How Does the Food Rate? Poll !

[Robo]

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I are glued to this Forum as we eagerly await or first Camino in May 2015. I've just been looking at some of the food photos. Food Photo Thread. There are some very yummy looking dishes in there .....

So for a bit of fun, I thought we might run a Poll on how you rate Spanish Food. Not specific restaurants or Albergues, but just how you 'rate' Spanish food generally. Like everyone we have our favourite Country 'cuisines'. (And Yes I realise Cuisines do vary across many countries. Like India. Northern and Southern food is quite different).

So let's see how Spanish cuisine ranks... Pick your top THREE.

I'm sorry but we can only fit 10 answers in the Poll, so apologies to the Welsh, Scots, Irish (awesome Stew), Canadians, Argentinians, Portugese, Dutch, Belgians (great Chips by the way) .... Feel free to comment after the poll.

oops! Forgot to put Spanish in the list!!! As I can't edit the Poll, maybe Ivar you could take out Chinese and replace it with Spanish?

 

[ivar]

Ivar you could take out Chinese and replace it with Spanish?
--Done!

 

[wayfarer]

And what about Irish cuisine..........we do waaaaay more than stew ..

 

[Robo]

Hi wayfarer. Yes indeed! But I was brought up on Irish Stew and love it. So much so I had to teach my Thai wife how to cook it.... now she loves it ! Great food is only part of what makes Ireland an awesome place of course. Hopefully we'll get back there again soon

 

[Robo]

Many thanks Ivar. Couldn't believe I missed it!

 

[scruffy1]

Spanish food is amazing, Pilgrim's menus less so. The seafood in Santiago is over the top! Worst case scenario and do remember, two quick glasses of Rioja and it all tastes gourmet!

 

[dougfitz]

Spanish food is amazing, Pilgrim's menus less so. The seafood in Santiago is over the top! Worst case scenario and do remember, two quick glasses of Rioja and it all tastes gourmet!

A good day's walk, and I don't even need the Rioja to make any food taste good!

 

[wayfarer]

Hi wayfarer. Yes indeed! But I was brought up on Irish Stew and love it. So much so I had to teach my Thai wife how to cook it.... now she loves it ! Great food is only part of what makes Ireland an awesome place of course. Hopefully we'll get back there again soon

You are forgiven.

 

[mspath]

Doug is SO right! Especially during storms when the wind howls outside the albergue hot soup, a chunk of cheese and wedge of sausage can be ambrosia!

 

[Al the optimist]

On a cold windy day last year we climbed up to the parochial in Viana to be greeted by the hospitalario who insisted we went into the kitchen with him before registering. We were then given a cup of hot soup to warm our bodies up and a glass of red to warm up our spirits. Another one of those memorable moments! Can't say what the soup was like to taste as I can't remember that but I do know it was lovely because of how it was given.

 

[Olivia Luna]

I was not picky, but dear God!!!!! I was more concerned about the amount of food I was being served and the fact that I was eating it with no concern as to taste, contents, looks, or anything else except that I was ravenous LOL

 

[Icacos]

And what about Irish cuisine..........we do waaaaay more than stew ..

And the breakfasts you lay out! Those alone are worth the trip over!

 

[scruffy1]

You have had some very unfortunate karma at dinnertime, I only walk in the spring so I cannot talk about the rest of the year howver Pilgrim Xin Loi please cast your eye over a friendly if partial list for next time around: sopa caracoles-vegetable soup with a generous handfull of snails added at the last moment, Cochifrito-fried lamb very expensive the week before Easter very affordable the week after; Cuajada- custardy yoghurt or yoghurty custard from lambs milk and honey; Chicken and chorizos from the Basques; Botillo or Botelo in Galicia a stuffed sausage thing, codillo de cerdo pork knuckles, an acquired taste but quite delicious; bacalao in all its variations can be out of this world!, even the lowly albondigas, meatballs, can be heavenly if homemade.

 

[Icacos]

An excerpt from my blog dated April of last year:

We are both exhausted and have just eaten the last of our food in our room, so need to get resupplied. My favourite meal is a can of sardines with a baguette. I think of Daddy when I am sopping up the last of the olive oil with my baguette - he would approve.

 

[scruffy1]

PS at request I can add cheese and wine many favorites don't get me started. I do agree that the pilgrim favorite of overcooked pasta with red something sauce andred vinegar disquised as wine will fill your stomach however...

 

[tominrm]

Honestly I missed hearty American style breakfast with omelette, bacon, hash brown, English muffin, with bottomless pot of coffee before starting a long walk. I think not having that type of breakfast everyday is responsible for my losing 13 pounds. I liked "pilgrims' menu" because it usually does not require much deicisions what to eat. Luckily never had a bad pilgrims' menu.

 

[dancingdiva3746]

Spanish food is amazing, Pilgrim's menus less so. The seafood in Santiago is over the top! Worst case scenario and do remember, two quick glasses of Rioja and it all tastes gourmet!

Scruffy is so right! Pilgrims menus tend to be high in cheap carbs and low in flavour. I would rather have tapas or other nibble or just an entree than most of the pilgrim menus. Check out what the locals are eating and order that.

 

[tploomis]

I had a paella to die for in Burgos. Come to think of it, every meal in Burgos was out of this world. I want to go back!

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

My rating on Spanish food? Meh... And I would have to say that pulpo was some of the nastiest crap I have ever eaten. Maybe if it's prepared well and it has not been sitting dead in a glass case for a week. As far as paella goes anything made from the sea's water filters is not high on my list of delicious. Never again... The best sea food I ever had actually came from the north coast of Cornwall, England. Now that's some fresh fish!

 

[Robo]

Honestly I missed hearty American style breakfast with omelette, bacon, hash brown, English muffin, with bottomless pot of coffee before starting a long walk. I think not having that type of breakfast everyday is responsible for my losing 13 pounds. I liked "pilgrims' menu" because it usually does not require much deicisions what to eat. Luckily never had a bad pilgrims' menu.

Have to agree. Breakfast is the 'most important meal of the day' in terms of having energy for the task at hand.

I was going to say I love the 'Full English' Breakfast that I am allowed to have once a week at home. But as pointed out above, the 'Full Irish', beats it!

 

[Robo]

My rating on Spanish food? Meh... And I would have to say that pulpo was some of the nastiest crap I have ever eaten. Maybe if it's prepared well and it has not been sitting dead in a glass case for a week. As far as paella goes anything made from the sea's water filters is not high on my list of delicious. Never again... The best sea food I ever had actually came from the north coast of Cornwall, England. Now that's some fresh fish!

My dear departed Father always has a rule when ordering Seafood. If you are a long way from the Sea ... don't! Good advice I think. It looks like most of the CF is a fair distance from sources of fresh Seafood....

 

[Robo]

It's interesting to see how the votes are going. Italian food is so popular globally. Here in Sydney we are falling over Italian Restaurants. But I'm embarrassed to say, I really don't 'get' Italian food at all. The only thing that seems to change between dishes, is the shape of the pasta Having said that, the best Pizza we ever ate was in Rome.

 

[Morris Jensen]

I found the food along the Camino offered to the pilgrims very dull and boring. Many cafe owners seemed too bone idle to make the effort and the restaurant used the cheapest cuts of fatty meat and bone filled chicken. It's my last day today, I'm looking forward to food cooked with herbs, spices and a served hot.

 

[Cejanus]

There is a wonderfully written and photographic book by Australian writer Dee Nolan entitled "A Food Lover's Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela." - Food, Wine and walking along the Camino through Southern France and theNorth of Spain. The author, is an award wining journalist and editor, who began her career in Melbourne. She has worked for some of the world's leading newspapers and magazines in London and New York. It covers various stages of the Camino Frances and the food in theses areas along with some sumptuous recipes. I recommend it as a great read. It is my constant reminder of the Camino.

