Thursday, October 15 - Restaurante Sorondongo

 Last year I chose to dine at Sorondongo because of good reviews online.  I had a wonderful meal and was excited about going back.  But also a bit concerned.  You know how it is, sometimes a memory enhances the experience.  Would my second visit be as good?

It was not.  It was slightly better, which is saying something.

Photos!  My apologies - I've loaded these twice, in different ways, and they both ended up in reverse sequence.  I am sorry - you can always start with the last photo and work backwards to follow the actual sequence of the meal.

Across from the dock is a large shopping center.

How does this car hauler maneuver in heavy seas?  It appears flat on 3 sides.  I couldn't see the bow, but from the side it looks like a GIANT rectangle.

The Ship!  The Ship!  We were the only cruise ship in port which was nice.  Last year there were 3.

Another park on the drive back.

There were several casual, outdoor dining options nearby.

The restaurant is near the large indoor market and in the heart of the historic district.

Then her buddy took over driving duties.  And immediately crashed.  Boy drivers!  Both kids were fine!

This little girl was having the time of her life.

Waiting for the taxi, I enjoyed watching the HOHO bus cruise by.

Seriously, $85 USD for all this.  Lovely, attentive service and some of the best food I've ever eaten.  Each taxi ride was about $8-9.  Less than a shore excursion and a delightful way to spend a couple of hours.  Worth every penny and more.  BTW, no tipping was expected by the taxi drivers and the restaurant.

The dreaded bill.

Finally, petit fours, to finish the meal.  That's some kind of crunchy stuff (think rice crispies) covered in white chocolate, chocolate cake made with Canarian beer and a mango gel.  

Such a blend of textures and tastes.  Yes, I scooped every last bit.

Course #8 - can it be eight courses??  This is dessert, frangollo, based on a traditional Canarian dessert whose base is cornmeal.  The server said traditionally it is a much heavier, thicker texture.  This was so tasty.  The main part is a cornmeal based mix with a texture between a mousse and a pudding.  There is lemon ice cream on top with two almost savory crispy crackers.  It had a red grape reduction on the bottom along with toasted almonds.  What I loved most about this meal is that each bite of the separate ingredients is good but when you combine them it turns into extraordinary.  

It made me a bit sad when they took away my silverware and brought just a spoon.  Having said that, at this point I was pleasantly full.

I bet you could see through the pasta.  There was cardamom and other flavors which made me think of the tacos I had in Guadalara.  So, so good.

Course # 7 - Pork Marinade is what it's called on the menu.  The server explained it is dry-rubbed pork, slow-roasted for 12 hours then shredded and wrapped in a paper-thin pasta - "like a Canarian cannelloni".  I was getting full and TBH thought, yeah bring it Chef, because it can't top what you're already served.  I was wrong.  This was STELLAR.  The meat alone tasted like the most flavorful pulled pork you've ever eaten.  The pasta was so thin it gave it a nice mouth feel.  The dark sauce was made with the pork broth.  I can't remember what the light sauce is but I could drink it by the jug.

Yes, I enjoyed the perfectly cooked sea bass.  The sauce had a bit of a zing to it from the cider.  A perfect bite combined the fish, sauce and a bit of the potatoes.  Which made me think...why don't I make a "sauce" of potatoes like this at home?

Course #6 - Sea bass.  Well, this looks...beige.  And boring.  Let the closed eye moaning begin with the first bite.  This is sea bass with a sauce made with Canarian cider and a side of "potatoes".  I put that in quotes because it is the famous Robuchon recipe of 1/2 butter, 1/2 potatoes.  Dr. Amagasu, I hope you're not reading this or I'll have some 'splainin' to do at my Nov. cardiology appointment.

Course #5 - Onion in an almond and milk sauce.  I was apparently so excited about this signature dish of the chef that I didn't take a photo when it arrived.  I love baked onions - I grew up eating them as a side dish with grilled steak or burgers.  This onion had the sweetness that comes with baking and was balanced with the dark savory sauce, which was a beef reduction.  There is an almond puree underneath and an almond milk sauce.  Another dish worthy of licking the plate.

Once again I was in awe of the knife work.  And, note there's a bit of jalapeno which gave just a hint of heat.  I ate every bite and would have licked this plate too.  You know how when you take a bite of something and it makes you close your eyes to savor it?  And perhaps moan a bit?  Yeah.  It was that good.

Course #4 - Raw Bluefish with mango and fruit salad. Another explosion of flavors.  The green on the right is an avocado sauce.  The crumbly bits are some sort of toasted corn which added a nice crunch and flavor.  Hidden under the fish, like a wonderful gift, was a mango sauce.  The red things are the tiniest pickled figs I've ever seen. 

If there hadn't been the other couple there, I would have licked the plate.

I don't know what those spices are but it was a perfect dish.

Course #3 - Dressed tomatoes.  OMG.  Raw peeled tomatoes.  This could be an entire meal, if the portion was larger.  The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and sweet, with spices and a basil emulsion along with a light tomato water sauce.  Like most of the dishes, it is juicy with a wonderful blend of tang, sweetness and herbiness from the basil.  Hands down, the best tomatoes I've ever eaten.  I could eat this dish every day.

TBH, this was my least favorite of all the courses.  I enjoyed it but it was a bit "fishy" for me.  Hard to see here but the cuttlefish was cut into a fine, perfect dice.  

Course #2 - Cuttlefish, raw and slightly pickled with a mussel sauce and cuttlefish reduction.  

A demitasse cup, with extra tonic.

The "first course" is an aperatif, with coffee flavored with lemon/lime/yuzu and coriander syrup.  Then, a bit of tonic water and some Italian gin.  I passed on the gin but it was cold and delicious anyway.  Last year I went home and made some coriander syrup and tried to make my own.  Not even close, but if you sweeten your coffee, try some coriander syrup and a lemon peel.  Tasty.

My seat!  Same table/seat as last year.  The restaurant is small.  There is one chef.  While I was there, there was a couple also doing the tasting menus.  There were no reservations available.

This is a narrow road.  With tables under those umbrellas for a small outdoor cafe.  And kids, playing.  I couldn't figure out what this guy was trying to do when he stopped this way.  He got out to open the garage on the left to back in.  Wonderful location to live but I'd need a smaller car.  Or perhaps a driver.

Restaurante Sorondongo.  Taxis didn't know where it was but with a maps app and the address it was easy peasy to find.

Stylin'!

In addition to doors, I'm a fan of the street lights.

While wandering I stopped and chatted with two couples from the ship.  This is Debra and Alistair, from Scotland.  Years ago, when my brother and I had annual passes to Disney World, we went every week and offered to take photos of people taking selfies.  I do that now and it makes me feel like Larry is with me.  

I love the plazas.

The weather was 75, sunny and perfect.

There were several tours in the area near the restaurant.  I got there early, before the restaurant opened, so wandered around a bit.

The name of the store.

This bench was in front of a small antique store.  And, I love visiting antique stores when I travel.

I don't know why but I am obsessed with large, old wooden doors.  I actually bought an old, carved door from India that I use as a barn door to separate my living room from the guest rooms.

The streets in Vagueta are old, cobblestoned and narrow.

How many churches are there in Spain?  Not sure, but I think I've been to most of them.

There seem to be a lot of green spaces, which is very nice.

I took a taxi to the restaurant which is in Vagueta, the historic part of the city.  I was fascinated by these trees which look like 1/2 Christmas tree and 1/2 palm.