The Best Spanish Foods/Restaurant

[bods1000]

Hey there Masi, nice thread. Like everyone here, I too enjoy Spanish food. I have my own recipe of paella which I'll post next time. Bods, Magaling, andito rin pala kayo.

 

Some notes and trivia: I remember eating Spanish food for the first time at Madrid on Edsa near the Polymedic back in the early 70s. It closed sometime in the 80s. Food was expensive here but my dad said he always came here because the owner always used he proper ingredients and neve scrimped.  During the same time, Dulcinea had one branch on Mabini and one near the old Rizal theater in Makati where Shangri-la now stands. I think it was owned by an old Spanish couple then.  It was basically coffee, tea and pastries. My favorites up to now are the ponchecito, the naranja, and the yemas.

 

I like the bacalao at La Tienda where one can also find the nougat at the deli occasionally. I hope someone will post a receipe for chicken Galantina.

 

I saw an earlier post about avocado. Try this: spread fresh avocado on a toast and sprinkle some salt.

 

There used to be a brand of turones sold in a circular can that was found only in Cebu. I can't remember the brand though.

 

Purefoods chorizo bilbao is more than suitable for paella. It is the torsillo which is getting difficult to find in the wet market.

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wow!

so you're back, pare!

 

Now that you mention it - I remember Madrid - I wonder why it closed down. It was some sort of a landmark at that portion of EDSA back in those days...

 

pare nice inputs - you're an Iberian gastronome just like masi and magaling

join us at Barcino, pare!

[bods1000]

Thanks! and more thanks for your inputs.  This thread appreciate these.  Well Bods and Magaling have been regulars here so much so that Bods and I meet up in this Spanish deli along J.Vargas in Pasig to enjoy some paella and/or tapas with spanish wines, which essentially turns out to be a joint-thread eb, with "wine savvy.  Now, if we could just muster some turnout from other posters.  Spurt joined us in one event.

 

Do let us know when you are in town, so bods and i can get something going.

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we'll get something going this week, pare...

better herd in the gang this early (as if there's a gang )...

[bods1000]

great post!  i just had lunch and enjoying a smoke of a DJU as i read it!  boy, that surely made me hungry cochinillo is really the best!  i could eat it straight up with a good wine to match and nothing else!  the part i like best about this dish is the ceremonial cutting with a plate..

speaking of hardening arteries, i gues i had my share of that... much as i like to eat, my cholesterol level is "maxed" out that i already feel guilty everytime i engage i food which has its fair share of salt and fat!

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aha!

so you're snucking cigars even at daytime

 

I haven't been much into Spanish cuisine, but judging from what I read here, parang it's murder on your cholesterol levels - sayang masasarap pa naman sana...

 

Dapat isang gallon na red wine ang iinumin mo pag kumakain ka ng Spanish (the food, I mean)

[masi]

aha!

so you're snucking cigars even at daytime

 

I haven't been much into Spanish cuisine, but judging from what I read here, parang it's murder on your cholesterol levels - sayang masasarap pa naman sana...

 

Dapat isang gallon na red wine ang iinumin mo pag kumakain ka ng Spanish (the food, I mean)

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can't help not to smoke with the wifey gone, no one here to tell a story or two, i have no recourse but to smoke!!!

 

what a time!!! i'm up for a physical exam and the lipids are surely going topsy-turvey!!!

 

looking forward to friday!

[Magaling]

all i can say, magaling, is that you really know how to eat!!!  I used to get angula (that's how i read at menus) at La Tasca at Greenbelt.  They prepare it just like you explained it, garlic and olive oil and top on some toasted baguette! 

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Yep! I'm quite daring when it comes to food fare. "Anguila" is the spanish word for eel but I do notice that in menus and even in the cans, the thing is spelled "angula" (I think I even saw one brand that says "angulitos"). I guess I'd have to take it under advisement and ask my more knowledgeable friends why this is so.

