Catalan bread is served in almost every restaurant, but this was by far our favorite: thin slices of toasted rustic bread, drizzled with olive oil, rubbed with a mixture of garlic and fresh tomatoes, and lightly sprinkled with sea salt. Spaniards are very proud of their olives and olive oil, and most restaurants will serve you complimentary olives.

For a first course, we ordered asparagus with jamon de bellota (a local ham). This was followed by prawns in an oil-based garlic sauce. The specialty (and for good reason) was codfish. For a main course, my husband ordered codfish in a creamy garlic sauce. I opted for the Palomillo steak, but kept sampling my husband's codfish, which had a magnificent texture and wonderful roasted garlic flavor.

The wine was a 1994 Muga from the Rioja region. At 18 euros a bottle, we discovered what was the first of many amazing bargains sampled throughout our trip. It was a well-aged wine (crianza) with rich hints of oak, strong grapes, and dark berries.

We concluded our dinner with complimentary cordials of an anise-based liquor called Orujo, along with chocolate truffles.

This place won two thumbs up on our list of all-time favorite restaurants. The customers are usually locals, but most of the waitstaff speak English. Don’t be surprised if you experience some initial communication problems.