HOW TO DINE LIKE GWYNETH PALTROW IN SPAIN

Greetings.

In my last post we visited the Alhambra and its beautiful Generalife, a fantasyland left behind by the Moorish Sultans that once ruled Southern Spain.

After our visit to the Alhambra, we met up with our driver who took us to the nearby area known as Albaicín, the ancient Arabic quarter of the city of Granada. It is here in this charming area of narrow cobblestone streets that I will show you how to dine like Gwyneth Paltrow in Spain.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we navigated the maze of whitewashed houses until we could no longer do so by car. So we jumped out and decided to complete the journey on foot, anxious to arrive at the much lauded dining establishment known as Restaurante Mirador de Morayma. Having heard about this restaurant on the PBS food and travel series called On The Road Again, I was determined to complete our visit to Granada with a late lunch at this Albaicín landmark. The show, On The Road Again, features Chef Mario Batali, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman, and the very beautiful Spanish actress Claudia Bassols. Each episode covers a different region of Spain as the foursome explore the country’s culinary traditions and history. One of my favorite episodes was the day they visited Granada and had a wonderful lunch at Mirador de Morayma.

As renowned as the restaurant is, it was not easy to find. I guess that was part of the charm. Thankfully, attractive ceramic directional signs led us through the narrow passageways where we were certain great food awaited us.

First right…

then left…

until at last, with great anticipation, we arrived!

Just look at how charming this place is! I knew it was going to be the perfect place to relax and recover from our very full day of trekking through the Alhambra.

Entering into a beautiful courtyard, we found the restaurant to be every bit as wonderful as we had hoped it would be.

Our hungry teenage son led the way.

The courtyard was filled with pretty ornamentation. Everywhere we looked was a sight to behold.

Spaniards eat late, so when we arrived the lovely outdoor dining pavillion was empty. But by the time we left it was filled to capacity with locals and tourists alike.

Look at the pretty courtyard flooring, paved in stone with accents of green tiles.

Legend has it that the wife of the last king of Granada, Boabdil, lived in this corner of the Albaicín during the captivity of her husband. Her name was Morayma, the namesake of this restaurant.

Stepping into the interior of the restaurant, we found it to be as lovely as the exterior.

Filled with interesting art, old wooden beams, stone columns and terra cotta tile, I knew I was going to enjoy the next couple of hours here.

In some ways it was almost like a museum, with beautiful objects and artifacts from the restaurant’s long history on display.

We were seated here at this lovely corner table with a direct view of the Alhambra across a wooded ravine.

I always admire hand forged wrought iron, which was abundant here.

The owners of the restaurant also have an organic vineyard in nearby Alpujarra called Farmhouse of Morayma. Here they produce their own wines from organically grown grapes.  With a small production of only 7,000 bottles of red and 2,000 bottles of white wine, they are sold exclusively at the Farmhouse of Morayma and at the Mirador de Morayma restaurant. This is a photo of their lovely wine cellar.

This ceramic tile on the wall of the restaurant has words of wisdom for those imbibing in wine…

Wine is the friend of the wise and the enemy of the drunk. It is bitter and useful, as the philosopher’s advice.  It is permitted to the intelligent and prohibited to the imbecile. It pushes the idiot to the darkness and guides the wise toward god.

By Avicena, Iranian Doctor of the 11th Century.

Wanting some guidance toward God, I ordered a bottle of their red wine. My husband Brad preferred to try a cold beer named after the Alhambra. Both were good, not sure which was more Godly.

Every diner at the restaurant is given this delectable plate of cracked olives and a delicious soft cheese to enjoy with a wonderful basket of fresh Spanish bread and breadsticks.

I started my meal with a traditional cold Spanish soup, Gazpacho, accompanied by all of the traditional accoutrements. It was wonderful and refreshing.

Brad and our son Austin shared a green salad, which in Spain is typically made with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumber and hard boiled eggs. It is then dressed in olive oil and vinegar.

Granada’s location between the mountains and the Mediterranean is reflected in its cuisine. I LOVE the fish we call Hake, but in Spain it is known a Merluza. I can never get enough of this delicious white fish and ordered it every chance I had while in Spain.

Everything we ordered was wonderful, including the flan we enjoyed for dessert. Full and satisfied, we took one last look at the beautiful Alhambra before bidding farewell to the Restaurant Mirador de Morayma and returning to our ship to continue our Iberian Odyssey cruise.

If you can’t visit Spain, the most beautiful country in the world, and with the best food in the world, do yourself a favor and watch the wonderful PBS series On The Road Again. Mario Batali lived in Spain as a teenager, as did Gwyneth Paltrow who was an exchange student there. Both speak Spanish fluently.

Click here for a little taste of the show. Watch it, it’s really entertaining!

So there you have it: HOW TO DINE LIKE GWYNETH PALTROW IN SPAIN 

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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise credited, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.

Some of the photos here were provided by Restaurant Mirador de Morayma.