Eating Out in Guardamar del Segura
Restaurants in Guardamar
If you want to eat at a fantastic restaurant in Guardamar del Segura we would highly recommend Restaurante La Vuelta. The food is fantastic and is one of the few restaurants in Guardamar to have live music. The cuisine is a mixture of Spanish and international and is excellent.
The meals cost a little more than some places but are worth it because you can come in for your meal and stay all night. However, if you want to be in and out as quick as a flash then this is not for you because on occasion when busy you may have to have another glass of wine whilst you wait for your meal to arrive.
Overall in Guardamar the choice of cuisine is extremely varied and the prices very good. You are likely to find a restaurant serving the sort of food you like and at a price that suits. During a two week holiday in Guardamar you could eat at a different restaurant each night if you wanted to and still have some left to try out.
There are some fantastic tapas restaurants like "El Bocaito", steak houses such as "Maison de Donastario" and Chinese restaurants such as the "Chino Internacional". There are many other fantastic restaurants and if you have a holiday in Spain at our apartment in Guardamar you will find details of restaurants that we or our guests have enjoyed in our visitors book.
Typically a couple could eat out with drinks for under €30 but places like the Chino Internacional you could have a 4 course meal with a half bottle of wine for around €8. Also it is always worth looking out for restaurants serving a menu del dia (menu of the day) or menu del noche (menu of the night) as these offer extremely good value and might equate to the specials that you get in UK restaurants.
Eating Spanish Food in Guardamar del Segura
Typical Spanish Rice and Savoury Dishes From the Valencia Region
In addition to all the international restaurants in Guardamar del Segura, there is a rich selection of restaurants serving traditional Spanish food and drinks. Whilst many restaurants are aimed at tourists there are a large selection such as "Pension Jaen" and "El Rincon del Pedro" that are more traditional Spanish restaurants ant would tend to be where the locals like to eat.
Valencian cuisine is based on fresh fish and shellfish caught from the Mediterranean along with the many fruits and vegetables which are abundant in Spain at almost any time of year. It is this variation of fresh produce that forms the basis of many fantastic Valencian dishes.
Many of the classic Spanish dishes are cooked using Spanish Rice which is grown in Spain in abundance. A dish we are likely to all be familiar with is Paella which is a typical Valencian dish.
Paella is usually meat based with rabbit or chicken and greens, however in this and other regions of Spain it is not uncommon to seafood paella on the menu, especially in coastal villages and towns such as Guardamar. Another typical dish of the region is fideuŕ it is similar to Paella but is made with noodles instead of rice.
There are many traditional rice dishes which typically are cooked to keep people happy and on their feet, this includes things like savoury rice stews which are cooked in earthenware bowls. These are usually a more economical meal and include ingredients such as cardoons, beet tops, dried haricot beans, diced cuttlefish and cauliflower, or turnip cubes, pork sausages, spinach, chick peas or lentils.
Further rice based dishes include arroz al horno, arroz a banda with fish and shellfish and arroz caldosa. In fact Alicante has it's own rice stew variety called arroz caldoset. Traditionally these dishes will be served with bread and allioli (a tasty garlic mayonnaise).
Some of the other popular dishes from this region of the Costa Blanca include "Gazpacho" which is a cold soup of bread, tomatoes, garlic, salt, vinegar and oil; "Olla churra" which is made from pieces of pork and black pudding; "Hervido" made with beans and potato and "Chorizo" which is a spiced pork sausage.
Eating Out in Guardamar For Those With a Sweet Tooth
Typical Spanish Desserts From the Valencia Region
Thanks to the rich history of Guardamar del Segura there is a real diversity of food for those with a sweet tooth. Over the centuries Arabic origins have influenced many of the desserts this includes arrop i talladetes, rosegons and arnadí.
Also there are pumpkin pastries and other sweetmeats made especially during local festivals so watch out for these if you are staying in our Guardamar apartment during one of the many Spanish festivals.
A typical sweet dish that is definitely worth a mention are Churros, these are strips of dough (similar to doughnut mixture) which is deep fried and sprinkled with sugar. These can be eaten with or without a hot chocolate dipping sauce and are delicious either way.
A "Churreria" is a café that serves Churros, usually these open quite early as Churros to allow the locals to buy them for their breakfast. There is one quite close to our apartment in Guardamar, so try it out for yourself.
Along with all the pastries there is a wonderful variety of delicious fresh fruits, including strawberries, melons, oranges, grapes and cherries to mention but a few.
Turrón is a fantastic sugar based confectionery which originates from the Alicante region, you may be familiar with it as a popular brand is "El Amendro" and this is often seen in supermarkets in Spain, also in gift shops and the Duty Free shop. Villajoyosa has a long history in making chocolate and it is definitely worth trying. You can also visit Villajoyosa and look around the factory or see the famous brightly coloured hanging houses.
Tiger nuts grown outside Valencia city are ground up to form "horchata" which is usually served cool on hot summer days. This has become so famous that it is now bottled and sold throughout Spain. Another traditional drink from this area is agua de Valencia which is a mixture of orange juice and cava.