The photography of the camino is breathtaking and the photographs of regional and other dishes is to salivate over.

This book was given to me by a young couple I had only met once and then only briefly before commencing my journey. They had heard that I was was going to walk the Camino. They came across the book whilst browsing in a Fremantle book-store and delivered it to a friend and asked him to pass it on to me. (Camino angles even before I left home.)

 

[Robo]

There is a wonderfully written and photographic book by Australian writer Dee Nolan entitled "A Food Lover's Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela." - Food, Wine and walking along the Camino through Southern France and theNorth of Spain.

Sounds like a Book worth getting!

 

[wayfarer]

Have to agree. Breakfast is the 'most important meal of the day' in terms of having energy for the task at hand.

I was going to say I love the 'Full English' Breakfast that I am allowed to have once a week at home. But as pointed out above, the 'Full Irish', beats it!

Good on you Robo,you have a discerning palate.

 

[bystander]

Can I give a thumbs-up for a large 'ashet' of the 'Full Scottish' breakfast?

 

[newfydog]

Honestly I missed hearty American style breakfast with omelette, bacon, hash brown, English muffin, with bottomless pot of coffee before starting a long walk. I think not having that type of breakfast everyday is responsible for my losing 13 pounds. I.

We talked the owner of a PMU hotel on the Arles route intomaking omelets for breakfast. He thought it was hilarious, but we didn't croak at 10 am that day.

 

[indyinmaine]

Somewhere along the way I started noticing that a few restaurants, those with all sorts of medallions and shields indicating culinary prizes, offered pilgrim meals. Deduction: the pilgrim meal comes from the same kitchen as the gourmet food! They were both delicious. There was one in Castrojeriz half way down the hill and another down the street from the albergue in Astorga.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The survey has been done here:

http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-l...=j_yaMRWiRXB_re3K1NALQg&bvm=bv.70810081,d.aWw

Spain came in 10th. Japanese food, doing badly in the Forum poll, is 4th.

 

[bokormen91]

I already voted - and picked Thai, Indian and Italian... I found it really hard to choose - Thai and Indian I love as there's such a variety between regions, everything from complex curries, salads that showcase 3-4 ingredients and awesome "streetfood"; there's comfort food for cold nights and light, refreshing dishes for warmer days, and there are heat/chilli options that range from baby food to malarial...

I picked Italian as there are so many regional foods that I really, really like... Though - if there was a Mediterranean option I'd go for that. It often overlaps between countries, and I seem to change my mind weekly as to whether Moroccan, Syrian, Italian, French, Greek, Spanish etc is my favorite.

Saying that - Spain has some awesome food; bean stews, hearty soups + lighter soups for summer (gazpacho or salmorejo), morcilla (black pudding), lechado (suckling pig) with stewed fruits, mato cheese with honey, piperade (especially with goat's or sheep cheese on the side), the Spanish roulette of pimientos de Padron, the sweetness of Piquillo peppers - often stuffed with yummyness, beautifully cured hams... Tapas, pinxto's - the list goes on.
Most smaller places on the Camino has "small and easy" menu's, which is understandable; it needs to be easy to cook and "non-offensive/non-adventourous" so that it can cater for as many differing people as possible. Considering the permanent population in some places, it is amazing that there is an "eating out" option at all. I've found larger cities better for "more traditional options", however mainly for lunch or small dishes such as tapas/pinxto's in early evening- albergue opening times do not correspond well with evening restaurant times.


To digress; On one of my trips to Thailand, I brought regional/national cheeses from Europe and some accompaniments - the items that disappeared first were the 2 goat's cheese (1 fresh, 1 matured) along with the red onion marmalade, membrillo and dark honey from Granada. I also brought saucisson, chorizo, morcilla, pickled herring, marinated olives and pickled vegetables. I find that most of my Thai friends have no "hang-ups" when it comes to offal or less traditional cuts of protein, nor are they scared of intensive flavors. I hope you and your wife will have some awesome meals, and not miss the Thai food too much

 

[Franpio]

I had a paella to die for in Burgos. Come to think of it, every meal in Burgos was out of this world. I want to go back!

