Tuesday, May 15, 2018

El Trillo: Andalusian Cuisine in Granada's Albayzín





Nestled within an old Albayzín house with lush walled garden, Restaurante El Trillo is a quiet oasis tucked away in the narrow lanes of Granada's ancient Moorish quarter and considered one of the best restaurants in Granada. With sensational views of the Alhambra from our lovely terrace table, El Trillo is renowned for serving bold and inventive Andalusian and Mediterranean cuisine with a unique Basque twist, offering a wonderful selection of locally sourced organic ingredients heralded for their bright flavours. Arriving for lunch after our 3-hour walking tour of the Albayzín and Sacremonte with our wonderful guide Mirian, she graciously offered to escort us up the winding narrow streets to El Trillo, taking the time to ensure that we arrived on time for our luncheon reservation. Beginning with a glass of Spanish cava from our server Jesús, we perused the menu while admiring the views of the restaurant's leafy garden and listening to the gurgling sounds of the courtyard fountain. 

The first dish to arrive was a delicious cone-shaped seafood b'stilla amuse-bouche served with a Basque roasted piquillo pepper sauce. With local artichokes in season, the Alcachofas Salteadas con Jamón y Gambas was too tempting to resist, as well as El Trillo's homemade Seafood and smoky Idiazabal cheese Croquetas. Fresh fish and shellfish are the mainstays of Basque cooking, caught in the Bay of Biscay and beyond, as well as in the mountain streams that flow to the sea. With one foot in the Altantic, and one foot in the Pyrenees Mountains, it's a cuisine with as many outstanding fish dishes as there are signature cured meats and chicken stews. Our entrées reflected the diversity of El Trillo's Basque-inspired menu with a delicious Grilled White Rockfish served on a bed of Quinoa and puréed celery with roasted eggplant and seaweed salad, and Spicy Red Chicken Curry. With friendly service, a lovely menu and sensational views, El Trillo was indeed a memorable lunch, tucked away in the narrow winding streets of the Albayzin, rich with echoes of its Medieval Moorish past dating back to the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada.




Terrace table with view of the Alhambra

El Trillo table setting with linen napkin and floral dinnerware

El Trillo garden

Frog-shaped garden tap at El Trillo

Wooden El Trillo menu

Delicious cone-shaped phyllo wrapped seafood b'stilla as an amuse-bouche

2016 Lagartijo Verdejo white wine from Castilla y León

A pale golden Verdejo from the Rueda region of Spain

Lovely fresh and squishy bread

Local Artichokes sautéed with Jamón and Prawns

Croquetas de Gambas and smoky Idiazabal cheese

Spicy Red Chicken Curry de la Casa

Grilled White Rockfish served on a bed of Quinoa and puréed celery 
with grilled eggplant and seaweed salad

Our bill was placed discretely on our table in a small covered bowl





















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