Asturian Restaurants & Food Products

[vigna]

Thanks, Rogelio, for all the very useful information!!! I was, in fact, thinking that a hotel in or near Gijón would be most convenient for a dinner at Casa Gerardo. That's why I mentioned La Estación da Luanco, which is listed in the Red Guide. I will definitely look into the Tryp Rey Pelayo.

[Mrs. B]

1) places to stay near Cangas de Onis

There is an impressive Parador in the outskirts of Cangas de Onis in Villanueva. The Monasterio de San Pedro from the 12-18 century. Check the rate in their website.

[parisse]

Hello again!

Still very greatful for all the answers! I do have another question, Does anyone know of a SPA around Gijon, Aviles and oviedo?? Also, do they have any Thai- restaurants in the Area? I am trying to get alot accomplished with this trip!!

Thank you again! Excited to see "tips"

parisse

[Rogelio]

Hi Parisse, I have been looking for your askings and this is the info yhat I have got.

There is a brand new Hotel&SPA in the surroundings of Gijón: Hotel

Palacio de La LLorea (4*). It is by a 18holes golf course (La Llorea

Golf) and has some hydrotherapy facilities.

More information on this and other SPAs in Asturias (site in Spanish):

http://www.grupoalessa.com/nextel/balneari...as/asturias.htm

As far as I know, there is not any remarkable Thai restaurant in

Asturias.

[butterfly]

Oh Asturias--one of my very favorite places on earth.

I've had the good fortune of travelling quite a bit in Asturias as my SO's family is Asturiano (we spent a glorious month there two summers ago and plan to go back this summer after we move to Madrid).

The first thing to know is that it is a very, very rural part of Spain. Aside from the cities of Gijon and Oviedo (I think Oviedo is a much prettier city, but there's no beach), it is mainly small towns. And it is a region that prides itself on ecotourism and rural tourism. There are very few luxury hotels. The best bet is probably to stay at a parador or to rent a nice house. Any driving off the big autovia is going to be very slow going and mountainous but breathtakingly beautiful.

The second thing to know is that it can get quite cold even in the middle of summer. Geologically and climatically, it's more like Ireland than Spain. Bring some polar fleece and warm socks, just in case. The Spanish word for fog is "niebla," you'll hear this word a lot in Asturias.

We eat a lot at home or with family there, so I can't speak about many specific restaurants... That said, I've never had bad seafood in Asturias. The variety and quality blows away what you can find anywhere in the US.

Ribadesella is a very pretty town with a beautiful river (the Sella) and a nice long beach with dinosaur footprints and cave drawings nearby called Playa de la Vega.

Many of the beaches are just little sandy coves between big cliffs. But don't get me wrong, they are incredibly beautiful with big mountains right behind and cows with cowbells grazing right by the ocean. One of my favorites is a tiny beach called Cuevas de Mar (there's a little seafood shack on the beach that serves navajas--razor clams--and percebes--goose barnacles--I still dream about this place). It is near the town of Nueva de Llanes, which has a nice family run place called La Xaguarda that serves many Asturian classics like patatas al cabrales, fabada, and many mysterious fresh fish whose names none of my SO's family can translate and that don't show up in any Spanish/English dictionaries. I also enjoyed Luarca and the nearby beach of Playa de la Isla. Gijon was probably one of my least favorite places in Asturias. But when I go there, I'm really in the "escape civilization" mindset, so I may be biased...

In the mountains, Cangas de Onis and Arena de Cabrales are two of our favorites. There are some wonderful pre-roman churches sprinkled in the Picos. And the mountains are spectacular, with deep gorges, crystal clean mountain rivers, and snow-capped peaks. One of the things that I love most about Spain is that no matter where you are or how isolated it may seem, you can always count on there being good espresso, wine and cheese.

The Cadogan Guide to Northern Spain is indispensable for historical and tourist information. A more detailed local map is also an absolute must if you are going off the main roads, as most roads do not show up on the Michelin map.

Some of the bar- or decidedly-unstarred-food that you can't miss while you are in Asturias:

--Cabrales cheese, you'll find it is much, much stronger in Asturias (ask a local to explain which are the best kinds, you'll get a whole treatise)

--Crabs at a Sidreria (a cider house) there are so many different varieties that you can't get in the US

--Percebes--goose barnacles

--Berberechos--cockles

--chipirones--little squid

--merluza--hake, often cooked in cider

--bigaros--snails

--pastries--many interesting walnut and other nut pastries that you don't see in other parts of spain

--pine nut hard candies

--raw milk, cheese, anything dairy--Asturias is the biggest milk producing region in Spain and the cows are raised on very small farms where they are fed green hay that is cut for them fresh every day (many farmers still use scythes to do this). You'll never want to drink American milk again.