We had the BEST meal in Burgos!! Yum Yum!

 

[Al the optimist]

There is a wonderfully written and photographic book by Australian writer Dee Nolan entitled "A Food Lover's Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela." - Food, Wine and walking along the Camino through Southern France and theNorth of Spain. The author, is an award wining journalist and editor, who began her career in Melbourne. She has worked for some of the world's leading newspapers and magazines in London and New York. It covers various stages of the Camino Frances and the food in theses areas along with some sumptuous recipes. I recommend it as a great read. It is my constant reminder of the Camino.

The photography of the camino is breathtaking and the photographs of regional and other dishes is to salivate over.

This book was given to me by a young couple I had only met once and then only briefly before commencing my journey. They had heard that I was was going to walk the Camino. They came across the book whilst browsing in a Fremantle book-store and delivered it to a friend and asked him to pass it on to me. (Camino angles even before I left home.)

The book sounds good and I felt tempted but in the UK they want £48 for it on Amazon. I'm not that intrigued.

 

[Robo]

It also gets bad reviews on Amazon

 

[TheTinkerBell]

I've been to 3/4 of those countries, but have sampled dishes from all of them at some stage, albeit in Ireland or somewhere else I've been.
Spanish food can be very good and very bad, but that's the same the world over. The important ingredients are freshness of produce and simplicity in cooking. The more a fish doesn't look like a fish (e.g. if it's covered in batter), the more it doesn't taste like a fish. In the main, the Spanish do simplicity in cooking very well - moreso than any other country imho. That's why I voted Spain No. 1. Also went for Thai and Italian.

 

[newfydog]

You can get something of an idea on the quality of a culture's cuisine by looking at the restaurants of the world. In any large city you'll find an Italian, a French, and a Chinese restaurant. It will be much easier to find a Thai restaurant than an Indonesian one, despite the fact that Indonesia is bigger, more populous and practically invented the spice trade. Ethiopian restaurants are more common than other African ones.

By that measure, the Spanish rate poorly, beneath their former colony of Mexico. German food, Russian food is out there but not in great demand. American food, if you acknowledge the KFC and McD are not restaurants is nothing special either. India and Japan are not bad, and Ireland contributes the pub.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can get something of an idea on the quality of a culture's cuisine by looking at the restaurants of the world.

Quality? Really? How about fat and sugar content, or cost of ingredients? McDonalds hamburger sales dwarf the competition. Is it due to quality? Say it ain't so, Joe.

 

[newfydog]

Quality? Really? How about fat and sugar content, or cost of ingredients? McDonalds hamburger sales dwarf the competition. Is it due to quality? Say it ain't so, Joe.

If you read the entire post, I address the McDonalds issue. I referred to McDonalds as McD and Kentucky Fried Chicken as KFC, and dismiss them as something beneath the title of restaurant. As far as fat and sugar content go, well some great cuisine is a bit decadent. This isn't a health food thread.

 

[OTH86]

And what about Irish cuisine..........we do waaaaay more than stew ..

When you are fully recovered and back on the Camino, will you be chef-ing occasionally to demonstrate "waaaaay more than stew"? Emmm, when do you think you'll be back on the Camino??

 

[OTH86]

Honestly I missed hearty American style breakfast with omelette, bacon, hash brown, English muffin, with bottomless pot of coffee before starting a long walk. I think not having that type of breakfast everyday is responsible for my losing 13 pounds. I liked "pilgrims' menu" because it usually does not require much deicisions what to eat. Luckily never had a bad pilgrims' menu.

I never had problems finding bacon and eggs / ham and eggs / chorizo and eggs (occasionally with crispy fries) about 10.30 or 11 every day when I was walking! With a large juice, fresh bread, butter and apricot jam and two large cups of Cafe con Leche - got me thru for awhile!! ...and it was all REAL food...

