Kevin Considine
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2021
The Camino Frances is a bit crowded so need to make it more fun so am focusing on a CULINARY CAMINO. Will post categories tomorrow and looking for opinions but first am reposting from last year a review of favorite Pintxo Bars in Logroño’s Calle Laurel. We will be arriving there tomorrow for lunch and dinner. Please comment on your favorite Pintxos and Bars in Logroño and we will try to stop in tomorrow:
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LOGRONO CALLE LAUREL PINTXO BAR RATINGS. Tipperary to Santiago Day 81:
Yesterday I visited Calle Laurel in Logrono to sample Pintxo’s from some of top rated Bars. Results are a compromise based on opinions of me and my companions; Ballosino from Lucca, Italy, Lilly from Berlin, and Hannah from London. I also used some sampling from 2016 as well. Anything under an 8 was ok but not worth coming back for. 8-9 was worth returning for. Above 9 is worth making a special trip to.
LA TAVINA. Great spot on a corner of Calle Laurel:
1.Raw tuna with sesame seed coating with pineapple and onion salsa. 9.5. Wonderful flavors.
2.Pastel de carne y boletus: Beef and mushrooms baked in a cream sauce. 9.5. Loved this simple dish.
PASSION POR TI. Would like to return and try more as they had some interesting alternatives:
1.Trufoie: Truffled potato and foie gras with egg and olive oil boiled at low temperature for 2 hours. 8.5 Delicious and different blend of flavors.
BAR ANGEL. Known for their pickup window where we hung out. Great spot.
1. 3 grilled in oil and garlic mushroom caps on a slice of baguette crowned with a small shrimp. That is the only choice here. 8.5. Deliciously simple dish liked very much by the vegetarians in our group.
BAR SORIANO. This is an old classic. Probably the same decor as 50 years ago. But I loved the vibes.
1. Same dish as Bar Angel. Unfortunately they were closed for a two week vacation. But I rated this an 8 in 2016. I think it's a toss up between the two.
BAR CID:
1. Grilled oyster mushrooms in a garlic sauce. Again their only dish. 8. I preferred the mushroom caps at Bar Angel.
BODEGUILLA LOS ROTOS. Specialize in delicious sandwiches made with scrambled eggs:
1. Eggs and Mushrooms 8.5
2. Eggs and Chorizo 8.5
LETRAS DE LAUREL. We should have left here earlier but we were having a good time:
1. Croqueta de Espinaca: spinach and potato covered in peanuts. 8.9. This was a big favorite with the vegetarians in our group.
2. Pisto Riojana: Poached egg surrounded by a wall of vegetables. 8.5. Great flavors.
3. Calamari Rabas: 7.7
4. Croqueta de Jamon(Ham): 7
5. Asperagus and Jamon plate: 7.9
BAR LORENZO. This is the place for meat lovers on a budget:
1. Tio Agus Spicy Pork Sandwich: 9. This tasty little dish blended well with a glass of Rioja.
2. Chistorra. Not sure but I think this was chorizo on a stick. 9.
TORECILLA. Best Foie Gras on The Camino Frances:
1. Foie Gras: Had this with an upgraded glass of Rioja Crianza. 9.9. I was a bit startled at how good this was getting weak in the knees and it paired perfectly with the wine. I think it was the flavorful add of a bit of cheese and onion that gives Torecilla the slight edge over the Foie at Bar Gaucho in Pamplona.
DELLASERRA HELADERIA. Carrie Vallone said this was one of the top 10 Ice Cream shops in Spain so I insisted to the group we had to stop there at 10:30 last night and there was a line of 50 people waiting. She was right:
Strawberry 9.
Chocolate Straciatella 9.
Lemon Sorbet 9.
Might have even gotten a higher rating but David is Italian and a bit biased to Italian Gelato.
Can’t wait to return here on next year’s Culinary Camino. So many more pintxos to try. There are more pictures on my personal FB site if interested.
——————————————
LOGRONO CALLE LAUREL PINTXO BAR RATINGS. Tipperary to Santiago Day 81:
Yesterday I visited Calle Laurel in Logrono to sample Pintxo’s from some of top rated Bars. Results are a compromise based on opinions of me and my companions; Ballosino from Lucca, Italy, Lilly from Berlin, and Hannah from London. I also used some sampling from 2016 as well. Anything under an 8 was ok but not worth coming back for. 8-9 was worth returning for. Above 9 is worth making a special trip to.
LA TAVINA. Great spot on a corner of Calle Laurel:
1.Raw tuna with sesame seed coating with pineapple and onion salsa. 9.5. Wonderful flavors.
2.Pastel de carne y boletus: Beef and mushrooms baked in a cream sauce. 9.5. Loved this simple dish.
PASSION POR TI. Would like to return and try more as they had some interesting alternatives:
1.Trufoie: Truffled potato and foie gras with egg and olive oil boiled at low temperature for 2 hours. 8.5 Delicious and different blend of flavors.
BAR ANGEL. Known for their pickup window where we hung out. Great spot.
1. 3 grilled in oil and garlic mushroom caps on a slice of baguette crowned with a small shrimp. That is the only choice here. 8.5. Deliciously simple dish liked very much by the vegetarians in our group.
BAR SORIANO. This is an old classic. Probably the same decor as 50 years ago. But I loved the vibes.
1. Same dish as Bar Angel. Unfortunately they were closed for a two week vacation. But I rated this an 8 in 2016. I think it's a toss up between the two.
BAR CID:
1. Grilled oyster mushrooms in a garlic sauce. Again their only dish. 8. I preferred the mushroom caps at Bar Angel.
BODEGUILLA LOS ROTOS. Specialize in delicious sandwiches made with scrambled eggs:
1. Eggs and Mushrooms 8.5
2. Eggs and Chorizo 8.5
LETRAS DE LAUREL. We should have left here earlier but we were having a good time:
1. Croqueta de Espinaca: spinach and potato covered in peanuts. 8.9. This was a big favorite with the vegetarians in our group.
2. Pisto Riojana: Poached egg surrounded by a wall of vegetables. 8.5. Great flavors.
3. Calamari Rabas: 7.7
4. Croqueta de Jamon(Ham): 7
5. Asperagus and Jamon plate: 7.9
BAR LORENZO. This is the place for meat lovers on a budget:
1. Tio Agus Spicy Pork Sandwich: 9. This tasty little dish blended well with a glass of Rioja.
2. Chistorra. Not sure but I think this was chorizo on a stick. 9.
TORECILLA. Best Foie Gras on The Camino Frances:
1. Foie Gras: Had this with an upgraded glass of Rioja Crianza. 9.9. I was a bit startled at how good this was getting weak in the knees and it paired perfectly with the wine. I think it was the flavorful add of a bit of cheese and onion that gives Torecilla the slight edge over the Foie at Bar Gaucho in Pamplona.
DELLASERRA HELADERIA. Carrie Vallone said this was one of the top 10 Ice Cream shops in Spain so I insisted to the group we had to stop there at 10:30 last night and there was a line of 50 people waiting. She was right:
Strawberry 9.
Chocolate Straciatella 9.
Lemon Sorbet 9.
Might have even gotten a higher rating but David is Italian and a bit biased to Italian Gelato.
Can’t wait to return here on next year’s Culinary Camino. So many more pintxos to try. There are more pictures on my personal FB site if interested.