--beef--also very good, sually very simply prepared--churrascarias are popular.

[parisse]

Hello, and thank you so much Rogelio!!!

I really apprecaite it alot!!

parisse

[endless autumn]

People on these boards seem to agree that Asturias produces superb raw ingredients: beef, milk, seafood, cider, beans, etc.

I visited the region last year and was aching to cook with the produce and so am going back to stay in self-catering accomodation. I am most likely to be towards the East end, near the Picos, but am willing to travel to buy good food.

A very open-ended question, but: does anyone know of good places to buy the best of the local produce?

Thanks in advance...

[butterfly]

Most small towns (or polas, as some call them in Asturias) have one or two morning market days a week. A bigger town like Llanes or Ribadesella probably has a daily market.

But depending on when you are going, you may be able to buy some produce directly from people in the area who have gardens or small farms. And this is definitely true of raw milk, butter, and cheese, which is produced all along the coast*. Our approach is usually to ask around in the restaurants, bars, bakeries, etc. in a given town, to get people to point you in the right direction.

**I highly recommend finding some fresh milk from a small farm. The cows in Asturias are mostly fed sea-salty green hay and have a wonderful quality of life. I've never tasted better milk.

[endless autumn]

Thanks for your advice, butterfly.

I think I am most likely to be staying within 20k or so of Llanes - I am yet to decide which house to choose, however.

I tried some of the milk from Cantabria (from a man wearing three-footed clogs) which was superb. I'll have to do a retrospective comparative taste test...

[butterfly]

If you are looking to be near the coast, I think the area from Ribadesella to Llanes is very good (and near the big road, so you can have some mobility if you want). We have rented a self-catering property in Ovio, a tiny town next to Nueva de Llanes and Cuevas del Mar beach. If you want to really, really get away from it all and commune with those happy cows, this place is paradise.

[Pelayin]

Hi,

I have been thinking on your question for a couple of days and, everytime I try to reply, I desist. Could you be a bit more precise on what are you looking for?

Regards from Asturias,

Pelayín.

[endless autumn]

Hi,

I have been thinking on your question for a couple of days and, everytime I try to reply, I desist. Could you be a bit more precise on what are you looking for?

Regards from Asturias,

Pelayín.

←

Sorry not to be more specific.

I will be staying between Llanes and Ribadesella and would love to know where I can buy seafood, especially spider crabs, turbot, percebes, cockles etc.

I would also like to try to make a fabada (for which I will need good beans, good bacon, good chorizo etc. ) and to grill some beef. I wondered if there was anywhere in particular anyone would recommend I go to buy ingredients.

I am just keen, in general, to know if there are any good (fish) markets, butchers etc. which I should try to visit. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

M

[Pelayin]

Dear Endless Autumn,

I am sorry that I am not very knowledgeable about the zone in Llanes and Ribadesella. I could point out several interesting places in Gijón, where I live, but not in Llanes and Ribadesella, which are quite small, btw.

Fish and shellfish are marketed through wholesalers (rula) and then sold to final customers in different shops. As a rule, avoid supermarket fish-shops and go to specialized ones. Try to go early in the morning and/or ask the owner to get something special for you.

For fabada, several packages containing all the ingredients are sold in the shops. There is a delicatessen shop in Llanes whose name I do not manage to remember that carries several of them. I will do a bit of research and come back to you when I get the name.

Anyway, for native beans, you should expect to pay about 15 euros per kilo, and this is the month of the year in which you will find white beans from the 2003 harvest and the 2004 (a bit green yet) one. I would go for the 2004. Go to traditional specialized shops where they sell you unpacked legumes (chickpeas, whitebeans, blackbeans, lentils) by weight. Do not regret to buy ugly looking white beans. It is very rare that local produce is as beautiful to the eye as the industrially produced one. The real difference is in the taste.

One thing that you cannot pass is cheese. You would be staying in an area where excellent cheese is produced. Do not hesitate to taste smoked cheese of Pria de Llanes, the industrially produced "Cuevas del Mar" or a difficult to find "gamoneo", which I consider the quintaessential cheese from Asturias, even better than Cabrales. BTW, if you go to Arenas de Cabrales, there is an excellent cheese shop where you can buy the best Cabrales. They would let you taste and then you can order any quantity you want and they will pack it pressurized to avoid olours and to help with conservation.