 

[wayfarer]

You can get something of an idea on the quality of a culture's cuisine by looking at the restaurants of the world.....and Ireland contributes the pub.

Ireland has many Michelin rated restaurants, the quality of our ingredients is second to none, no "legal growth promoters" allowed in our grass fed beef, fresh Atlantic fish, our whole food movement is towards slow and organic so for anyone who has travelled even any small amount this is a rather steriotypical statement.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Ireland has many Michelin rated restaurants

Nine total; four are in Dublin.

France has 594.

 

[Robo]

I see there are 2 or 3 along the CF

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The Michelin season keeps marching on, and today the 2014 Michelin Guide to Spain and Portugal has been announced. The big news this year is that there is a new three-star restaurant: Diverxo in Madrid. Guide director Michael Ellis is quoted in the press release below saying "David Munoz is without a doubt a rising star in the world of gastronomy" and he adds that the cooking at Diverxo "is of exceptionel [sic] creativity, one where the senses are never at rest."

There are seven other three-stars including Arzak, Azurmendi, Akelare, Martin Berasategui, Quique Dacosta, Sant Pau, and El Celler de Can Roca (which is currently ranked the #1 restaurant in the world). Portugal still has no three-star restaurants. There are also two new two-star restaurants: El Portal and M.B.. There are 22 new one-star restaurants, including Albert Adrià's Barcelona cocktail bar 41° and his restaurant Tickets. This brings Spain and Portugal's grand totals to eight three-stars, 19 two-stars, and 144 one-stars, an increase from last year.

By way of comparison, Western Japan has 14 three-stars, Great Britain has four, New York City has seven, Germany has 11, and San Francisco has two.

Camino Frances: Pamplona has two, Leon one.
Barcelona: 25

So don't expect truly great food on the Camino Frances. Other caminos have more. Bilbao has four, Gijon has two, San Sebastian has three, and A Coruna has two.

 

[Robo]

The promise of just one awesome dinner along the CF will keep us going

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Then start in SJPdP with one star:

http://hotel-les-pyrenees.com/en/le-restaurant

Pamplona:

http://www.hoteleuropapamplona.com/Restaurante

http://www.restauranterodero.com/indexen.html

 

[Pelegrin]

Spanish food?

Yes, there is a "generic" Spanish food, that includes some regional dishes like paella (Valencia), fabada (Asturias), fried fish (Andalucia).... and many others with no "nationality": pasta. legumes, meat, chiquen with chips, etc.

You can find this "generic" and sometimes dull Spanish food in menus from 8 to 12 euros.

Then, also we have the specific regional cuisines: Basque, Catalan, Galician, Castilian, etc that are quite different among them: Basque and Catalan elaborated (even sophisticated), Galician quite simple but including high quality ingredients....., etc.

The good Spanish regional cuisine it's from 30 euros (from my experience).

I think that the same thing (more or less) is in France, Italy, China....

 

[bystander]

In my experience Michelin is not per se a "touchstone" to good food and an enjoyable evening.
As a guide to "fine dining" - yes - with all that implies (luxurious surroundings, creatively folded napkins, sensitive lighting, synchronised lid-lifting etc etc).
But that is not, in my opinion, the same has having an enjoyable meal with friends.
A better guide to local restaurants is to ask the opinions of those who have recently eaten there and the opinions of local residents.

p.s. there are dozens if not hundreds of Michelin rated restaurants in the UK and the Republic of Ireland but that, in all honesty, only serves to make you better informed,
However, sadly, it does not makes you any the wiser!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Michelin has a list called Bib Gourmands that includes good value under $40. These restaurants do not have stars, but the Michelin raters opine that the food is good and the price reasonable. Acio and Mar De Esteiro make this list for Santiago.

Michelin does not rate on atmosphere or service, just the food.

"MICHELIN Inspectors work throughout the year to analyze restaurants in a given city, regularly eating two or more meals per day, every day, always under the cloak of anonymity. The results of their tireless research have been collected and curated into the MICHELIN Red Guides, your gastronomic reference to the best of the big city.


