Haro

We arrived in Haro just in time for the celebration of San Pedro, which includes a huge wine battle, see espanaplana for pictures of that.

On our first walk around the town there was free fish being handed out in the main square. Loads of Sardines being grilled and given away, lunch sorted!

We try and eat regional dishes when we can, this may look a bit funky but it was pretty good. Menestra de Venduras is a vegetable stew.

Hotel food at Asador Tinto, it was pretty average. Patatas a la Riojana

Crap Paella

Merluza a la brasa con Patatas Panadera (Grilled Hake)

Entrecot de Ternera a la Parrilla (Grilled Sirloin)

Best thing on the menu Pudin de Holjadre which is deep fried puff pastry

Fabada (Chorizo and Bean Stew)

Another (better) version of Menestra de Venduras

Our first Bodega visit was to Alta, we tried 3 wines, the first being Vina Alberdi Crianza 2006 which had lots of red berry flavour with a hint of coffee and tobacco. This Crianza, like a few of the older wineries do, is actually a Reserva but they classify it as a crianza because they already have 2 better wines from the vineyard which they call Reserva and Gran Reserva.

Next was Vina Arana Reserva 2005, this had more dark fruits and more complexity. It had a nice richness to it with mellow tannins

The final wine was Vina Ardanza Reserva 2004, again lots of dark fruits, vanilla oak and chocolate. All 3 were very traditional style Riojas

Our next visit was to C.V.N.E and first wine up was from their Imperial range. This 2007 Reserva has a garnet colour and dark berry flavours. Quite smokey, with hints of coffee. 

This is their standard white called Monopole and is made from the Viura grape. It was nice and light with melon and pineapple notes

Foie with Pedro Ximenez at Bar Los Canos

Bacalao Ajoarriero (Cod with lots of garlic)

Rabo de Buey (Oxtail)

Our visit to Roda meant we got to try 2 wines and 2 Olive oils. Roda wines are quite recent and aren't the typical Rioja style. We tried their most recent vintages of Roda Reserva 2008 and Sela 2010. Roda Reserva was quite a bright, fresh wine with lots of red cherry. The Sela tasted very youthful and was all fruit with strawberry and cherry dominating.

Our last visit was to one of the most famous wineries in Spain, R.Lopez de Heredia. The first wine we tried was Vina Gravonia Crianza 2003 which is one of the strangest whites I've had. It has a golden colour like a dessert wine which I guess it should being 10 years old but it tasted quite fresh and light. Made from the Viura grape.

Vina Tondonia Tinto Reserva 2001. Really good vintage, very rich and complex with vanilla oak notes

For good budget eats go to Chamonix, this is there Cerdo Brocheta (Pork Kebab)

As my waistline shows, I love burgers. This was the BEST burger I have ever had, seriously, and I've eaten loads. It was huge, almost the size of a 7" record and had bacon, cheese, pickles, tomato, lettuce and onion. It tasted great and was about 5 euros. The photo doesn't do it justice.

Finally had some Ice cream with Pedro Ximenez, try it.

Logrono

We went to several tapas bars all on the same street, Calle Laurel. This street is just tapas and wine bars, each bar having its own speciality dish, so you just hop from bar to bar, a glass of wine starts at 80 cents.

We started in La Taberna del Tio Blas and had Migas Riojanas con Chorizo y Huevos.

It was pretty average but it was the only bar open when we arrived. The wine we had first was a crianza called Eneas from Rioja, it was a bit sour. We tried another wine from a village near Haro called San Vicente (which is where my favourite Rioja is from). Murmuron is a young wine that was quite similar to a Beaujolais or Valpolicella. Lots of Strawberry bubblegum flavours.

Next stop was Bar Jubera which specialised in Patatas Bravas

This was one of the spiciest Bravas we've had, it was really good.

Carrie loves mushrooms guys, so we went to this bar twice.

Bar Angel had these little beauties as their speciality, 3 mushrooms stacked covered in garlic butter and topped with a prawn. We did this 3 times, each time with a glass of Coto Mayor crianza which had lots of vanilla and liquorice.

Next was to Bar Donosti or Bar San Sebastian for some Foie. We drank Valsarte 2007 which was smooth and pleasant.

We decided to stay and have some more as the Spain v Italy match was on. This is Morcilla de Burgos. Black Pudding topped with peppers.

Next course was a typical dish of Rioja, Embuchado de Cabrito is basically young goat guts thoroughly cleaned and rolled up into a ball.

This is how it looks when served. It was really delicious.

We then went back to a few bars and had quite a few glasses of wine and the camera was quite sensibly packed away. It was a good night out!

Madrid

A quick stop in Madrid and our friends Mario and Vicky took us to a local bar for dinner.

This looks innocent enough

This doesn't!

This is what happens when you mix it all up, Huevos Rotos is Ham, Peppers, Fried Egg and Chips.Yes, dirty food!!

Chorizo cooked in Cider

Almunecar

 Almunecar is a small town on the Costa Tropical and has a few decent restaurants.

The first restaurant we visited was Lute y Jesus

This was their Grilled Fish Platter, it was huge and great value for money.

The biggest Chupito so far

The next place we tried was Meson Antonio. This dish was a mixture of Black Pudding and Egg topped with Goats Cheese.

Fried Cod with Tomato and Pepper Sauce

This was breakfast.

A plate of the house Montaditos at Meson Antonio. Ham, Pork Loin and Manchego on Baguette.

Eggy Bread.

Grilled Sardines at Sabina

Hake in a Garlic and Dill Cream Sauce

Whole Lemon Sole. Really good!

Nerja

This post includes food we had on day trips as well as meals in Nerja.

Our first restaurant visit was to La Taberna in Nerja which is famous for its Chorizo al Infierno.

The chorizo is skewered and placed in a terracotta pig and then set alight

Its cooked for about 10 minutes and then served in bread. The bar man does all the work and seemed to be cooking about 10 chorizos all at different tables whilst serving drinks. Tasted really good.

Carries lunch in Granada at Bar Damasqueros, Ensalada Tropical

Dia del Pescaito in Torremolinos meant lots of free fried fish were available. If only the plates were slightly bigger and the queues slightly smaller. Our first plate was Sardines and Calamari.

I was hoping we'd get one of these each.

More sardines.

Free chorizo tapas in the bar at El Pulguilla

We then went to their restaurant and had massive portions of fish. These are Puntillitas (Baby Squids)

Gambas al Pil-Pil (Spicy, Garlic Prawns)

Chanquete- Pez Plata (Fried Battered Small Anchovies)

All you can eat Paella at Ayos, highly recommended if you're hungry and on the blue flag Burriana beach

Amazing pizzas at Pizza Jimenez, this one is The Tropicana- Bananas, Ham and Curry Sauce

Alegre- Prawns, Tuna, Peppers and Onion

Barbacoa- Beef, Chicken, Bacon and BBQ Sauce

Our last meal was had in Maro which was walking distance from our hotel. We went to La Entrada which served nice home cooked food. This is a Grilled Swordfish Steak.

A huge Pork Belly Rib