The Flavors of the World

I did not have much experience with the food of Spain prior to my arrival here. Back home, there are loads of restaurants that cater to the many differing pallets of the world, including those whose primary language is Spanish. This would include obviously Mexican food (burritos, fajitas, and my all-time favorite, Chipotle!), food from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and many other countries within the same region. But I don't recall ever coming across a restaurant whose cuisine was based solely on that of Spain. 

So tonight, a group of friends and I decided to go back to familiar territory and indulge ourselves with the cheesy, meaty, and bean-y (?) deliciousness from Mexico. Now, some people may think that the food from Spain shares some similarities with that of Mexico, but I would have to say that the likenesses basically stop at the language (and there are even major differences with that). Food here is heavily meat based; chicken, beef, and lots and lots of pork seem to be their favorites. From my experience so far (and believe me, I am no food expert by any means, so don't quote me lol) it seems as though the flavors are also a lot less on the savory side and a lot more salt, vinegar, and oil based (sounds like I just described a bag of potato chips).

Anyhow, I really wasn't sure what to expect.  Actually, I was afraid it was going to be some version of what resembled the food from back in the states, but was really nothing like it.First off, its name is Van Dyck, which I took to be one of the most "un-Mexican" sounding names ever, however, I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the chicken fajitas and a coke. Even though there were a total of 10 of us at the table, the waiter was always cordial and very quick. When the fajitas finally arrived, they actually were not so bad! Instead of chicken strips, it was more like pulled chicken in some type of sauce, with onions and peppers. Although it was not like the fajitas I was accustomed to, they satiated my hunger and almost made me feel like I was back home. One of the funniest surprises tonight was when another one of us ordered the burrito, but just one, instead of the four-piece platter. Instead of receiving the really huge 5-pounder loaded with rice, beans, meat, vegetables, and sauces, she received an extremely tiny "burrito" (and I put in quotes simply because what I was looking at looked nothing like burritos I have seen before) almost about the width of possibly two fingers put together. I wasn't even sure if that would be enough food to satisfy a baby, but she was definitely a good sport about it, and hey, lesson learned. 

Eating out in Spain is always an experience and it's enjoyable to see the differences in foods from different parts of the world. I'll definitely stick to mostly Spanish food while I am here, but it's always fun to go back home for just a little while.