SEGOVIA - RESTAURANTE JOSE MARIA

SEGOVIA

February 2022

MESÓN DE JOSÉ MARIA IIO

If you are looking for a traditional Spanish food experience, then Mesón De Jose Maria, a traditional Castilian Tavern off of Plaza Mayor is the place for you. The restaurant has been here since 1982.

Walking into the busy bar you will find it filled with a mix of locals, from those taking a break at the end of the day, to families who wheel their baby prams into the bar to catch up with friends and family.

This boisterous place oozes local charm and offers anything from, a simple tapa, to Chef José María’s kitchen tasting menu in the restaurant area.

The owner also has a large wine bodega featuring Ribero del Duero and Rioja appellation wines.

We started with a free appetiser

and then, Revuelto de Temporada con calabacín, cebolla pochada y gambas (scrambled eggs with zucchini, poached onion and prawns)

Judiones del Real Sito con chorizo (giant broad beans from Real Sitio de San Ildefonso with chorizo).

These beans are very famous in the area and melt in the mouth, like a butter bean puree.

Their cochinillo (suckling pig) is rightly famous.

In China, Greece, Corsica and many other places where suckling pig is a very popular dish, the recipes have a general tendency to tenderise, marinate and stuff the pig with a variety of herbs and spices.

The popular Segovian recipe relies on the outstanding product itself, with just the added salt and pepper. As a result of this unique preparation, it is easy to assume that the gastronomic success of the suckling pig here must depend primarily on the raw material.

In his quest to achieve the best quality raw materials, José María created his own breeding farm to bring about an exceptional product.

This would lead him and other collaborators, to create PROCOSE (the Association for the promotion of the suckling pig of Segovia), which is in charge of the denomination “Marca de Garantía” for the roasted suckling pigs of Segovia.

Cochinillo de Segovia asado de nuestra corte y hornada. D. Marca de Garantía (suckling pig with the guarantee mark, roasted in the traditional oven ).

Preparing the suckling pig

The piglet was roasted perfectly, with crispy, superb crackling (skin) and tender meat.

It is served with a thin gravy and patatas pobre (which are basically, poor man's potatoes).

With the piglet we had the house red, Jose Maria Pago de Carraovejas 2018.

We shared various desserts, starting with, La tarta de quesos castellanos con helado de frambuesa (Castilian-cheese cake with raspberry ice-cream).

Tiramisu con helado de cafe (tiramisu with coffee ice cream and chocolate dust).

Raviolis de chocolate caliente y crema helado de vanilla (hot chocolate ravioli and vanilla-iced cream).

Flan de vainilla y caramelo con nata y nueces de Castroserna (vanilla crème caramel with whipped cream and local nuts). I asked for no whipped cream but it seems the nuts went missing as well.