 

By the way, with regards to the canned variety, I have also observed that the ingredientes specify "protina de pesca" which is basically fich meat instead of simply saying "angula" or "anguila". Not sure if this suggests that the canned variety is made from processed fish meat instead of actual eel? Oh well. Either way, masarap pa rin naman so I'm not really complaining . . .

 

 

Have you tried the Spanish deli at lower lobby of the Podium or La Tienda here in Makati?

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No, I have not but will try and check it out one of these days . . .

[Magaling]

you may be referring to the turron de alicante, chocolate, jijona etc.  Your post is alright!  We share info here.. we ask as well as we give.

 

When you get your turron, post back where you got it as we how you liked it!!!

 

Have a good 1

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You may be right. It's got to be turron! Although they come in bars rather than blocks.

 

Turron de jijona is actually one of my favorite sweets. My taste buds say they smack of the local turrones de casuy. The difference is that turron is usually made of almonds, are a whole lot oilier, they come in bars instead of sticks, and minus the white edible wrapper made of rice paper which is a feature of the Pinoy variety.

 

Saan ba meron noon dito sa atin? Any local delis selling turron? Kasi kapag nag-uuwi ako nito, talagang tinitipid ko pa para di maubos kaagad. . .

[Magaling]

Hey there Masi, nice thread. Like everyone here, I too enjoy Spanish food. I have my own recipe of paella which I'll post next time. Bods, Magaling, andito rin pala kayo.

 

Purefoods chorizo bilbao is more than suitable for paella. It is the torsillo which is getting difficult to find in the wet market.

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Cheers, Pareng SBM!

 

Yes, Purefoods chorizo de bilbao has indeed been a lifesaver for many recipes when the imported variety is either unavailable or too expensive.

[masi]

You may be right.  It's got to be turron!  Although they come in bars rather than blocks.

 

Turron de jijona is actually one of my favorite sweets.  My taste buds say they smack of the local turrones de casuy.  The difference is that turron is usually made of almonds, are a whole lot oilier, they come in bars instead of sticks, and minus the white edible wrapper made of rice paper which is a feature of the Pinoy variety.

 

Saan ba meron noon dito sa atin?  Any local delis selling turron?  Kasi kapag nag-uuwi ako nito, talagang tinitipid ko pa para di maubos kaagad. . .

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i saw some at barcinos when i was there a few weeks back. they will be getting their alicante in september too together with the anguila.

[masi]

Yep! I'm quite daring when it comes to food fare.  "Anguila" is the spanish word for eel but I do notice that in menus and even in the cans, the thing is spelled "angula" (I think I even saw one brand that says "angulitos").  I guess I'd have to take it under advisement and ask my more knowledgeable friends why this is so.

 

By the way, with regards to the canned variety, I have also observed that the ingredientes specify "protina de pesca" which is basically fich meat instead of simply saying "angula" or "anguila".  Not sure if this suggests that the canned variety is made from processed fish meat instead of actual eel?  Oh well.  Either way, masarap pa rin naman so I'm not really complaining . . .

No, I have not but will try and check it out one of these days . . .

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just recently, my wife and i received a bottle of "dulong" in oil. quite honestly, when i looked at it the first time, i thought it was anguila. but the taste and the texture gave it away though. however, not every dulong in oil is served alike. the first one, which was made in a house in magallanes village, was far better than the others which i have tried.

[bods1000]

can't help not to smoke with the wifey gone, no one here to tell a story or two, i have no recourse but to smoke!!!

 

what a time!!! i'm up for a physical exam and the lipids are surely going topsy-turvey!!!

 

looking forward to friday!

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hehe damn those lipids!

On with Friday!

 

pareng sbm, magaling I hope you'll be there para masaya!

[Magaling]

hehe damn those lipids!

On with Friday!

 

pareng sbm, magaling I hope you'll be there para masaya!

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Dun ba ulit sa dati? Try ko. Makapag-driving range na rin tuloy . . .

[masi]

hehe damn those lipids!

On with Friday!

 

pareng sbm, magaling I hope you'll be there para masaya!

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bods, as mentioned... i'm good whatever the arrangements are!!! we can meet at the same place then go somewhere to meet glen and johnny... as that man in tanay will say... the more the many-er!!!

