We'd had a pretty busy day, starting the morning with a visit to The Alhambra, then getting some train ticketing straightened out and taking a walk around the Old Town. We were bushed when 
we got back to the apartment and had a well deserved siesta. There's something to be said about an afternoon nap. We awoke refreshed, ready to take on…….well, dinner, of course! This being Spain, dinner really doesn't start until 9pm or thereabouts, so we decided on taking a nice little walk along Paseo de los Tristes (Walk of the Dead Ones), the street that runs parallel to the Darro River, just past Plaza Nueva.
It's a wonderful stretch of road and the views of the Alhambra form here, especially at night are wonderful.
On one side you have the Darro River and the Alhambra; on the other tiny alleyways leading up to the Albayzin, the Moorish Quarter.
The walk was short, but enough to stimulate our appetites. Thinking (wrongly), that we might tire of tapas in Granada, we booked dinner at Alacena de las Monjas, when we passed by on our first day in Granada. They didn't start dinner service until 9pm, it was 745….what to do? Well, head back to Saint Germain of course!
It was about a 15 minute walk to Saint Germain, which was just opening when we arrived.
There was something about this place that we really loved. The selection of wines suited the Missus, who found that She really enjoyed the house Blanco-Seco. I really loved Encaste, a nice very balanced Cabernet Savignon from Dona Felica Winery in Ronda.
We also wondered if we'd get a repeat of a tapa from our first visit. Well, we didn't! This time around it was a nice brie, brushed with honey and a fruit compote on bread…..love the way they toast the baguettes here.
Without a doubt, our favorite wine bar in Granada.
Saint Germain
Calle Postigo Velutti 4
Granada, Spain
We then headed off to Plaza del Padre Suarez….pocket wifi is wonderful, we initially used it on our first trip to Japan and it was invaluable, especially with Japan's crazy address system. For Spain we used Wifivox which I highly recommend. It was delivered to our hotel in Madrid and we used it without incident. Nothing like being to use Google Maps and other apps while roaming around unfamiliar territory.
Alacena de las Monjas was an interesting experience to say the least. The atmosphere is somewhat romantic and the prices not cheap….for Granada standards. It's not quite fine dining; the staff is young, very nice, they work hard, but really aren't very polished. We really didn't need reservation as we were the only table for most of our meal and there were only two other tables occupied when we left. I did love our table which was located in the cellar.
The young staff really wasn't able to help us in wine selection so I chose something randomly…..
The amuse arrived…..
It was kind of funny….just sliding around the plate. For some reason, the presentation bothered the Missus. So I went ahead and plated it the way I thought it should be presented.
Much better, eh?
We started with the "Traditional" Salmorejo (9 Euros).
This classic Andalucian cold soup is a favorite of mine. While gazpacho, the more well known cold soup is seasonal, salmorejo is consumed year 'round. This version was very smooth and creamy, though according to the Missus, it needed more olive oil and "where was the hard boiled egg garnish?"
I got the Anchovies with Iberian Tomato and Beet Carpaccio (18 Euros).
The flavor of the anchovy was too strong for the Missus. Meanwhile, I loved the savory-brininess. Lovely peppery-grassy flavors from the olive oil, the tomatoes added a mild acid component, though I could have used more acid and perhaps some additional pungency. The flavor of the beets were very mild, I expected a bit more sweetness.
The Missus got the "Charcoal Smoked Octopus" (18 Euros). Isn't that simply called "grilled"?
While the "smoked" flavor was almost non-existent, I think the octopus had been sous-vide first, then grilled. The texture was outstanding, crisp exterior, almost melt in your mouth. I'd have appreciated a bit more seasoning as I felt more salt was needed.
I got the "Suckling Lamb Shoulder Cooked at Low Temperature" (24 Euros). Man, this was a huge portion, we ended up taking most of this back to the apartment.
Again, this dish could have used more seasoning and perhaps some time in a pan to crisp up the skin which was gummy. Still, this was obviously sous-vide and the wonderful gamey flavor made up for any shortcomings. The lamb melted in your mouth…the potatoes were basic, but quite tasty as well.
As a whole, I don't think I'd return here if/when we're back in Granada. The service was very nice, though rough around the edges, and I expected better execution at this price point. Not a terrible meal, but not memorable.
Alacena de las Monjas
Plaza del Padre Suarez 5
Granada, Spain
And while I have been disappointed on occasion with the beef stew here, it will hit the spot more often than not. As it did on this day….perhaps not quite as thick as I prefer, but full of tangy, beefy, slightly anise flavors. The tendon with just the right amount of toothsome versus buttery. The bread is standard issue, but is warmed and who cares after you dip….nay, drench it in the "gravy". The onions add a bit of acidic pungency teaming with the cilantro to cut the richness and revive your palate a bit.
Need to cut the salt and richness even more? Add a squeeze of lime. For me, this has become comfort food. The only sad thing is, I still had all my major shopping to do after this……
