Food suggestions please!

OK, I am having bad luck with ordering food here in Spain. I am in Santiago and last night tried the traditional Galicia pie. I was served a cold piece of hard flat dough stuffed with an absolutely inedible fish. I was told I had to pay 6 euros for it even though It was inedible. This morning I ordered a Spanish omelet off the English menu and got a cold (again!) piece of potato pie--no eggs, no veggies, just potato pie. It was awful. I've been told the food here is really good but I can't find it. The fish is good but I don't want to pick apart a whole fish, I want a fillet. I am really not a fussy eater, but I would like to have some local dishes that are served hot and delicious! Heading to Madrid tomorrow afternoon. Any meal or restaurant suggestions?

To me it seems that you have not adapted yourself to the spanish way of eating. Asking for a "tortilla" for breakfast is not Spanish. The Spaniard has coffee, a croissant and a glass of orange juice for breakfast and not a tortilla. Go and ask for a tortilla for lunch and I am sure that you like it. I have eaten a lot of times in Santiago and have enjoyed the food. Look for a place where the Santiagans go and stay away from the tourist places. If you are "fussy" and don't want to pick apart a whole fish ask for "bacalao", which is cod and served in many different ways. good luck!

Our experience of Spanish food (admittedly based on only a couple of trips) is that the best food was the tapas, which is so good that after grazing for a while we rarely wanted dinner. Budget restaurant food didn't please us the way the variety of tapas did. And I agree that you get the best food if you adopt local habits and cooked breakfast isn't one of them. btw tortilla is often served cold but is usually pretty good.

And ordering off the "English menu" is a sure recipe for lousy food at higher prices.

I never asked for a tortilla for breakfast. I ordered a Spanish omelet off the menu.

The English menu is only the Spanish menu interpreted for those of us who do not read Spanish. it is not a special menu.

Tortilla is the spanish name for a "spanish omelette".

A busy tapas bar can seem a little intimidating for the non-Spanish speaker (at least they were to me) but they really are worth giving a go. Early evening is best (maybe 6-8pm) but bars will often serve snacks at irregular hours. Most places will be very accustomed to tourists and will serve up whatever you point at (nicely) and soon you'll get to know the names for things and more importantly know what you like best. I heartily recommend them. Yum!

And if you end up in Barcelona, the Boqueria market is a treat for the senses (and the stomach) and there are a few bars there which offer breakfast on a stool at the bar.

Thanks Helen, I had a lovely patio breakfast today and am slowly settling in to life and eating in Spain I think I just needed to vent about my bad food day. I will have tapas tonight in Madrid!

I hope you will have plenty of tasty food tonight in Madrid.

Just thinking of Tapas makes me hungry :-). My favourite is Gambas als Ajillo, closely followed by Papas Arrugadas, Pulpo a la Gallega and Patatas Bravas. I also quite like Tortilla (but not for breakfast ;-)), and Boquerones, and Pimientos del Padron etc, - I guess you get it, I like Tapas a lot.

A "tortilla espanola" is potatoes cooked together with egg in a pie like thingy. It is quite normal to eat that for breakfast, especially second breakfast at around 11AM. It is ok for it to be cold unless you ask for a heated one, or it was just cooked. If you want a hot one, just ask to heat it.

In fact, I eat it for breakfast all the time :) Maybe yours was badly done, I can tell you that mine are excellent :D

Also, a fish fillet is something you get with specific fish - cod, salmon, tuna, swordfish. With a sardine or a dorada, I expect to be served a full fish.

I would love to try your tortilla espanola! I'll bet they are wonderful. Are you in Madrid? I will be in Madrid for at least a week if anyone wants to meet for cafe/cerveza and tapas. Just taking it easy today. A walking tour tomorrow and Museo Thyyssen-Bornmisza (both free on Monday). This city is huge-a week will not do it justice. Happily easing into Spain's vibe :0)

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