The Spanish cuisine is incredibly divergent. Living in Spain, you may have visited a lot of restaurants, open the menu and find food you haven’t eaten yet. As a food critic, Anna Ziuzina has had the habit of eating something new during her travels.

Here are some of the weirdest Spanish food she had tried and loved:

Squids and squid ink shaded pasta

The pasta tinted with squid ink may look peculiar with its dark color, but it has a very understated salty taste which compliments the dish. Calamari is fairly cheap and it is widely popular in Spain. You can do a lot with a squid. You can fry it, grill it or throw it in a paella. It is fairly delicious. But take note not to overcook it as it will make the squid hard to eat.

Octopus

The region of Galicia is famous in Spain for its octopus. Pulpo a la gallega is a signature dish found in the region which is made of octopus, boiled potatoes and finished with a sprinkle of paprika. This is an incredibly delicious seafood dish to try.

Goose Barnacles

The first reaction you will probably have after seeing this is, “are this monster claws”? These tiny crustaceans are very expensive Spanish delicacies. They are expensive because it is very difficult and hazardous to collect them. They are attached to hard surfaces like rocks along spiky coastlines where the waves are dangerous. The people risk their lives trying to get them. In able to eat them, you must take off the outer covering where the claw is attached. You can then bite off the tender meat inside and throw away the claw. The goose barnacles have a very rich taste of the ocean.

Baby eels

The eels are actually almost 2 years old when sold at markets but referred to as “babies” due to their small sizes. Baby eels are similar to the size of a spaghetti noodle and are now are due to overfishing. The eels are fried in olive oil and mixed with red pepper to make a delicious dish.

Pig ears

The Spanish don not throw away any part of the pig. Spaniards show their resourcefulness by using pig ears as dishes. In Madrid, local restaurants chop pig ears then grill them to perfection. They are served with spicy sauces and best accompanied by beer.

Callos

This is one of Spain’s signature dishes. They are a delicious meal often served during winter. Callos are usually made up of perfectly cooked cow tripe, peas, chorizo and blood sausage. This may sound scary but once you try, you won’t have any regrets.

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We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you recently visited to Spain, you must know that the country has one of the best cuisines in the world. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, it is time for you to take a look at the most delicious breakfast dishes food critic Anna Ziuzina has prepared for you.

Bread with Tomatoes

This is one of the most classic dishes served in the Spanish mornings. The dish is made up of a toasted bread, pureed tomatoes, a drip of olive oil and a small touch of salt. It may sound plain but it is delicious. The taste creates an unexplained mixture of sensations inside your mouth. It pairs best with coffee or a glass of orange juice to make the eating experience complete and perfect.

Churros with hot chocolate

Go to your nearest coffee shop and ask for this glorious treat. The churros are made of sugar and cinnamon wrapped dough. This is the most common Spanish breakfast you can have. Ordering a cup of hot chocolate to have the perfect sensation of flavors in your mouth.

Tortilla de Patatas

This is commonly known as “The Spanish Omelette”. Having a “pincho” of tortilla for breakfast is as great as having a slice of pizza in Italy. The omelette is made of eggs and fresh potatoes, partnered with a glass of orange juice or a typical “cortado” and a piece of bread.

Tejeringos

Originated at Ronda in Malaga, part of the region of Andalucia, these delightful round, sugary, fried treat are mouthwatering. It’s made with a syringe called “tejeringo” from which they got its name. it is almost the size of your hand and is usually served in a napkin shaped into a cone.

Fartons with Horchata

Fartons is a large piece of sugar-glazed bread usually found in the city of Andalucia. If you ordered a “farton”, you must always pair it with a “horchata”. These two are inseparable. Horchata is a drink very similar to milk but has a nutty taste. The nutty taste comes from “chufa”, an edible tuba similar to celery.

Huevos Rotos

The variants of these dish differ from region to region but the concept is the same. Eggs fried in olive oil with yolks laid on top of fried potatoes. Along the squishy goodness of the yolk, the potatoes are usually topped with ham, bacon or sausage.

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Croquettes

The definition of croquettes is simple, it is a part of hash made of various ingredients attached with béchamel crème that is breaded with egg and breadcrumbs and later fried with plenty of oil. There are many variations of croquettes on the market, and just about every culture has developed their own recipe. Every day, new recipes are formulated and something new is invented and created. The croquette originated in France and it was in 1898 that Monsieur Escoffier, the founder of the classical French Cuisine, together with the help of Monsieur Philias Gilbert started to write down the recipe. The classical formulation and procedures were in place. After a few years, the cooks that were under Monsieur Escoffier travelled around the world bringing with them the croquette recipe.
For a croquette to be perfect it must melt in the mouth with a soft texture. The perfect filling is to the taste of the diner although the most classic ones are based on ham or meat of cooked, at the moment the croquettes are elaborated with an endless of ingredients but always to the taste of the diner.

Gazpacho

The traditional Gazpacho is made of a week-old bread and placed on a mortar. The bread and vegetable mixture is pounded to a paste, and then you begin to add the tomatoes, then the olive oil, and finally the vinegar, tasting all the time to make sure you've got it right. The tomatoes must always run through a sieve to makes sure that the finished dish will have no seeds. Etymologists say that the origin of the word gazpacho came from the Mozarab word “caspa”. Caspa means “residue” or “fragments” which is dedicated to the small bits of bread and the vegetables used in a gazpacho soup. While it was common for Roman soldiers to carry dried bread, garlic and vinegar to make the basics of this early soup, it was popularized in the Andalusian area of Spain. Christopher Columbus probably took this soup with him on his voyages from Spain. When he brought back tomatoes, cucumbers and different peppers that is when the soup evolved to its present state.

Paella

Paella is one of the world most famous rice dishes, with a memorable combination of ingredients. It’s a treat for a family dinner and a great party buffet dish. Paella originates from Valencia which is found in Eastern Spain. Paella can now be found in most Western countries like the America and Europe. The recipe has expanded over the years, and now many different varieties of paella are passed off as authentic. The most common accepted history of the paella is that servants of the Moorish royal banquets would take some leftovers then cook it into mouthwatering dishes they would soon take home to their families. The most commonly accepted story of paella’s origins is that servants would take the leftovers from Moorish royal banquets and cook it up over open fires into delicious dishes they would take home to their families.
The word “paella” may come from the Arab word “baqiyah”, which means “leftovers”. Another speculation is that the word “paella” is derived from a Latin word “patella”, which was a flat plate used for religious offerings made to gods. One thing we know for sure is that paella gained popularity in the mid-nineteen hundred when paella became a popular dish served to laborers. Paella was then adapted by European immigrants to Louisiana, who used local ingredients to create the dish known as jambalaya.

Visit Anna Ziuzina official website for the lists of top restaurants offering these delicious Spanish dishes. Find out more about the food critic Anna Ziuzina on her official Facebook page here and follow Anna Ziuzina on Twitter for more Spanish food recipes!

Welcome to the Anna ZIuzina website!
Today we will evaluate some of the best restaurants found within Valencia, Spain.



This restaurant is a successful combination of taste, absolute respect for the product, an understated creative cuisine grounded in tradition with cosmopolitan and Mediterranean influences and based on seasonal produce. Each course was delicious and beautiful to look at. Creative, original and wonderful food combined with personal and outstanding service combined to make a spectacular experience. The service was delightful, and when I had questions about the menu, two of my servers happily answered. The staff is particularly friendly and knowledgeable, and obvious care has been taken in their training and hiring.

To complement the meal, you could go for the sommelier selection, many the matched wine was sherry. I personally isn't a big fan so I opted for a bottle, the sommelier steered us away from red given the veg and fish focus but I stuck to my hubs and the recommendation was very good.




Having seen mostly great reviews and having spotted the restaurant earlier in the day I decided to visit it and have a taste. I visited this restaurant with a friend. We were shown and received explanations on the various cuts of meat available. Starters we chose were very good - barbequed vegetables and empanadas. The ribeye steaks we ordered were excellent and perfectly cooked per our individual instructions and came with accompaniments. What I really liked is that when I asked the owner/waiter about ordering side dishes, he suggested we wait and see whether we have enough with what has been delivered - and we did. Great deserts - tiramisu and apple crepes. Overall, we enjoyed a great meal, served well and would highly recommend. Totally, the atmosphere was great, the staff were lovely and I thought the overall bill was fantastic value for money. I will be recommending this place to friends visiting and I will be back next time I'm in the city.




We had a fantastic night at Jamon Jamon! We had the set menu, which offers the best value deal in Valencia! The food, staff and price are all outstanding offering delicious, traditional rustic food at a great price per person. We were seated downstairs which was buzzing and judging by the number of people who were turned away, it's essential fully booked. Starters were brought out in good time and the staff all spoke admirably good English and were very friendly. Firstly, we shared Iberican Ham and Manchego cheese, followed by a delicious seared goat's cheese and tomato jam on toasted bread! Next, pausing for breath, came crispy croquettes, followed by brilliant patatas bravas. Finally, and the piece de resistance came the pig's cheek in red wine which was rich, dark and awesome. Every dish tastes great and the service is perfect. The staff are very friendly and makes you feel at home. It's a really great little restaurant and I'd recommend booking as it's clearly one of the best.

To know more about food critic Anna Ziuzina visit her profile page here. Visit the Anna Ziuzina website here to find out more about the best restaurants in Spain.

Watch Anna Ziuzina video on the perfect Paella below: