[UPDATE from 01-09-16] I found out this restaurant recently closed down. A real pity. Let’s hope someone takes over and it reopens soon!
If you visit Puebla de Alcocer (in the Siberia area) there are two things you must do—visit the castle and eat at La Alacena del Castillo. The castle is all the about the views. The restaurant is all about the food, and about the views too.
Puebla de Alcocer might not be on your main route, but it makes a perfect day trip if you are based in Mérida or Trujillo. And the views of the area are worth the trip, believe me.
Views of Alacena del Castillo and the surrounding area from the castle.
Here are my impressions of La Alacena del Castillo:
The place
La Alacena del Castillo has two different areas where you can eat. On the ground-level floor there is a café-bar with a semi-circular balcony with spectacular panoramic views over the surrounding area and the reservoirs.
The restaurant area is on the lower floor and it has the same splendid views that the café-bar, although there is no balcony here.
Experience
I’ve been to this place for lunch twice in the café-bar area. On our first visit the restaurant was packed (we hadn’t booked and it was right before Christmas). The á la carte menu was not available and we went for some raciones to share.
Spanish-style scramble eggs with wild mushrooms and asparagus.
On our second visit (we went mid-week and after Easter) the place was almost empty and the restaurant area was closed, so we sat at the café-bar area again.
The staff was very attentive, even on our first visit, when the place was full. During our second visit we had the waitress’ full attention and she took her time at suggesting wines and reply our questions about local sights.
The food
On our second visit we went for à la carte menu and white wine from Aceuchal (Extremadura).
These are the courses we ordered:
STARTERS
Salmorejo con virutas de jamón de bellota y huevo cocido de codorniz
Gazpacho-style tomato soup with Iberian ham shavings and boiled quail egg
Price €5.90
No picture, sorry. Somebody started eating before I could even take my camera out of the bag!
Rulo de cabra con cebolla caramelizada y mermelada de frutos rojos
Slices of goat’s cheese on toast with caramelized onion and red berries jam
Price: €10
Parrillada de verduras con vinagreta de frutos secos
Char-grilled vegetables (peppers, courgette, wild mushrooms) with nuts dressing
Price: €8.80
Huge portion for a starter!
MAINS
Presa ibérica a la brasa con setas y salsa de manzana
Grilled Iberian pork (cut located between the rear part of the pig’s neck and the shoulder) with wild mushrooms and apple sauce.
Price: €13.50
Solomillo ibérico envuelto en hojaldre relleno de paté ibérico y cebolla confitada
Pastry stuffed with Iberian solomillo (best pork cut, located right under the loin), Iberian pâté and caramelized onion, served with potatoes and red peppers
Price: €11.50
DESSERTS
Brownie de chocolate con helado de vainilla
Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream
Price: €4.50
Tarta de queso con mermelada de frambuesa
Cheesecake with raspberry jam
Price: €4
Tarta de tres chocolates
Three chocolate cake
Price: I cannot remember exactly, but I am pretty sure it was under €5.
| Location and how to get there |
| Address: Explanada Del Castillo S/N, Puebla de Alcocer GPS coordinates: LAT 38.9786140877766 LON -5.256956173818935 How to get there from Mérida (117 km): Take the E-90-A-5 towards Madrid. Take exit 316 for N-430 towards Ciudad Real and continue for about 20 km. At the roundabout take the 3rd exit and stay on N-430 for 17 km. Turn right onto BAV-6348 (signs for camino de Servicio a la presa de Orellana), turn right onto EX115. At the roundabout continue straight onto EX103, then turn left onto EX350, stay on the EX350 and then turn left onto EX103, which till take you to Puebla de Alcocer. How to get there from Trujillo (97 km): take the EX-208 (signs for Guadalupe) until you arrive to Zorita. In Avenida de Juan Carlos I turn right onto EX-355 and continue for 28 km. Then turn left onto N-430 (signs for Embalse de García Sola/Ciudad Real). After 20 km turn right onto BA-137 (signs for Casas de Don Pedro). When you arrive at Casas de Don Pedro continue onto Calle Z, turn right onto Avenida de la Constitución, turn right onto EX-103. This will take you to Puebla de Alcocer. Once in Puebla de Alcocer, simply follow the signs to the castle. |
| Contact information |
| La alacena del castillo Opening times: (Tue-Thu) from noon, dinners on demand; (Fri-Sun and holidays) from noon until closure Phone: (+34) 626 057 594; email: [email protected] Online bookings: http://www.laalacenadelcastillo.es/index.php/reservas |
La Alacena del Castillo on a map
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Irene Corchado Resmella
I'm a UK-based independent Spanish sworn and legal translator working as ICR Translations. On Piggy Traveller, I share my home region of Extremadura with the world to encourage travellers to discover a different Spain. Serial migrant. Russophile. Married to a Scot. Find me on Instagram.