Above, Pide por esa Boquita croquetas
Croquetas start out many a meal in Spain, so it only seems appropriate to feature one more plate. The above is definitely a recommended one – a split order of croquetas with half squid ink and half cecina and membrillo at Pide por esa Boquita. The small restaurant felt bright and contemporary and attracted us back for a repeat visit. The seasonal salads were creative; lobster and vegetables were prepared in a not-too-heavy tempura batter; and the tuna tataki merited ordering again.
It was nice to spice things up for a change of pace at Indian Aderezo. The samosas were filled plumply, and the curried vegetables and garbanzos suited us well.
Filled with locals, Restaurante Niza offered us our requisite Italian fix.
The vegetable crepes and lamb coucous at Eh Voila! were delicious, but the place is big and bustling compared to most of the intimate spaces in the historic center. With a sprawling patio on the Plaza Mayor, Cafe del Norte is recommended more for its location than the food.
Our best meal in Valladolid was our final one, but I have absolutely no recollection of where it was or its name. We had luggage in tow and were cutting our trip short to catch a train to Madrid to board an unplanned flight home. Wish I could share at least the name.
A warning: Restaurants in Valladolid tend to have short windows for lunch, and most spots don’t reopen until 8 or 9 p.m. Perhaps that is why in the late afternoon and early evening, the locals all seem to scream for ice cream. Your best bet to recover from a missed lunch might be to join them in one of the long lines.
Postcards from Barton Springs 