🍲 A Cozy Night in Oviedo, Spain
Warmth in Every Bite at Taberna del Arco 🌙 The 9 PM Spanish Dinner Ritual At Taberna del Arco in Oviedo's old town, I finally grasped the Spanish philosophy of "dinner as life"—the restaurant buzzes at 9 PM, with fountains dancing outside the windows and a neighbor leisurely dipping bread in sauce while sipping Rías Baixas white wine 🍷 🦑 Must-Try: The Octopus Paella That "Dances" ✅ Arroz Meloso con Pulpo 🌟 Visual feast: ✅ The cast-iron pan arrives sizzling, with purple-pink octopus tentacles coiled over saffron rice and shrimp floating like tiny boats ✅ The rice is "meloso" (creamy), stretching in strings when spooned Taste journey: ✅ Octopus tentacles are softer than cotton, bursting with oceanic sweetness ✅ Bread dipped in the crispy (socarrat) absorbs seafood essence—like Spanish-style "rice crust soup" 🥖 Surprise hit: Explosive-crunch bread Fresh-baked country bread steams when sliced, its crust hard enough to clink Pro move: Tear into chunks and dunk in octopus sauce—crisp shells instantly soak up orange-red broth 📍 Ambiance & Tips Address: Calle Arco, 2, 33003 Oviedo (facing city hall fountain) Avg cost: €22-28 (paella €18, bread €2.5) Prime seat: ✅ Window high-tables (frame fountain + vintage tram passing by) Hidden gem: Flamenco impromptus on Wednesdays—waiters suddenly tap tables for rhythm 🌟 Diners' honest takes "Now I get why Spaniards dine late—watching fountains with paella, hurry feels wrong" "Bread-dipping joy = Chinese palate finding 'soaked rice' in Spain" "Octopus so tender it's surreal; taught me to squeeze lemon over the rice" #SpanishFoodGuide #OviedoMustEat #PaellaPerfection #EuropeanEvenings