Keeping with the Spanish food theme, one evening my friend and I ate out at a Tapas restaurant called Brindisa. The food was amazingly good.
Started out with some dried fava beans dusted with paprika at the bar while waiting for a table.
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The first dish that arrived was the world famous Jamon Iberico de Bellota. It's ham from pure bred black-footed pigs that forage for food in the forest mainly eating acorns and hazelnuts which truly imparts an amazing taste to the ham. The ham really had a natural sweet, woodland taste to it if you will. Check out the intense color of the ham...it's quite unreal if you ask me. We had the ham with some grilled bread.
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Next we feasted on some fresh mussels steamed with herbs, white wine, and garlic. These were the biggest mussels I've ever eaten...all the mussels I've had in the states are much smaller in size. These plump mussels were nonetheless not really fishy but had a hint of the sea.
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After that we had some Iberico pork cheeks braised in red wine topped with shaved carrots and a dollop of mashed potatoes. Tender and meaty! <drools>
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Next came a plate of Spanish cheese. I forgot what kind but I know it wasn't Manchego.
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Then came a grilled chorizo sausage with greens, roasted piquillo pepper, and bread...I wanted my friend to taste what I had in the sandwich I discussed above.
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We finished the meal by sharing a Turron (a handmade nougat with local almonds) mousse with chocolate at the bottom.
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Now I know why Spanish food is so popular in London. :mrgreen: