Zaragoza? Why do you plan a trip to Zaragoza?
Well, because of the famous cuisine. And that brings me seamlessly to the real reason. Our son Mathijs, a newbie chef, is doing an internship at restaurant Quema, and we’re going to visit him.
We were pleasantly surprised by the city. Like Antwerp, Zaragoza is located on a river, the Ebro, adding a special vibe to the city.
Having a personal ‘local’ guide when visiting a city is always an advantage.
Mathijs did a great job guiding us around, unlocking the secrets of the Zaragoza gastronomic street food. The absolute starting point was ‘El tubo’ a lively neighbourhood with streets full of tapa restaurants. I never knew there were so many different tapa’s: montatido with anchovies, montatido with green peppers, ostiones, jamon Serrano [my favourite], croquetas, migas, pulpo a la plancha,….
Next day we visited the restaurant where he was doing his internship.
We were warmly welcomed and thoroughly enjoyed the excellent lunch.
The restaurant’s name ‘Quema’ means ‘burning’ and is run by jefa de cocina Diana Roitegui. I can assure you that nothing was burnt. From the appetisers to the dessert, everything was delicious!
If you ever plan to visit Zaragoza, you know were to eat.
Close to our hotel is the Mercado Central or the Central Market. It is a beautiful building, dating from 1903, which was renovated in 2019 – turning it into a modern, buzzing marketplace. A visit to the market is not only enjoyable, it also gives you the opportunity to meet locals and you get an immediate idea of their food culture.
There are bronze statues in various places around the city, which add to the pleasant atmosphere. Of course we did visit the Pilar, it would be a shame not to visit the first-ever church in Spain dedicated to Mary.
Coincidence or not, this is a second parallel with Antwerp. Because there, too, you have a cathedral dedicated to Mary, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal or Cathedral of Our Lady.
