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Glad you liked Pabu. Next time if you are in the mood for a cocktail, try a Negroni from the cart they bring over and prepared the table. Itâs excellent.
As Maribel recommends, try La Monteria again and sit in the Sala in back. The stews and game dishes are excellent as is the seafood from the specials menu.
Mexico does a good cochinillo but i think the best in the world is lechon in the Philippines.
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Did you ever visit the Ruta de Lechon outside Guavate, Puerto Rico?? Skin was very crispy but depending on the cut they served you, the meat could be dry. More of a fun weekend outing from San Juan than a gastro excursion.
Iâve got my eye on North Tenerfe and if roast pork can be found there, it might move it to the top of my futures list!!!
I havent tried it yet but the Puerto Rican restaurants Iâve been to in The USA tend to be on the drier side. I like the condiments and side dishes. Maybe some day I will make it there. The Philippines can be a difficult place to travel outside of the fancier resorts but the lechon is incredible. Have never had anything close to dry there.
Iâm eager for more insights on the Canaries so looking forward to your report if you get there.
Here is what happened in Jose Maria: We relied on our waiter, who seemed very competent and informative. We were dealt a back leg( as you can see on photo). From the get go it looked not very crunchy. Indeed the skin was rather chewy. The meat was not as tender as usually as well. So I have to theories:
- May be we got the wrong part.
- May be it was lack of internal quality control.
As I mentioned, it was Sunday. Early lunch time (around 12:30). The crowds were ridiculous. The full bus of Asian tourists walked in the restaurant in front of us. The standing tapas area was packed with people. I had to wrestle a bit to get to the maitre dâhotel. We were seated and served with no problems in the space beneath the main entrance. I am sure it was not their first rodeo and they knew how to deal with such crowds, but may be the kitchen was a bit overwhelmed. It is only a guessâŠ
Never been to Philippines. I drove the Ruta de Lechon with less than impressive feelings afterwise.
One of the best lechons I tried was La Buena Barra in CDMX(and by the way in Cancun as well). It is not on their regular menu and is served randomly at the both places. I usually call ask them I they will serve it. Otherwise it is not my favorite restaurant in CDMX.
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I was also not as impressed by the quality of Jose Maria vs other smaller places in Castilla-Leon and Extremadura (Try La Plaza in Torrequemada) but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Perhaps increased tourism and the Sunday factor (they may hold the best cuts for the regulars) was the issue.
@dostrovs
A questionâon your visit to Teide, did you take the cable car? Iâm really reluctant to do that, as I do suffer from altitude sickness.
@tigerjohn
Right now, my possible Tenerife dining list looks like this: (may need several more days!! 
)
El Lajar de BelloâLa Caleta
Char Fuego y Brasas âCosta Adeje (although we wonât stay there but can day trip)
Haydée, Canary/Asian fusion----La Orotava
Tasca Silbo GomeroâSan CristĂłbal de la Laguna, our first base
EtĂ©reo, Moral, San SebastiĂĄn 57 or maybe Colmado 1917 or La Posada del PezâSanta Cruz de Tenerife
El Rebojo and Besta MarinaâGarachico, our 2nd base
El Taller de Seve DiazâPuerto de la Cruz
La SandungaâTegueste
AIE GastrobarâEl Sauzal
In my restaurant research I ran across many Asian or fusion places.
Wineries to visit or just their wines to try in restaurants:
Suerte del Marqués
Tajinaste
El Sitio
EnvĂnate
Our lodging, avoiding all-inclusives and big resorts:
La Laguna Gran Hotel in San Cristobal de la Laguna
San Roque in Garachico
I think a bit of bothâthe increased tourism the Sunday factor and/or perhaps too early in the lunch period??? And as you suggest, they may hold the best cuts for the regulars who call ahead and reserve them.
In the case of lechazo, we call ahead to reserve.
We will finally get to La Plaza in Torrequemada on our way to CĂĄceres! Iâve had it on my list ever since you mentioned it here!
