vinotinto
Active Member
All:
Perhaps Ivar can weigh in on this, because the example I'll use is based on a restaurant in Santiago that I believe is named Casa Camilo (at least that was the embroidered name on a cloth divider that I photographed).
Anyway, I had an odd but wonderful cuisine occurrence while celebrating the completion of my pilgrimage in Santiago (I spent 3 nights there). One afternoon I ran into a German pilgrim that I lost track of in Leon, and he invited me to have dinner with a group of pilgrims he'd hooked up with (Italians, Germans, and English). We ended up at the Casa Camilo, where we all ordered from the Pilgrim Menu. It was the usual 2-course deal, with somewhat unremarkable fare, and the waiter seemed to rush us a bit and offer little flexibility (to be fair, some of the folks at the table were a bit picky). Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the place, and when I left I sort of wrote it off as an unremarkable establishment. Or so I thought...
Anyway, the next day I went out to dinner with a group of Spanish pilgrims I'd befriended. We ended up at the same restaurant - but with a massive difference. The folks I was with were very knowledgeable about cuisine, and they promised me an amazing meal. Indeed, they were beyond correct - I had one of the best dinners I've ever eaten anywhere. Small plates of shellfish (clams and razor clams) and what appeared to be smelt for starters, and then huge, beautiful platters of whole crab, crab legs, shrimp, and so on. And the white wine - holy moly! In addition, the service was great all the way through. After it was over I literally fell on the floor - superb.
So, my question is: How much are pilgrims missing out by going with the inexpensive Pilgrim Menu (which is pretty much the same all along the Camino) vs. skipping it and ordering the regular fare - even if it costs a bit more? Of course, I suppose my Spanish friends were most responsible for the upgraded food and service, but still... Any tips from the Spanish folks would be appreciated.
Perhaps Ivar can weigh in on this, because the example I'll use is based on a restaurant in Santiago that I believe is named Casa Camilo (at least that was the embroidered name on a cloth divider that I photographed).
Anyway, I had an odd but wonderful cuisine occurrence while celebrating the completion of my pilgrimage in Santiago (I spent 3 nights there). One afternoon I ran into a German pilgrim that I lost track of in Leon, and he invited me to have dinner with a group of pilgrims he'd hooked up with (Italians, Germans, and English). We ended up at the Casa Camilo, where we all ordered from the Pilgrim Menu. It was the usual 2-course deal, with somewhat unremarkable fare, and the waiter seemed to rush us a bit and offer little flexibility (to be fair, some of the folks at the table were a bit picky). Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the place, and when I left I sort of wrote it off as an unremarkable establishment. Or so I thought...
Anyway, the next day I went out to dinner with a group of Spanish pilgrims I'd befriended. We ended up at the same restaurant - but with a massive difference. The folks I was with were very knowledgeable about cuisine, and they promised me an amazing meal. Indeed, they were beyond correct - I had one of the best dinners I've ever eaten anywhere. Small plates of shellfish (clams and razor clams) and what appeared to be smelt for starters, and then huge, beautiful platters of whole crab, crab legs, shrimp, and so on. And the white wine - holy moly! In addition, the service was great all the way through. After it was over I literally fell on the floor - superb.
So, my question is: How much are pilgrims missing out by going with the inexpensive Pilgrim Menu (which is pretty much the same all along the Camino) vs. skipping it and ordering the regular fare - even if it costs a bit more? Of course, I suppose my Spanish friends were most responsible for the upgraded food and service, but still... Any tips from the Spanish folks would be appreciated.