De arroz y cochinillo

Foursheets is away for a few weeks and I'm feeling a little lonely at home, so I decided to join a group of friends for their "Spanish night" dinner at the I Hate the Handover Club. I've tried this menu a few months ago and wasn't very impressed, but I figured I'd go along and enjoy the company. There was a big crowd tonight so we were seated around one long table, and our host even brought along a portable speaker to put on a playlist to suit the occasion.

Cecina de León con pan de cristal - always happy to start with some cured meat, and of course pan con tomate with pan de cristal is just quintessentially Spanish for those of us in Asia...

Bikini de jamón y Tetilla Gallega - can never go wrong with a bikini.

Ceviche de caballa - the mackerel was OK la...

Pulpo a la plancha con mojo

Coca d'escalivada - always a good choice thanks to the combination of eggplant and anchovy.

Arroz de bogavante - that's a BIG pan of rice!

Yes, the paella with lobsters was pretty tasty. There was plenty of flavor but unfortunately the I found the texture a little too wet, just like the fideuà on my last visit. And there was no socarrat for me. Pout.

Cochinillo "a la Segoviana" - we wouldn't dream of not having suckling pig, especially when it's done Segovian style.

The skin of the piglet was so nice, thin, and crispy, while the meat was so succulent and the fat tasted so good. Honestly, I'm happy to skip most of the starters to have more pig!

Not sure this is very Spanish but... happy to have salad tonight.

Torrijas - always happy with this simple dessert.

We had discussed doing a Spanish night in terms of wines, too, but our organizer got lazy and only wanted to shop at a store which didn't have any Spanish whites. Oh well...

Nicolas Feuillatte Réserve Exclusive Brut - a bit flinty on the nose. Easy drinking.

2016 Ponsot Bourgogne Cuvée du Perce-Neige, en magnum - this was pretty ripe on the palate already, and certainly very rounded. A little bitter.

2020 Psi, from magnum - served about an hour after opening. Very nice and aromatic on the nose, with lots of potpourri and spices, along with sweet vanilla. Drinking really well for a wine so young.

2000 Marcel Deiss Gewurztraminer Sélection des Grains Nobles - the nose was soooo floral, so much lychee, even though the latter was very much expected. Concentrated grapes, honey, and pollen on the nose, and surprisingly almost a little ground pepper.

A very, very fun evening with this big crowd, and always nice to meet new friends. Many thanks to the Fergies for organizing and for extending the invitation so I wouldn't be home alone on this Saturday night.