Pluma de cerdo with patatas bravas
After Son de Mar, we headed a scant block away to Bar Cios, which is also near the Central Market. At a lot of tapas bars, the bartender will also be your chef. We asked about the house special, and the bartender set some lovely pieces of pork loin and red peppers on the grill. He chopped up the pork and served it with a side of potatoes topped with bravas and garlic sauce. We were in heaven. Again. I think there is a special heaven where Spanish pork dishes, like pincho moruno and pluma iberíco and paper-thin slices of cured iberíco hams, are served. Of course that heaven is already right on Earth, in the Iberíco region of Spain. (I just wish our government and protectionist trade policies would allow us to import cured Iberíco hams.)
A short digression on terminology and context: when they served this to us, they said it was called "cruceta de cerdo" or "pluma de cerdo". It comes from the same Iberico pigs that the treasured Iberico hams come from, and Salamanca is known as one of the two best regions for Iberico pork. It shows — this is the best pork we've ever tasted, anywhere.
This was a huge plate that easily serves two or more. It would have made a full meal for one just by itself. We loved it so much (and Bar Cios was so close!) that we went back the next day and ordered it again for lunch...
Pluma de cerdo for lunch the next day, as cooked by a different bartender/chef
I tried to find an address for Bar Cios but, alas, the Internet is failing me. It's right across the street from the Central Market.
More tapas photos from Bar Cios in the extended post. One of the really neat things about Spain is that they'll give you free tapas with your drinks, and two of the following were free...
Quail egg on potato and with peppers and a slice of bacon.
Their version of ensalada rusa, served on a crunchy chip (of pork skin, I think).
A stuffed crepe. I found it too rich, but Joe really enjoyed it.
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