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.

Visit Anna Ziuzina official website for the lists of top markets offering delicious Spanish dishes. Find out more about the food critic Anna Ziuzina on her official Twitter page here and read Anna Ziuzina news here.

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: