before I realised that my flight was at 5.30 (not 6.30 – Spanish time!) which wouldn’t leave enough time. Then I was chatting with Sam at @FoodieHub who said that Vicky @amsterdamfoodie was also in town and we could squeeze in a “quick bite” at Box Park, just around the corner from Liverpool Street Station, where I had to get the train to the airport. Done.
london day 10 (1)

As you can see, it was more than your usual quick bite (though to be honest, they took more than half of it back to the office). But it was quick. In less than an hour I was back at Liverpool Street Station with ten minutes to spare before my train.

london day 10 (2)

Stansted check-in and security was a hot and tiresome hour and a half, so I was in need of a Cold Beer after that, while I waited to board my plane home.

london day 10 (3)

And before I knew it I was flying over Sevilla, almost home. It was an amazing, if exhausting, 10 days. I’m so thankful for all the friends who came together to meet up with me, and also grateful to Jo & Mark who let me stay at their apartment (otherwise 10 days in London would never have been possible). I’ve got so many nice memories, and even more photos. Next stop… Madrid!

london getaway 2016 | day 9

11 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by in food & drink, friends, getaways, london, travel, trips

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london day 9 (8)

My next to last day in London was quite eventful. I had plans to meet John @cityjohn at Borough Market and walk along the South Bank, but he got delayed so I started off with a quick lunch at Arabica (recommended by Thane @thaneprince and it was amazing).

london day 9 (1)Happy barman Emanuele working on some colourful cocktails

london day 9 (2)Muhummara: roasted red peppers, harissa, toasted mixed nuts

london day 9 (3)Armenian-style Lahmacun: Levantine flatbread, spiced lamb, tomatoes, peppers, pine nuts, lebneh

John met me half-way through my Lahmacun and helped finish it off and then we made our way over to craft beer bar The Rake which was celebrating their 10th anniversary, and where we knew we would most likely run into beer expert and mutual friend Melissa Cole @melissacole

london day 9 (4)Melissa and John

london day 9 (5)

Juuso and James at the Wine Pantry

From there John & I made our way over to the Wine Pantry, a spot recommended by my friend Mark, which features English wines. We had a small tasting of three wines before having a full glass of something we both liked. Then John had to meet his cousin at the cinema and I had a bridge to cross (all by myself – check out to photo!) and we said our “hasta luegos”.

london day 9 (6)Have I mentioned I’m slightly obsessed with the Shard?

Once over the bridge I walked straight up from London Bridge to Spitalfields Market, stopping to have a final dinner at Taberna do Mercado.

london day 9 (9)green beans in tempura with a mussel and coriander broth
london day 9 (7)

Bifana: bísaro presa pork, yeast mayo, fennel

Then home to start packing…

london getaway 2016 | day 8

10 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by in food & drink, friends, gastronomy, getaways, london, restaurants, travel, trips

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london day 8This was the second BIG EVENT in terms of friends meeting up for a special meal in the evening, but first I was meeting my friend Thane @thaneprince for a quick bite at Calcutta Street, a new place that has been getting rave reviews.
london day 8 (4)

Unfortnately we found nothing to rave about, the food was plain at best, mediocre at worst. Nothing horrible, just not tasty. And we were served some cloudy Italian “natural” white wine, which didn’t help. Apparently the dinner menu is more extensive – at lunch we only had the choice between 4 wraps. Meh.

london day 8 (1)

Undaunted, Thane took me to a pub just around the corner, built on the grounds of the old Middlesex Hospital. Nothing remains of the hospital other than the church, which is now a freestanding bulding (before it was enclosed within the hospital) and you can see the church from inside Percy & Founders, which is where we went for a restorative glass of “unnatural” wine.

london day 8 (5)

After that I did a bit more shopping and general roaming around, looking for some gifts to take home. And once again I GOT LOST and only just made it in time for dinner at one of London’s newest spots – Pidgin – which offers a set menu (just the one) that changes weekly. On this occasion there were eight of us…

london day 8 (6)

london day 8 (2)John @cityjohn Robin @HERMANOPRIMERO Mark @marcooth Oli @cotedupy (Hugh – not on twitter) Phoebe @plemess Nicola @shedlikesfood

london day 8 (3)Delicious tasting menu, though with cocktails and several glasses of wine we certainly drank more than we ate. We finished the evening at a pub around the corner, which is where things go a bit fuzzy for me, other than the boys putting me into an Uber after the pub closed.