If you are staying for a long time and have enough time, I would like to meet you somewhere in Asturias, perhaps for a traditional lunch. Do not hesitate to contact me through a private message.

Best from Asturias,

Pelayin.

[dfunghi]

"BTW, if you go to Arenas de Cabrales, there is an excellent cheese shop where you can buy the best Cabrales."

Second best maybe? The best comes from little old ladies in little towns like Sotres where they make one or two a day and age in caves behind town.

David

[butterfly]

A woman that I met from Potes, whose family was involved in making cabrales, told me that there is a certain time of the year when the cabrales is best... More specific details are lost in (an appropriately Asturiano) fog. Does anyone know anything about this? Is there a particular time when cabrales is "harvested."

Incidentally, this woman shared a bit of her own personal "stash" with us and I've never since tasted a cabrales that was as strong and psychoactive...

[Bux]

Many cheeses have their season. That is they are only made at a certain time of the year. Cheeses that are made year round will show seasonal differences that mostly related to the milk which is in turn dependent on the feed of the animals. Cows are usually fed on grass in the summer and hay in the winter. I'm constantly hearing my Italian cheese guy explaining the differences between parmesan cheese from different seasons and offering tastes to his customers so they can better appreciate the differences when he has cheese from more than one season in stock.

[vserna]

A woman that I met from Potes, whose family was involved in making cabrales, told me that there is a certain time of the year when the cabrales is best...

←

Mmmmm... Politically incorrect this, butterfly. Potes is not in Asturias, but in Cantabria, and what we make on our side of the border is not cabrales, but picón de Bejes-Tresviso. Extremely similar, of course.

The best cheese is made with summer milk, when the cows and sheep and goats are up in the mountains, not locked inside. Since the top-grade cheese is aged for at least three months and preferably five, they should be available around November-December.

[butterfly]

Oops, I should know better than to meter la pata in regional politics!

I said Potes, but I meant Panes, which is still (just barely) within the Asturian boundaries...

[Paco]

I will be going to the Cangas de Onis Parador on the second week of December, and I wonder if someone could recomend some restaurants in the area. I don´t mind driving since I am going to visit the area anyway. I´ve read about the asturian culinary revolution with "El comedor del Indianu" and others, but I am more interested in the traditional and hearty food, based more on the quality of the product, and if posible not expensive.

I heard Villaviciosa (Tazones) is a good place for seafood and fish on the coast, but I believe there should be many mouthwatering places!

Thank you!

Paco

[endless autumn]

I am going to Asturias tomorrow and so might be able to offer some advice upon my return.

vserna, Eric Malson and Tony Finch have talked about Asturias in the past on these boards and there should be enough to search through.

It seems generally accepted that a visit to Casa Gerardo is a must.

Hav a look at this thread for a breakdown.

[Pelayin]

Close to Cangas de Onís there is plenty of excellent food. On a fancy, new wave style, El Corral del Indianu (Arriondas) and Casa Marcial (La Salgar, close to Arriondas) are excellent references. Both in the 60-80 eur/person.

You mention Tazones and I will avoid it as much as possible. This is the typical tourist trap where you are not likely to get good food or service. I can suggest Casa Eutimio in Lastres for a sea oriented food in a classic manner. Very different from El Corral and Casa Marcial, but not bad as a contrast.

Close to Cangas de Onís I can suggest La Palmera (Benia de Onís) as a very traditional place to get traditional food. They used to have a good cellar that dit not rotate that much and, so, you could get mature wines such as Priorats from the 94 or 95 vintages at close to release prices. Last news I had were that they were trying to get rid of this non-rotating wines. CS Jesús Barquín was in this restaurant one year ago and he could throw some more details. 30 eur/person

If you are willing to travel to the center of Asturias, Casa Conrado and Casa Fermín are sure bets in Oviedo, both with excellent produce (exceptional fish in Casa Conrado and excellent game in Casa Fermín) 50 eur/person. Los Tres Caracoles is a dream for a wine-lover, plenty of national and foreign references in which I consider the best wine list of Asturias. Good food also. 40 eur/person with good wine involved.

