There is little that is just average at Casa La Viuda.
When they hit, they hit big.
When they miss, they miss big.
The large number of five star reviews reflects the fact that if you are lucky to order off the good side of their menu, you can have an amazing meal.
There are definitely more hits than misses here ...
So your odds are very good.
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On the OMG This is SOOOO Good List:
Paleta Iberica de Bellota. This is Spanish ham but much darker and more baritone in flavor. The richness will stay on your palate for a long time. In my opinion, this is the best ham I have eaten in Spain - or anywhere else. And I order a lot of ham when I go out.
Revueltos con Bacalhau Dourado. This is scrambled eggs with salt cod. Do NOT underestimate how good scrambled eggs are in Spain. They are taken seriously as a major main course. Cooks do far more with scrambled eggs here than they do in the US. Casa La Viuda's treatment of scrambled eggs is particularly dramatic.
a) It is huge. There is a vast amount of Bacalhau added to the eggs. The platter will serve two hungry people easily.
b) They make the scrambled eggs and fish into two timbale shaped semi-conic mounds. The presentation is dramatic. There is so much fish in the eggs that the eggs stand like towers.
c) It tastes really really good.
Ensalata con Tomate y Melva. Melva means mackerel. This mackerel is not oily in the least. It is lighter both visually and tastewise than the mackerel you get in the United States. But there is enough powerful taste in the mackerel to give tuna a massive inferiority complex. The tomatoes are not legendary, but they are fresh farmer's market tomatoes. We inhaled this salad.
Tocino de Cielo. Yet another major improvement on flan. This flan has no dairy. It is solidified with egg yolk only. Don't ask me how that works. I have seen the recipe for Tocino de Cielo. I could never make it at home. The flavor comes from an almond crumble on top. The consistency is as if the flan had been stiffened with gelatin - even though there is no gelatin in the recipe. I was skeptical when I ordered the Tocino. I was skeptical after looking at the Tocino. I was in love with the first bite. Who wudda thunk?
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The Avoid List:
Solomillo al Whisky Sevillano. A not at all interesting veal dish. The whisky sauce tastes like nothing. The veal is flat.
Coffee. The only bad coffee we have had since coming to Seville.
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Note that most of the menu is seafood of various forms.
We only got seafood with the salad and the scrambled eggs.
I suspect that the seafood, like uh, like ordering seafood, is probably very good.
So you will probably do very well here.
And if you are really really fussy about your coffee,
Conclude your meal with brandy instead. read more