[Gocamino] Non Spanish Restaurants

[Rosina]

How very lovely to have such a wise and discerning daughter.
Of course, the fancier the packaging (menu) the more disappointing its contents.
Most restaurants, or bars, where a pilgrim, or anyone, might find good food on the Camino write their daily offerings with chalk on a blackboard displayed above the bar or outside the door.
Again, I would go where the local people go for their daily lunch which, in Spain, tends to be the principal meal of the day.
In all my times on the Camino I have never encountered the slightest discourtesy, or rejection, because of my rugged dragged-in-by-the-cat tired pilgrim appearance . I have, however, occasionally been requested not to bring into the dining area bulky and cumbersome items such as backpack, walking stick, etc. which by necessity would impede the free movement of waiters, other patrons, etc. At those times the proprietors have offered a place for me to leave the stuff..
It should be mentioned that the Xunta, in conjunction to the authorities on those municipalities traversed by the Camino, have urged pilgrims to report suspected abuses of pilgrims by merchants and other tradespersons. I know, for a fact, that such reported abuses are looked into and prosecuted when the offense warrants it. In Santiago alone three restaurants were closed recently pursuant to complaints.
Where do you carry your complaints?  To the nearest information office.
For the next Holy Year, 2010, a ruling has been approved by the Xunta whereby those restaurants and bars that advertise "pi
lgrims' menus" and the like, must offer bona fide credential-carrying pilgrims a discount without altering the quality, or the quantity of their offerings.
Lastly, I would not seek "fancy" restaurants on the Camino while on the pilgrimage. Wait till you get to Santiago where you can dress up and go to the Parador for dinner (although I would not recommend the food there) or some such, and mix with the local swells and well-heeled tourists.
On the road, one is very well served going for the food served in the locally modest and popular restaurants and bars.. 
Hugs!
Rosina

-----Original Message-----
From: deb berman <dberman101 at hotmail.com>
RE: [Gocamino] Non Spanish Restaurants


I also am curious and would like to hear about "foreign" cuisine in Spain, although I suspect the offerings in smaller towns and cities are often of the sort Rosina was talking about--those sub-par "Italian" restaurants in León. The regional cuisines of Spain are wonderful, provide plenty of variety and, I suspect, are under-sampled by pilgrims. When we walked the Camino Francés, my daughter and I tried to get off the "beaten path" and ask local people to recommend restaurants where they like to eat. Unfortunately, the wardrobe limitations of living out of a backpack may at times limit the level of quality of the restaurant to which one may aspire. "Casual attire" is inevitable on the Camino, but in some places, people still dress up on Sundays. In Pamplona, we ate at a really nice family restaurant for Sunday 
lunch---we weren't carrying our packs and had "disguised" our "pilgrim look." We were the only non-Spaniards in the place and noticed the proprietress turn away people who carried packs and walking sticks.. Unfortunately, some restaurants located right along the walking route do cater to a mostly tourist or non-Spanish clientele and charge, what we began to call, inflated "Camino tourist" prices. It is a good idea to walk to another part of town or even just around the corner to find something else. You may find you pay less money for better quality. 



We ate at a wonderful restaurant in Villafranca del Bierzo, called Casa Mendes--- located at the far end of town and not on the main square. The menu was "typical Spanish," but not the "typical" I suspect most pilgrims start feeling a need to vary. For example, there was not ONE SINGLE dish on the menu that contained pork. In the land of jamón serrano and chorizo, finding a pork-free eatery in Spain was a surprise. It wasn't advertised as such---it just was that way. We also slept at the Casa Mendes pensión that night, last minute arrangement--long story--, and the owner was kind enough to accommodate us for a late lunch, second seating, even though we didn't have a dining reservation--probably necessary on a weekend.




Our only "foreign" dining experience, outside of Madrid or Barcelona or other large cities, was at a Chinese restaurant on our way into Nájera---passed it coming into town---it was just your basic Chinese restaurant, 
including customers waiting for take-out orders.  If you have a hankering for an egg roll or something Szechuan, it was pretty basic---nothing special. We were tired of the same-old-same-old and happened to walk by at the right time of day. 




My daughter, who definitely does NOT have a cast iron stomach and became ill a couple of times---one of which required hospitalization---decided our rule would be to avoid restaurants where there are what she calls "picture menus," that is, photographs of the dishes served, along with the written menu. In smaller towns, this may the only type of place available in the center of town main square, for example, Belorado. It doesn't always mean the food is bad (although that can certainly be the case), just that the place may cater more to non-Spanish speakers than local people.




Rosina, that was good advice your friend gave you about eating what the "natives" eat. For those who feel they need the convenience of the "picture menu," the goal of enjoying better culinary offerings is as good an excuse as any for people to brush up on their Spanish before they walk the Camino. With regard to the latter---we noticed in several instances a distinct expression of relief on the faces of shopkeepers or restaurant personnel when they realized communication with us would not be a struggle. Although many Spanish people speak English, not everyone does--- and although travelers are good for business, it must be tiring at times to deal with all their different lan
guages. 




Buen Camino,

Deborah


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