 

Dun ba ulit sa dati?  Try ko.  Makapag-driving range na rin tuloy . . .

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Magaling, does bods have your number? we'll get in touch with you once details are finalized! enjoy your workout... i just had my 18-holes this afternoon!

[bods1000]

bods, as mentioned... i'm good whatever the arrangements are!!! we can meet at the same place then go somewhere to meet glen and johnny...  as that man in tanay will say... the more the many-er!!!

Magaling, does bods have your number?  we'll get in touch with you once details are finalized! enjoy your workout... i just had my 18-holes this afternoon!

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I got in touch with sbm - looks like he can make it. Confirmation tomorrow.

I'll get in touch with magaling today...

 

ang saya!

madami tayo

 

looks like we'll have an 8-glass workout on Friday hehehe

[masi]

I got in touch with sbm - looks like he can make it. Confirmation tomorrow.

I'll get in touch with magaling today...

 

ang saya!

madami tayo

 

looks like we'll have an 8-glass workout on Friday hehehe

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hi bods! what exactly do you mean 8-glass workout... among the 4 of us plus possible pinoy i could only count 5? unless there is something you know and i dont? ok... surprise me! :boo:

[sally bogna mathay]

Ok folks, as promised, here's my paella recipe (good for 3-4).

 

ingredients

 

chicken (choice cuts, preferably, the pecho; 2 pieces cut into 3 each)

pork (pigi, not much, 1/4 kilo lang)

torsillo (filleted, 1 big fish)

clam (tulya, 1/2 kilo)

mussels (tahong, 1/2 kilo)

crab (alimasag, preferably the spotted ones, 5)

shrimp (1/2 kilo, preferably the small striped ones)

ham (i prefer the excelente type or chinese ham, 5 thinly sliced pieces)

onion (white)

tomatoes (big)

tomato paste

bell pepper

laurel (3 small leaves)

rice (6 cups)

1 can chorizo bilbao (purefoods will do)

atsuete (2 tbspns, soak in hot water in a bowl)

4 hard boiled eggs (after boiling, cool them and place in ref)

1 small can green peas

salt

 

Boil crab, shrimp, shellfish in pot, add salt, over slow flame. When done, or when shrimps turn red, remove from pot and set aside soup. Before I forget, clean the mussels and clams first before boiling. Do not overboil because the shellfish will become soggy. Fry torsillo in olive oil to a crisp.

 

Boil chicken, pork with one tomato and one onion over low flame. When done, remove from pot and set aside soup.

 

Fry torsillo, chorizo, ham and bell pepper separately. Set aside. For extra flavor, fry the bell pepper slightly in olive oil. Bell pepper should sliced into 8 pieces.

 

Saute 3 tomatoes, 1 1/2 onion and 1/2 tbspn tomato paste in olive oil. Combine this, the two soups and boil rice in deep pan over low flame. A huge wok will do. Once it boils pour water from soaked atsuete. This should give rice the orangy color.

 

Once rice is cooked, arrange chicken and pork in the middle. Add ham, torsillo and chorizo around them. Next comes the shellfish. Take out hard boiled eggs from fridge and slice into quarters. Last, it's the bell pepper. Voila! Vamos a comer!

 

Note: the dish looks even more delicious if the meats, fish and others are arranged nicely.

 

Bods, will confirm with you later today for tomorrow.

[masi]

Ok folks, as promised, here's my paella recipe (good for 3-4).

 

ingredients

 

chicken (choice cuts, preferably, the pecho; 2 pieces cut into 3 each)

pork (pigi, not much, 1/4 kilo lang)

torsillo (filleted, 1 big fish)

clam (tulya, 1/2 kilo)

mussels (tahong, 1/2 kilo)

crab (alimasag, preferably the spotted ones, 5)

shrimp (1/2 kilo, preferably the small striped ones)

ham (i prefer the excelente type or chinese ham, 5 thinly sliced pieces)

onion (white)

tomatoes (big)

tomato paste

bell pepper

laurel (3 small leaves)

rice (6 cups)

1 can chorizo bilbao (purefoods will do)

atsuete (2 tbspns, soak in hot water in a bowl)

4 hard boiled eggs (after boiling, cool them and place in ref)

1 small can green peas

salt

 

Boil crab, shrimp, shellfish in pot, add salt, over slow flame. When done, or when shrimps turn red, remove from pot and set aside soup. Before I forget, clean the mussels and clams first before boiling. Do not overboil because the shellfish will become soggy. Fry torsillo in olive oil to a crisp.

 

Boil chicken, pork with one tomato and one onion over low flame. When done, remove from pot and set aside soup.

 

Fry torsillo, chorizo, ham and bell pepper separately. Set aside. For extra flavor, fry the bell pepper slightly in olive oil. Bell pepper should sliced into 8 pieces.

 

Saute 3 tomatoes, 1 1/2 onion and 1/2 tbspn tomato paste in olive oil. Combine this, the two soups and boil rice in deep pan over low flame. A huge wok will do. Once it boils pour water from soaked atsuete. This should give rice the orangy color.

 

Once rice is cooked, arrange chicken and pork in the middle. Add ham, torsillo and chorizo around them. Next comes the shellfish. Take out hard boiled eggs from fridge and slice into quarters. Last, it's the bell pepper. Voila! Vamos a comer!

 

Note: the dish looks even more delicious if the meats, fish and others are arranged nicely.

 

Bods, will confirm with you later today for tomorrow.

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reading through this made me hungry!!!

 

i noticed that you dont put your paella in the oven? some recipes call for baking it.

[sally bogna mathay]

No, I don't use an oven...mainly because I've never had one! But seriously, I don't think you need to. There's a tendency for the heat generated in an oven to shrivel the shellfish, which would remove their flavor. To me, paella is even better after a few days. Wrap leftover paella in aluminum foil and place in fridge. To reheat, place the wrapped paella over a pan. Lalong sumasarap!

[Magaling]

Magaling, does bods have your number?  we'll get in touch with you once details are finalized! enjoy your workout... i just had my 18-holes this afternoon!

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Yes he does. . . I envy you. Kapag natuloy ako mag-driving range, that would be the first time this year that I will have the chance to hold my golf clubs once again :cry:

[Magaling]

No, I don't use an oven...mainly because I've never had one! But seriously, I don't think you need to. There's a tendency for the heat generated in an oven to shrivel the shellfish, which would remove their flavor. To me, paella is even better after a few days. Wrap leftover paella in aluminum foil and place in fridge. To reheat, place the wrapped paella over a pan. Lalong sumasarap!

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Strictly speaking, you need to bake it for a few minutes. I guess this is done to prevent the paella from being too moist (basa) and to achieve that much coveted "tutong" at the bottom of the pan.

 

Pero kami rin sa bahay, we never use an oven when cooking paella. It's just too tedious. (And honestly, I myself couldn't figure out how to use it.) Masarap pa rin naman kahit hindi na i-bake.

[masi]

Yes he does. . . I envy you.  Kapag natuloy ako mag-driving range, that would be the first time this year that I will have the chance to hold my golf clubs once again :cry:

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well, we're pretty lucky that we dont have winter. now that the monsoon has set in, it is best to calibrate that swing in the range than playing in soggy fairways. my golf is for the enjoyment of the game rather than getting a low handicap.

[masi]

No, I don't use an oven...mainly because I've never had one! But seriously, I don't think you need to. There's a tendency for the heat generated in an oven to shrivel the shellfish, which would remove their flavor. To me, paella is even better after a few days. Wrap leftover paella in aluminum foil and place in fridge. To reheat, place the wrapped paella over a pan. Lalong sumasarap!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Strictly speaking, you need to bake it for a few minutes.  I guess this is done to prevent the paella from being too moist (basa) and to achieve that much coveted "tutong" at the bottom of the pan. 

 

Pero kami rin sa bahay, we never use an oven when cooking paella.  It's just too tedious.  (And honestly, I myself couldn't figure out how to use it.)  Masarap pa rin naman kahit hindi na i-bake.

