A Spanish Restaurant in Rheda - El-Espanol

I had been here a couple of times in the summer sitting out drinking wine and eating tapas, a couple of weeks ago I decided to try inside, mainly as they had shut up the outside service area. It was a most enjoyable meal, the service prompt and friendly. I decided that as Linda was coming up on Thursday I may as well book a table and we could have a nice evening meal as a start to our holidays.

Let me explain a little about El-Espanol, it is in one of the oldest half timbered houses in Rheda, and situated in one of the oldest parts of the Dual Town of Rheda-Wiedenbrück. It lies at the end of the road (Steinweg) that leads from the wonderful Rheda Schloß, adjacent to it the site of  the Rheda Synagogue, this fell to the thugs of the National Socialists on the infamous Reichkristalllnacht, when on the 9-10 November 1938 throughout the whole of Germany Synagogues and Jewish businesses where torched and the windows of Jewish families smashed (the sound of breaking Chrystal) and the occupants  terrorised. It was the start of one of the darkest parts of German History to end with 6,000,000 later being deported to the extermination camps of Auschwitz, Treblinka and other places of shame. Rheda did not escape this chapter of shame and was "Jewish Free" at a very early stage in the Era of Nastional Socialism.

It is also situated on Doktorplatz once the centre of the town and the position of the ancient Rathaus(town hall), the town hall was demolished in 1860 and all that remains of it is a single column in front of the now El-Espanol. In fact it is in the summer beer garden.

When I first came to live in Rheda almost 20years ago, the building was also used as a restaurant, also a fantastic one called the Münze, served the best steaks in the area, it closed about 10 years ago and since then the building has changed hands many times. I wish the present restaurant a long and successful life.

We arrived and the waiter immediately showed us to our seats, the restaurant was quite full (I had been informed of this when I had been in to book the table at lunch time, I had wanted a to have a table on one of the upstairs levels, but had been told no chance all taken. I must here tell you that the restaurant is run by and staffed with Moroccans, not that has anything to do with the quality of either the service or the food.

I already knew what I was having for a starter, it was the same as I had the last time Chaperone's, this was to be followed by a Spanish sirloin steak, topped with Serrano ham and patas bravas with a spicy concasse , beside this was a nice salad. also was a pot of aioli and a basket of warm bread, Linda had ordered also squid, but cooked in its own juices and served cold, but when she ordered the fish plater, the waiter immediatly said, I think it would be unwise as the main course is very big and I don't think you will manage both.  We took his word for it and Linda shared my starter.

We had ordered a carafe of Rioja, this was very nice, but then as my Sister-in Law (Manuela) would say there are better wines in Spain than Rioja.

 

The chaperone's came along served with bread and a nice salad, a very good portion.

 

 



The chaperone's had been grilled to perfection, just a drizzle of olive oil and a mixed salad with a diced tomato and herb dressing with a few rocket leaves.

I am a lover of sea food (in fact any food) but it must be well cooked and these chaperone's were perfect.

Next came the main course, I will start with Linda's first. The waiter had been right, the plate was full of fish, this was not a kids portion, it was a portion for those with hearty appetite, in fact it could do 2 people (a good tip for those visiting and for us the next time), it had three large fish fillets (cod, salmon and red fish- rotbarsch) and 2 large prawns, 5 pata bravas and a pile of mixed salad. Linda said it was fantastic and very well cooked.

Mine, the Spanish steak was done exactly how I like my steak, and exactly how I told the waiter I wanted it cooked in Germany it is called "English", I call it very rare. It was done to the point, it was served topped with a slice of Serrano air dried ham and very well spiced concasse sauce. The accompaniments the same as Linda's. The steak was very well cooked, as I said to my wish and to my expectations, well done that chef, it is not always so, the spicy tomato sauce, with just the right amount of fire in it.

It was a very nice evening, very nice indeed. our waiter could not have been better, Attentive, very observant, not pushy, he noticed when we had finished and promptly, removed the plates, asking if we would like to be served straight away or wait for the main course ( a sign that the food is freshly cooked). We had a nice chat and he told us he had been in England working and that he was a fan of Newcastle United and Alan Shearer, that made him my favourite waiter if not in the world then certainly in Nord Rhein Westfalian.

If you are ever down that way, visit the Rheda Schloß with its moats, parks and orangery (often have concerts and art exhibitions here), have a walk along the river Ems between Rheda and Wiedenbrück, through the Flora Westfalia a route that was laid out or the Bundes Gartenschau many years ago, it has a well laid out rose garden, lawns, flower beds, woods that are being returned to nature, through allowing them to fall and grow without the help of man, only the trees at the side of the paths and cycle tracks are cut back for safety reasons. I have often done bits about this in the past and will not do it again here.

Thank you El Espanol for a very nice start to our Holidays.