Sounds good!! I made a note!! Thank you.
Sadly, it closed this February.
I love these “time warp”, old fashioned, century-old bars, and it’s so sad to see them close because of a lack of interest or just inability in the children or other family members to keep them going.
A “time warp” from 1922, a very simple taberna in Santiago de Compostela, that I first visited, I think, in 1993, is “O Gato Negro” at the end of Rúa da Raína, the one with the green door.
O Gato Negro is the oldest tasca or taberna in the center, still going strong. When my late husband, a madrileño, and I visited way, way back then, the owner invited us to his home the next day!
It´s now run by the fifth generation.
It´s just one of those very traditional places that are slowly disappearing, sadly. It now has a Repsol solete, the distinction Repsol gives to these simple, no frills but solid eateries or bars that fly under the radar.
erica1,
This could be another long thread topic: “Steeped in history, “time warp”, century old bars in Spain”, like Madrid’s Casa Alberto, Casa Labra, Bodega La Ardosa, Taberna de Antonio Sánchez, Sevilla’s Hijos de Morales and El Rinconcillo, Cádiz’s Casa Manteca, etc.
Maribel that’s perfect!
I’ve placed O GATO NEGRO on my list; I’ll stop by during the day.
I think you’ve seen this, about 55 Pasos in La Coruna, and with mention of O PAZO:
IBAI made the 2025 “Europe Casual” list, but no comments about it on the site. I just noticed that the 2025 list is out so will take a good look soon…
Yes, I just read the 2025 list.
I´ve been to the newly reinvented Ibai, as my friend of more than 20 years, Gabriella Ranelli, the founder-owner of Tenedor Tours, has organized several dinners there for her clients and took us to meet the new owner, Paulo Airaudo of the 2-Michelin starred Amelia.
Paulo presented at SS Gastronomika this year. When taking over Ibai, he changed only the lightening and the dinnerware. The rest remains the same (especially the look), except for the upstairs bar, which is now open during the day, Monday through Friday, for pintxos, and the person in charge of the bar came from Antonio Bar.
We had an excellent all Basque cheese tray there recently.
Downstairs, still open for lunch only, Mon-Fri, is a tasting menu only. No a la carte.
I think you might remember that guy lunch there remains one of the best meals of my life…the whole package: The welcome from (Isabel??), the new friends who joined us, and above all–the food!!! Prime ingredients, prepared simply but impeccably. And from what you write, this is one of those rare restaurants that won’t disappoint on a second visit. (Sometimes you CAN go home again, or at least I hope so in this case!)
Oh man, what a shame. The owner was in the hospital when we went. We met his daughter, a marine biologist who was taking care of the place while dad recovered. She gave us great suggestions for hikes (Pontedume) and where to get some type of shark dish. When we walked in there the 2nd night, the bar tender had our drinks ready. They had am amazing lomo suspended from the ceiling (like when you’re camping) that was from a small producer in the mountains of Leon. Ethereal. Lovely people, lovely place.
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erica1,
Yes, I do remember that lunch of 4 and back then, having to call the AmEx desk multiple times for reservations at Ibai! When we arrived for our lunch, I gave Isabel my name and she just responded, “Ay, los dos de American Express”.
Fortunately Ibai has been resurrected with the blessing of Alicio and Isabel, but unfortunately both are no longer involved in the day-to-day at all.
Paulo has kept the no frills look downstairs but has opted for two tasting menus only with the main course being fish, and prices have increased.
The menus cost 190 and 210 with several off menu items for an additional price (txuleta…). The wine list has become more extensive, curated by former sommelier of Rekondo, Martin Flea.
But now one can reserve online. Paulo and his Italian chef did receive a Michelin star this year for their efforts.
We had the cheese course upstairs at the bar, now expertly manned by Atxen.
@morekasha,
It’s such a shame when these wonderful traditional bars are forced to close.
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Just wanted to say thanks for all of the tips, our two best meals were 55 Passos which was really fun with great wine and 5 Puertas. Lots of other great stuff including tortilla at O Cabo and lots of razor clams, cockles, clams, hams cheeses and zamburinas at various bars all over the place. Would have loved to try the Navarran bar in Pontevedra that looked like it was amazing.
I’ve been reading about “furranchos” in Galicia-very interesting topic:
Yes, I’m very familiar with furanchos. They are, as you know, family homes of local wine makers, families who take in diners and feed them (seasonally), in tables set up usually in their gardens. I would have recommended one or two to you, but I assumed that your dining dance card was quite full already!