"MICHELIN inspectors designate the restaurants they feel deliver the most value to consumers. These are Bib Gourmands. They are an ideal resource for consumers looking for the perfect meal at a reasonable price."

They know a lot about food and cuisine, but taking their recommendations is up to the individual. They take away stars when a restaurant does not live up to it! Lay food critics rarely do so.

 

[AJ]

I currently have an appetite problem - I am close to Santiago having been on the road since Narbonne. All I want is hamburgers and beer. I can be tempted by crianza. The usual pilgrim menu leaves me cold - I could be more specific but the Mods would slap me on the wrist, the creatures

 

[Icacos]

All this talk of Michelin guides and fine dining has reminded me of the time towards the end of my Camino when I saw a woman coming out of the field adjacent to her house with a handful of freshly harvested carrots. I was tempted to ask her if I could come to her house for dinner.

 

[Diefenbaker]

I have an apartment close to La Manga in south east Spain so I know the food generally found along the camino wasn't really representative of Spanish food but I thought the Pilgrim's menus weren't too bad, especially for the price but it was the company that made the meal so enjoyable. I also loved the dishes served by the Albergue hosts from whichever country they came from. I did wish I'd found more bars serving churros though.
The worst meal I had though was a Paella on the sea front in Finesterre, ugh, gopping!!
I was longing for a Chinese meal but couldn't see any Chinese restaurants on the way, were there any?

 

[Robo]

How true. The right company can make the most modest of meals memorable!

 

[tominrm]

"I was longing for a Chinese meal but couldn't see any Chinese restaurants on the way, were there any?"

I had a Chinese meal in Burgos. The restaurant is called Hong Kong near the main cathedral. Someone told me of good and reasonable Chinese buffet near Santiago (just before) in a shopping center but I learned of it too late.

 

[Icacos]

By the time I got to Cacabelos (Day 33) I was very tired of the usual bocadillo con queso for lunch and was looking for something different, a more substantial bocadillo. There was something on the menu that I hadn't seen before. The waiter told me it was chicken breast, and added apologetically that it would take a bit longer to prepare.

It was well worth the wait and the extra euros. I had half for lunch and the rest for dinner. It was absolutely divine.

 

[Icacos]

Speaking of bocadillos, I found that often they were bigger than I wanted, that is, too much bread for the filling. A Spanish woman I chanced to speak with told me that the bocadillo is the full size 'sandwich', and that I could order a half-size bocadillo. She told me what to ask for, but I forget the name. I believe it started with an 'm'. Can anyone help? Thanks.

 

[wayfarer]

Medio Bocadillo.

 

[Icacos]

Medio Bocadillo.

I'm sure that would work, but it was a word I did not recognize and 'bocadillo' did not figure in it. Perhaps it was a regional term?

 

[Canuck]

I'm sure that would work, but it was a word I did not recognize and 'bocadillo' did not figure in it. Perhaps it was a regional term?

I would suggest:

montado or montadito

Que aproveche!
Jean-Marc

 

[jbear]

If Mexican was on the list it would have made my 3. Argentine, too. But I guess "American" could be considered to cover all of North,Central, and South. If I were to just pick 3, with no list of choices- US, Spanish, and Mexican.

 

[Icacos]

montado or montadito

Thank you, Jean-Marc, montado is the word I was looking for.

However, I’ve just checked the etymology of that word. For someone who speaks very little Spanish, and as poorly as I do, attempting to use that word would be very risky business. I'm not prepared to go there!

I’ll go with medio bocadillo as wayfarer has suggested.

Thanks, wayfarer.

 

[Diefenbaker]

Thank you, Jean-Marc, montado is the word I was looking for.

However, I’ve just checked the etymology of that word. For someone who speaks very little Spanish, and as poorly as I do, attempting to use that word would be very risky business. I'm not prepared to go there!

I’ll go with medio bocadillo as wayfarer has suggested.

Thanks, wayfarer.

Sounds intriguing.