Previously on The Blog About Nothing... in London!

  • stamaria Santa Maria
    Best Pizza in London
  • tapcoffee Tap Coffee
    Coffee time in Warren St
  • exmouthespresso Bean Review
    Exmouth Espresso Blend
  • kurobuta Kurobuta
    Japanese Tapas
  • oddonos Oddono's
    Gelato in Chiswick
  • smokehouse Smokehouse
    Mouthwatering Burgers and BBQ
  • firehouse No 197 Fire Station
    Complete disaster
  • irisandjune Iris & June
    Independent Coffee Shop in Victoria
  • coffeeguide The Not Official London Coffee Guide
    Humble take on the independent scene
  • dumdum Dum Dum Donutterie
    They don't have Cronuts but they do Cros
  • bonanza Bean Review
    Bonanza's Espresso Blend
  • moo Moo Cantina
    Lomito Time
  • chorbizarre Chor Bizarre
    Restaurant with personality
  • squaremilebelen Bean Review
    Square Mile's Belen Espresso
  • ottolenghi Ottolenghi
    Not as good as usual!
  • quantus Quantus
    European cuisine in Chiswick
  • pearlliang Pearl Liang
    About Time for a Chinese
Showing posts with label roast suckling pig. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roast suckling pig. Show all posts

What has in common an aqueduct, world heritage, and roast suckling pig? Probably Segovia

During my trip to Madrid, a couple friends recommended visiting Segovia, world heritage city, a magnificent Roman aqueduct still standing, and a succulent cuisine specialised in roast suckling pig, which is so tender that they cut it with a dish. With that in mind, I couldn’t resist to go for a day trip and see it by myself.

Segovia Aqueduct

Took the fast train and in 30 minutes I was already in the old city in front of the aqueduct. Small but cosy city, things to see definitely the aqueduct, which is breathtaking, one of the best preserved Roman monuments in Spain. Also, the Alcazar residence of the kings of Castille, and the Segovia Cathedral or the Lady of Cathedrals and last Gothic church built in Spain.

Cathedral

Alcazar

But my objective was to eat the roast suckling pig in a traditional place and enjoy of the whole show. I asked a couple friends and they recommended the popular place between the tourists, just in front of the aqueduct, to good to be truth, so as Mark Knopfler would say I did my “Private Investigation”, first I went to the tourist information, tried to bribe the lady as she didn’t want to give me any options or tips. Subsequently I googled to see what was the most popular one, but I didn’t stop there, then I went to every local I could identified and asked them for a recommendation, after annoying probably more than 4 dozen Segovianos, I came to conclusion that the place to go was Jose Maria.

The Place

The place opened in 1982, is in the middle of the old city, near the Plaza Mayor. Got to the place, pass the bar, as I wanted to sit down and have the chance of seeing the waiter cutting the pig with a plate. Got my table, and immediately got croquettes without even asking for it, just a small portion to entice you. I knew my main but I also wanted to try a traditional appetiser so I asked the waiter what was a traditional and special starter, and the answer was morcilla (black pudding), seriously! I was in heaven.

The menu

The Place

Croquettes

Got my morcilla starter which for London standards it was almost a main course, and then the roast suckling pig, fatty crispy outside, and tender and juicy inside, just amazing. The pig has to be between 15 to 20 days old and weigh 3 to 4 kilograms to be considered suckling pig.

Black Pudding

Roast Suckling Pig

Succulent cuisine, impressive show, not every day you see a waiter cutting a pig with a dish, and a city that is almost lost in time, the perfect spot for a day trip.

Cutting the most tender pig with a plate

Pig reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Bris” when Kramer is obsessed with a Pigman.