I certainly donât want to give the impression that Jose Maria is not a good option. I think itâs the best in Segovia among the three and if you canât commit to a full portion the bar will serve you an excellent smaller portion downstairs as a racion/tapa. But there is a factor with weekends and regulars. Also at La Plaza, our best meals have been on weekdays, with weekends not as good. I suggest if you can to book on a friday or other weekday for La Plaza if you can or call them and ask for specific cuts etc. Donât forget to order the jamon iberico. Itâs from a small producer that only supplies restaurants in Extremadura.
Maribel! Thanx again for you kind insight.
As for El Teide: The altitude sickness usually strikes you when get to the altitude too fast. For example: getting off the plane in Cuzco(Peru) or Katmandu. The way El Teide pick is positioned is different. It takes you about 1:20 drive from the coast to arrive to the cable car take off. I think you will be acclimated by than. If you have doubts about yourself - spend another 30 minutes enjoying the scenery and than go up. The final ascension on the cable car is relatively low comparing to the whole altitude situation. I think if you will not feel any different whether you are at the base or at the top point of the cable car. I personally did not feel any altitude effects this time. The previous Christmas holiday we spent in Guatemala. I felt altitude effects once we got up to Chichicastenango.
If you are concerned, you can try azetazolomide 500 mg in the morning of your trip (watch out for a taste change with carbonated beverages) or take 20 mg of prednisone the morning of your trip. Hope it helps. In any case I would not skip the most visited natural attraction of Spain!
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@tigerjohn,
Iâm excited about a road trip to CĂĄceres and a stop in Torrequemada. And we prefer to do our road trips during the week.
We discovered recently a really fine place to stop just to the north of MĂ©rida outside of the village of Miajadas. Itâs a new hotel/restaurant complex, Finca la Desa (easy on-off from the highway) with its restaurant, TupĂo sporting a Repsol sun.
We ate at the bar as it was too early for lunch and the formal restaurant serves tasting menus only, but we were impressed with the service, presentation and what we ordered. Itâs definitely worth the stop. No cochinillo though.
Thanks so much for your reassurance. Iâve been to Chichicastenango and wasnât bothered by it, so maybe I should give it a go and take your remedies the morning ofâŠ
Iâve never been to Machu Picchu because the altitude challenge.
Iâve now copied your post into my Tenerife itinerary. So good to know! All booked for October.
We have been looking for a good stop like this near Merida when transiting to Andalusia. Will try and stop by next time we are on that route.
By chance I am at La Monteria this evening. Iâm by myself but I enjoyed an excellent ârisottoâ of morels with foie (itâs a soupier rice than paella but without the cheese and butter) and a grilled deer ribeye, both fantastic. Glasses of Ribera del Duero red and Toro red were well paired. Total bill is 52 euros for three drinks (a vermouth to start). The cover aperitivo was super fresh fried medium shrimp (included with bread (three kinds including raisin and walnut) in the 4 euro for the cover charge).
Itâs excellent value vs other EU countries and certainly vs the U.S.
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That risotto with morels and foie dish sounds wonderful. Hope they have it next time weâre there. I havenât had the morels and foie yet with risotto. We feel that La MonterĂa is an exceptional value. I donÂŽt mind the 4 euro aperitivo y pan charge if the aperitivo and bread are memorable.
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Iâm fairly confident that there is nowhere in the world in a major city where you can get a morel risotto and a substantial grilled deer ribeye with three drinks, bread and four fried medium shrimp for 52 euros plus a complementary semi-sweet herb digestive (on the house).
Only in SpainâŠ
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While we are on the topic of cochinillo, what do you all think of Botin??
@erica1
If visitors want to have cochinillo (or lechazo) in Madrid and donât plan to visit Segovia, thereâs El Pedrusco de Aldealcorvo in ChamberĂ, an âasador castellanoâ, Michelin, OAD, Macarfi and Repsol recommended. Family run, very few tourists.
Aldealcorvo is the restaurant ownersâ village in Segovia, from which they brought the roasting oven.
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Perfect, thank you!! Will come in handy for my next visit!!
Erica, Iâve looked at trying El Pedrusco but it books out a few weeks in advance so if you want to go, plan ahead with the reservation. I still havenât tried it for this reason.