And yes, they’re seasonal and the majority can be found in the Rías Baixas, in the Pontevedra province. I haven’t seen them in the wine producing regions of Ribeiro, Ribeira Sacra, Vadeorras or Monterrei, the other D.O.s.
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Maribel…I have a surprising number of free nights, in that I’ve booked only three dinners in Santiago; and then: D’Berto; Meloxeira Praia in O’Grove; O Loxe Mareiro in Carril; and O"Pazo.
I imagine we will have more than one dinner at D’Berto and will try BeiraMar (O’Grove). I did not book anything yet for the time in Muxia/Fisterre, as I’m still trying to determine which are open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and whether I’d want to drive from the parador to Fisterre in the dark. Maybe I will get more recommendations for Muxia itself. Tira do Cordel seems essential, in Fisterre.
I have your recommendations and will call the restaurants once I arrive at La Toja. And will probably plan YayoDaporta; I have to see about that driving from La Toja to Cambados at night. On that topic: I could stop in Cambados after checking out of La Toja and heading for Padron. I know the “rules” are not to leave luggage in the car, but do you think that would be a problem–leaving a packed car in the public parking in Cambados during the day, on a Saturday? (My first thought is that it would be fine, but you know a lot more than I do about that!!)
And, from La Toja, I will have time to visit at least one furancho. I have the links and will also ask at the hotel.
Answers to questions (I hope!)
Tira do Cordal in Fisterre is essential but…I wouldn’t (nor would my husband, my driver) want to drive back to the Muxía Parador outside of town from Fisterra in the dark. You will have light in mid June until 10 pm, but they don’t open for dinner until 9 pm.
(I believe you´ll be in Muxía mid June? )
In Cambados, yes, I would do Yayo Daporta. The drive from La Toja to Cambados is easy on the Autovía de Salnés, about a half hour. It opens for dinner at 8:30 pm.
We do leave luggage in the car when stopping for coffee or lunch (now a must for us, since most of our trips here at road trips), but we park either in underground pay, monitored parking garage, or in a Parador or particular restaurant’s parking lot, trying to snag a spot in the shade (it’s very, very hot here now).
I was going to suggest that you could first have a drink of some sort at the Cambados Parador bar/cafetería (it opens at 11), then walk to Yayo Daporta for lunch, …BUT I believe that there are barrier entries to the Parador parking lot, so I assume that the secure parking is for registered guests only.
I wouldn’t leave the car parked on the street in Cambados.
There are 3 or so public, unguarded, open parking lots (sign says “aparcamiento público no vigilado”) but they may fill up quickly in summer months PLUS market day in Cambados is on Saturday. On market days, it’s always a pain to find a place to park! I would search for a pay parking lot.
Regarding the furanchos (also called loureiros, since originally the owners placed a bay leaf, hoja de laurel at the door to indicate their existence):
The term furancho comes from the Galician verb furar, to pierce the barrel in which the wine is stored.
Some have a more interesting menu of tapas (usually 5) and a more charming setting than others.
The La Toja staff should send you to an atmospheric one and know which ones will be open during your stay.
Ask them about the Loureiro Miniño in Sanxenxo.
Some only open for 2 or 3 months a year.
The municipal authorities regulate their opening hours.
Some are not true furanchos if they sell wine from outside. Some have become taperías or taverns with a restaurant license. These are what you don´t want. You are looking, I assume, for a genuine furancho experience.
The true ones serve their own home made wine (not other drinks) in pitchers and those white porcelain cuencos. This is the wine that remains from what they have not sold, and the season ends when they have depleted their wine supply.
And if the seating in these private homes is exclusively outdoors in the garden (not in their garage) in communal tables, they won’t open on rainy days.
More info in English about these furanchos
There are 11 permitted dishes, according to local regulations, from which each council selects 5.
For Muxía and Repsol recommended,
A Lonxa d’Alvaro
https://www.alonxadalvaro.com/carta/
Maribel I am in the Abastos in Santiago and have just bought Savel from Aires de Moniz from Hernandez cheese stall. But which is the cheese person that you know in the market??? The woman at Hernandez was lovely. I will return tomorrow.
Erica,
I’m in the Azores for the next 8 days on a culinary adventure and alas, have left my computer and travel notes at home. Thus I can’t check for you. But I’m glad you were able to purchase that Savel.
I’ll have news soon about Azores cheeses and wine and lapas!
Have a great adventure!
And a great adventure to you as well!! I know you will devour a lot of excellent cheeses, judging from the Azorean samples we tried in Lisbon!!! And the pineapples, too!!! Tonight will be Abastos 2!!!
