A slight detour in our Olive Oil Outing and we followed a restaurant recommendation to Les Espelmes, ("The Candles"). One of our top Rustic Catalan Restaurants... if you are willing to make the drive. (read previous post first**)
"Boredom and heat creeped in through the cracked windows and they detoured up a narrow and winding road to eat at a recommended destination..."
Perched on the edge of a cliff and overlooking a hot and dry terrain, "The Candles" sit aflame. They drove higher and higher on the winding road until swerving into the parking lot at marker "km 28." Tumbling out of the hot car they took in their surroundings. Les Espelmes looked like a cabin that had had various additions added on over the years, which added to the precarious look of the cliff-clinging structure. They looked at each other before shrugging and entering into a dark entrance hall.
The smell of a wood burning oven wasn't noticeable, until the menu was read and re-read again. They dined on a platter of colorful Roasted Vegetables and a salad of Escarole with Bacalao and Romesco sauce. This was immediately followed by two plates of the most perfectly roasted Rabbit with Alioli and Chicken served with more black tipped Vegetables. Every last bit of food was eaten in almost complete reverential silence and the last of the Alioli was mopped up by pieces of roasted potato. Still dreaming of the Rabbit and Chicken, they ordered a Crema Catalana to accompany their scalding hot Cortados, ending the meal with smokey sweetness.
 |
| The Limitless View from Les Espelmes |
Restaurant Les Espelmes
Coll de Lilla, Catalunya
Ctra. N 240, km 28
43813 Valls
tel. 977 60 10 42
Looks like the drive was worth it. :o)
ReplyDeleteThe drive was more than worth it! I still dream about this meal!
ReplyDelete