jimenato

I've had everything from good value and good quality to poor value and abysmal quality. There is a huge variation. My general impression is that it is budget fuel for workers (and nothing wrong with that!).

When you find a good one it's a real pleasure.

jackytoo

I think this is fairly representative throughout Spain. I have never seen cheesecake...or any sort of proper cake offered on menu del dia. Usually there is soup or salad starters..as above! 3 main(?) courses of Chicken portion, greyish. Rosada, dry and yellowish or pork chop, greyish and doesn't look anything like a chop. Some ventas do estofada swimming in oil with a bit of gristly meat. It's not where I have lived it's the same everywhere. Never seen jamón on a menu unless a la carte

Spanish fresh tuna is never superb...it is what they do to kill it...the blood then runs into the flesh, you can see it on fish counters.

johnnyone

Spot on.

The best I ever had was in Sitges some years ago. The worst was in Gandia a couple of years ago. You pays your money....

cricketman

Not true at all, in any way.

You just go to bad places. Sorry

We've been to lots of good places for a menu del dia in Malaga city, Pedregalejo, Granada, BCN, Asturias, everywhere, and they have been nothing like what you describe. I have been to a few like how you describe, especially in BCN and Madrid, but these are generally the cr*p cheap places that you can spot a mile away.

Menus del dia are never a meal to celebrate your wedding anniversary to, but great meals for an excellent price are easily found. Menus del dia was one of the reasons I came to Spain! I was sick of lunchtime food in London and I havent been disappointed at all.

Try the Lizarran menu del dia near Miramar/Iceland in Fuengirola, it is pretty good for 9 euros. Not the best ever, but nothing like what you describe

Rosemary

Basically it is no different to the UK, ranges from the utter crap greasy Joes to high end restaurants. If you cannot find anywhere decent to eat in Spain you cannot in the UK it is just a case of what you are used to. Personally give me Japan, China, Italy or France in that order, in my opinion the food there is far superior to both UK and Spain and at least the first two do not clog up your arteries like UK food does.
Thinking about it Korean food was pretty good to but prefer not to think what was in it.
Graham.

Lynn R

Granted it doesn't happen everywhere, but I've had "proper" desserts included in the price of menu del dias (priced between 8€ in Loja and 12.50€ in Madrid). Some have been in traditional Spanish restaurants (the one in Loja being a prime example) and others in more diverse restaurants (one in Torre del Mar near where I live which does modern European food, and a very nice tarta de naranja - similar to tarte au citron but orange flavoured - in a Thai restaurant in Madrid.

Rosemary

Where abouts do you eat? Nine times out of ten, including today Rosemary had tarta de queso. I have never even seen a menu as you describe it. There are so many restaurants around here that anyone trying to serve that menu would be lucky to see the end of the month.

Graham

Rosemary

I agree with the workers fuel, peasant food is usually tasty and filling, the same as English food. The problem I find is that people forget what English food is and that is basically peasant food, tasty and wholesome. I can just remember the days before Italian and French cuisine began to change the English restaurants and improve the quality. One of the major problems with English restaurants now is the overuse of Brake Bros frozen food from pubs to quite expensive restaurants, and yes when I owned a restaurant for five years I had the rep knocking on the door every week trying to get me to buy. I really do not think that people realise how prevalent this boil in a bag stuff is.

Graham

cricketman

Have you been to all those countries to test out the food?

Spanish food has an excellent reputation across the world and can measure up to any country. It seems it is only British expats palates who cant cope with it. May I suggest they may be a little unsophisticated?

After all, Malaga has lots of excellent restaurants and I've never seen or heard a British person in them. They tend to be down at the greasy spoon British cafs, the "posh" Italian restaurants paying too much for some pasta or the Indian restaurants. There is a "Spanish" restaurant in Fuengirola called Don Pe's where they make Spanish food for English people, and it is always full with Brits and only very few Spaniards. Goes without saying it is expensive and very average. Same with "El Fuente" in Benal Pueblo, Spanish food for Brits.

If you like food, then embrace what there is in Spain. Spanish people plan their weekends around going to eat in a certain village or venta. And they always go to the ones with the best reputations, from their friends and family and the people in the know. Just turn up anywhere in the world without good information and you will be disappointed.

The food was central to our decision to move to Spain - and although Asturias is still the best for food the rest of Spain is good also, as long as you know where to go! The exception is that food in tourist areas is generally terrible until you find a hidden gem.

megmet

Yes it's not bad in there, the tapas are quite good too!

The only truly bad food we have had in Spain has been in British establishments, there are a few good ones, but on the whole we avoid them.
Usually the best food to be had (if you're not snobbish) is in the venta that is frequented by the lorry drivers and workmen, you can easily spot the good ones as they are always full.

steviedeluxe

Sadly you sound like someone who hasn't experienced much of Spain, despite your claim of "fairly representative throughout Spain". Most of the central parts and north of Spain often have a substantial first course - could be paella, fabada, puchero, lentejas or even (squeamish look away now) oreja stew or callos. Try and spend some time in cities like Valladolid, Madrid or Leon and you'll find plenty of places that serve up substantial menu meals. Of course (especially in summer) there are lighter first course meals eg gazpacho salad, peas with ham, pisto etc.

As for tuna - there are different types, with different preparations. Which is why they have more than one name - surely you'd know that with your Spanish skills? My favourite form is Mojama - Spanish cured tuna - an absolute treat! I wonder if you've ever come across Mojama?

End of the day, there's so much choice available, it's hard to generalise for all of Spain. I personally am not impressed with the standard steaks - and only eat it in Agentinian places I know where it's been superb. I love certain tapas such as tortilla, chorizo, morcilla, jamon and the prawns - and I've had all of these initially free with drinks in Madrid. But if I fancy eating those I order a tapa - apart from the prawns I wouldn't expect to see them on a menu.

Rosemary

Yes I have except for Korea. It was Japan where I had food cooked by Koreans and at one "do" was looked after by a Korean hostess who insisted on feeding me which became to say the least rather annoying.
Please do not think that I was criticising Spanish food, I love it which is why we eat out so much and another one of the reasons why we moved here.

Graham.

Rosemary

I could not agree more. Not allowed to give you Karma which is a pity.

Graham

steviedeluxe

Is it still the law that establishments that sell cooked food have to offer a daily Menu? I've been told that the law was brought in by Franco's regime, to ensure workers had at least one good meal a day. Whatever its origins, it seems a good custom. Seems to provoke a lot of debate too!

JLFS

An interesting question, and would it include foreign restaurants? But saying that I have not seen any Italian restaurants with a Menu D D.