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is it that paella needs to be covered with aluminum foil before it's placed in the oven? by covering it, moisture is retained.

 

so the verdict is that baking is optional! (my experience with the oven is with steak. after pan searing both sides of a steak on a hot, high heat frying pan, i would throw the pan (make sure it has a metal handle, in a 180-degree preheated oven for 3 minutes to get the medium well consistency. so far what i get is an evenly browned juicy steak with sear markings. now the next thing i need to learn is how to be patient to bake!!!)

 

that sought after tutong is my favorite! a paella without tutong is not the real thing as far as i am concerned!

[bods1000]

hi bods!  what exactly do you mean 8-glass workout... among the 4 of us plus possible pinoy i could only count 5?  unless there is something you know and i dont?  ok... surprise me! :boo:

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hehe your imagination is as rich as your favorite Spanish dish - what I mean is that with good conversation and good company, baka mag-tig walong rounds tayo ng drinks

 

unless you have your own secret agenda hehehe...

[bods1000]

Ok folks, as promised, here's my paella recipe (good for 3-4).

 

ingredients

 

chicken (choice cuts, preferably, the pecho; 2 pieces cut into 3 each)

pork (pigi, not much, 1/4 kilo lang)

torsillo (filleted, 1 big fish)

clam (tulya, 1/2 kilo)

mussels (tahong, 1/2 kilo)

crab (alimasag, preferably the spotted ones, 5)

shrimp (1/2 kilo, preferably the small striped ones)

ham (i prefer the excelente type or chinese ham, 5 thinly sliced pieces)

onion (white)

tomatoes (big)

tomato paste

bell pepper

laurel (3 small leaves)

rice (6 cups)

1 can chorizo bilbao (purefoods will do)

atsuete (2 tbspns, soak in hot water in a bowl)

4 hard boiled eggs (after boiling, cool them and place in ref)

1 small can green peas

salt

 

Boil crab, shrimp, shellfish in pot, add salt, over slow flame. When done, or when shrimps turn red, remove from pot and set aside soup. Before I forget, clean the mussels and clams first before boiling. Do not overboil because the shellfish will become soggy. Fry torsillo in olive oil to a crisp.

 

Boil chicken, pork with one tomato and one onion over low flame. When done, remove from pot and set aside soup.

 

Fry torsillo, chorizo, ham and bell pepper separately. Set aside. For extra flavor, fry the bell pepper slightly in olive oil. Bell pepper should sliced into 8 pieces.

 

Saute 3 tomatoes, 1 1/2 onion and 1/2 tbspn tomato paste in olive oil. Combine this, the two soups and boil rice in deep pan over low flame. A huge wok will do. Once it boils pour water from soaked atsuete. This should give rice the orangy color.

 

Once rice is cooked, arrange chicken and pork in the middle. Add ham, torsillo and chorizo around them. Next comes the shellfish. Take out hard boiled eggs from fridge and slice into quarters. Last, it's the bell pepper. Voila! Vamos a comer!

 

Note: the dish looks even more delicious if the meats, fish and others are arranged nicely.

 

Bods, will confirm with you later today for tomorrow.

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hey guys, with all your culinary chops - magtayo na lang tayo ng resto

 

thanks a lot for the recipe, pare!

I hope you can join us tomorrow...

[masi]

hehe your imagination is as rich as your favorite Spanish dish - what I mean is that with good conversation and good company, baka mag-tig walong rounds tayo ng drinks

 

unless you have your own secret agenda hehehe...

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of course, anything that good come with a very fertile mind!!!!

 

secret agenda? i wish but none at the moment!!! whatever secrets i keep is what you tell me!!!!

 

let's sms for details!!! have a good start of your weekend!

[masi]

hey guys, with all your culinary chops - magtayo na lang tayo ng resto    

 

thanks a lot for the recipe, pare!

I hope you can join us tomorrow...

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pare, inom at kain lang ang galing ko. yung luto, pa-chamba chamba!