In Gijón, there are a couple of recently starred restaurants (Paladares and La Solana) but I would also recommend La Tabla (in a narrow old road that goes from Gijón to Pola de Siero) 40 eur/person. If money is not a problem and you can overtake the awful decoration, La Zamorana is the place to get the best crayfish. It is quite irregular, though.

In Avilés, Casa Tataguyo is a truly excellent place to get some of the best seafood and some traditional starters such as "croquetas caseras" and "longaniza con patatas" from a chickpea stew. 50 eur/person. In a casual manner, La Cofradía del Puerto has separated ambients of sidrería and restaurant and excellent fish tapas as well as good fish and red meat. 40 eur/person.

Best,

Pelayín.

[artal]

i had a great meal at casa marcial, which is about 20 minutes uphill after many winding roads from el corral del indianu. both are in arriondas and have one michelin star but my meal at marcial was much better than the one at indianu. i suggest doing a tasting menu to be able to sample all of their specialties, however try to stay away from the white chocolate cheese course at indianu and the slow-baked chicken course at marcial. hope this helps...have fun!

[Eric_Malson]

I spent a couple of days in Villaviciosa in June and found a couple of most excellent restaurants there. I posted about them, but since I can't quite figure out how to link to it here, I'll just copy and paste the relevant paragraphs here:

[Nearby] Ribadesella has a lot of good seafood restaurants--I had some excellent centollo, almejas a la marinera and gambas al ajillo at Casa Basilio. The owner's an asshole, but his food is good. Villaviciosa is a town known for its food, and I'd say justly so, according to my samplings. I had three meals in two days at Casa Milagros, and almost everything I tried was superb, especially the conejo de aldea (rabbit) and fabes con almejas--sort of a fabada-lite, with clams instead of the various pork products. Good sidra, and the jamón ibérico is sliced with an expert hand here. Extremely reasonably priced, especially considering the high quality.

In a way my favorite meal in Villaviciosa, though, was at the Sidrería-Parilla "El Benditu". It began with guisantes con jamón, a mountain of peas with cured ham and some chopped hard-boiled egg in a light tomato sauce, followed by a big plate of costillas de cerdo and a sliced chorizo criollo that had been grilled on the wood fire out back. Washed down with a sturdy red wine, and capped by a cafe cortado and a chupito de orujo......paradise. And about the best 6-euro lunch I can imagine.

And since you're going to be in the general area, I think you absolutely should not miss Casa Morán (in Puente Nuevo, south of Llanes on AS-115 between Posada and Robellada Tel: 985 844 006). The specialty of the house is fabada con pantruque--the traditional Asturian bean stew with the unusual twist of adding pantruque, a kind of bulk sausage-like substance made from corn flour, onion, bacon, parsley, paprika, and egg, typical of that particular 15-km. or so radius--something you definitely won’t eat anywhere else in the world! The gracious hostess and proprietor makes a killer arroz con leche for dessert. And not at all expensive!

If you're going to be driving toward the Picos de Europa, I would recommend continuing past Arenas de Cabrales another 13 km. or so on AS-114 to eat at Casa Julián. An excellent, moderately-priced restaurant in an incredibly beautiful part of Asturias, it's difficult to go wrong here (if in doubt, ask Julián), but don't miss the patatas rellenas de carne.

[Tonalin]

Hello to anyone.

In Cangas de Onis you have also "El Molin de la Pedrera", with good home-made food, and good sidra. They have also a good wine-list, to be a sidrería.

[Eric_Malson]

I am more interested in the traditional and hearty food, based more on the quality of the product, and if posible not expensive. 

I heard Villaviciosa (Tazones) is a good place for seafood and fish on the coast, but I believe there should be many mouthwatering places!

Thank you!

Paco

←

Paco,

You probably know about the Guías Azules series of Spanish guidebooks already. I find the one for Asturias to be especially good for restaurants--I have rarely been steered wrong by their information, and most of the really good places to eat are mentioned by them.

El Molín de la Pedrera sounds like just my kind of place, and sure enough, there's a nice little mention in the Guía Azul... I definitely plan to try it next time I'm in Cangas. Cangas is actually a pretty good town for restaurants... the main drag, Avda. Covadonga has quite a few of them lined up there. I had a plate of lentejas at Los Arcos once that was so good I still remember it 10 years later.

And Paco, if you decide that your driving itinerary will include the concejo of Caso, PM me and I'll tell you about a restaurant there that is, I think, exactly what you are looking for, and one of my most treasured finds.