Tapas, Wine, Tapas, Wine, Tapas, Wine, Beer, Beer, Beer

I’m sure I could have thought of a more original title, but when I woke up this morning (1pm) that’s all that was playing in my head. Yesterday I arrived in the gorgeous little city of Logrono where I am being hosted by an awesome CouchSurfer, Stephanie. For my first night in town, we decided to do it up Spanish style and have a dinner of Pintxos and wine.

So good it’s stupid.

First stop Bar Angel for Champiñón a la plancha (grilled mushrooms). Three button mushrooms on a toothpick, topped with a baby shrimp and slathered in garlic butter atop a bread round, add a glass of wine to go with it and this delicious morsel will set you back only 2 euro. Those of you back home can absolutely make this (and should!) as a fantastic party appetizer and bring a little Spanish flair to your table… what are you waiting for- invite some people over!

After this delicious little bite, we finished our glasses and set off for the next place in search of patatas bravas– but the bar was too crowded to get in the door, so we skipped it and headed for Pata Negro- a Jamonero. I thought about having a little jamon (since I am in Spain after all) but decided the blue cheese and tomato preserve bocadillo sounded better. It was ridiculously great. It deserved a moment of silence- it was that good.

Very simple- a tiny little baguette (2.5 inches) sliced in half and smeared with a tomato preserve. On top of the preserve sprinkle some good quality blue cheese – think gorgonzola dolce- and you’re in heaven. No joke. Paired with a glass of wine this little slice of paradise cost 3 euro and change.

Now, it was finally time to track down some patatas bravas. Diced potatoes, fried, and then SMOTHERED (I’m not kidding people- drenched) in spicy red sauce and aioli. It comes in a small dish and you are meant to eat it with toothpicks, while slopping some of the sauce off onto a bread round. Since I don’t enjoy (okay, I freaking HATE) mayo, I can’t say this was my favorite tapa- but if you’re into aioli, this would be a dream come true. The pieces that had just the spicy sauce were really tasty, in my heat seeking book! A great glass of wine alongside I walked out the door only 2 euros lighter in the pocket.

Now that dinner was done, it was time to drink some beers- you can find a “nice” bar anywhere you want in Logrono, but I was craving dive.

First stop, El Viajero (the traveler). With old luggage stacked behind the bar serving as shelves, tribal masks along the wall and safari hats being used for lampshades, this was my kind of place. Not only that, it was “double beer night”. 2 euro for a sturdy pint of ice cold beer served in a traditional German stein- yes please!

Next up was Stereo, a funky bar with a mix of old rock n roll and the angsty youth of Logrono dancing away their troubles to Elvis… More beer- now I started to lose track of how much this one cost. Then we headed to La Luna- the moon! More beers… Around 4 or 5 we ended the night at a Kebab restaurant with falafel kebab and, you guessed it- more beers!

My night got EVEN sweeter when I came home and got to Skype with dear friends from back home who I miss more than there are words for… with that, I went to surf the couch and dream of being in a booze carnival called Barnival…

Even dreaming is better when it’s alcohol induced! I’d write more- but I’m off to make some amazing sangria and Greek food for my American host living in Spain. What a world I live in.