Jerry: Hospital receives grant to conduct DNA research, Government funds genetic research at area hospital ... Yeah, so?
Kramer: Pigman, baby. Pigman.
Elaine: Oh, if I hear about this pigman one more time...
Kramer: I'm telling you the pigman is alive. The governments been experimenting with pigmen since the fifties.
Jerry: Will you stop it. Just because a hospital gets a grant to study DNA doesn't mean they are creating a race of mutant pigmen.
Kramer: Oh. Jerry wake up to reality. It's military thing. They're probably creating a whole army of pig warriors.
George: I wish there were pigmen. You get a few of these pigmen walking around I'm looking a whole lot better. Then if somebody wants to fix me up at least they could say, "Hey he's no pig-man!"
Jerry: Believe me, there'd be plenty of women going for the pig-men. No matter what the deformity you'll find some group of perverts attracted to it. "Oh that little tail turns me on."

Here we go again Madrid – Episode III: Juana La Loca

One of my favourite places in Madrid is Juana La Loca, my friend Patty took me once and I couldn’t believe it. The place is always busy, serving amazing pintxos from Basque cuisine, really a high level of tapas in the Spanish capital. I think in every review I’ve read all agree the place is expensive but is worth every penny.

Crazy Juana 

The Place

I got early, just to have some sort of brunch, and what a brunch I was going to have, I started with their classic a tortilla de patatas con cebollas caramelizadas (Spanish tortilla with caramelized onions) just amazing, after that a goat cheese with bacon and pimientos de piquillo (piquillo peppers), to finish with my favourite lechon (roast suckling pig).

 One of the best Tortillas in Madrid

Goat cheese, bacon, and piquillo peppers what can go wrong

Roast suckling pig a classic

The food as usual was great, amazing flavours, creative dishes, good service even though the place was completely packed. Definitely a must if you’re in Madrid.

Loca meaning in English is mental or crazy, and that reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Stall” where Jerry is dating a phone sex woman.

Jerry: what's with you?
Kramer: that's her
Jerry: who?
Kramer: Erika, she's Erika
Jerry: oh you think she's Erika, the phone sex woman
Kramer: Jerry, that voice is tattooed on my brain, I'm telling you it's her
Jerry: oh you're crazy
Kramer: am I? or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
Jerry: it's impossible
Kramer: is it? or is it so possible your heard is spinning like a top?
Jerry: it can't be
Kramer: can't it? or is your entire world just crashing down all around you?
Jerry: alright that's enough
Kramer: yeaaaaah!

The World’s Oldest Restaurant

Checking internet during my days in Madrid I found that the oldest restaurant in the world is El Sobrino de Botin. So immediately I asked my friend Patty if she had been there, and her answer was that it was quite difficult to find a reservation there. So that wasn’t going to stop me, I went online to their site and after browsing a couple minutes I had booked a table.

The Place, Previously named Casa Botin now El Sobrino de Botin.

The Dinning Room

The place was established in 1725, originally named Casa Botin, inherit by Candido Remis (Nephew of Jean Botin) and renamed El Sobrino de Botin. Even Goya worked there as a dishwasher while waiting to get a place at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. I went for the scrambled eggs with black pudding and potatoes, a gazpacho, and to complete the meal their speciality roast suckling pig (Cochinillo). The food was impressive, really good and a perfect option to try typical Spanish food. I was expecting a tourist trap to be honest, couldn't be more wrong.

The Menu

Sangria

Gazpacho

Roast Suckling Pig

All this old situation reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Frogger” when Elaine eats a $29000 cake from the 1937 wedding of King Edward VIII that Mr Peterman had in his refrigerator.

Mr. Peterman: Elaine, up until a few minutes ago, I was convinced I was on the receiving end of the oldest baker's grift in the books - The Enterman's Shim Sham. Until I remembered my security camera, which I installed to catch other Walter using my latrine.
Elaine: But, Mr. Peterman, I...
Mr. Peterman: Elaine, I have a question for you - is the item still with you?
Elaine: I guess so...
Mr. Peterman: Elaine, do you have any idea what happens to a butter-based frosting after sitting 60 years in a poorly ventilated English basement? I have a feeling that what you are about to go through is punishment enough. Dismissed.
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