Restaurant Review: El Porron Part II

Since I had such a nice meal at El Porron last time, we decided to go back on a double date. I got to try a few new dishes, and had another really lovely meal that was full of flavor.

Instead of wine, this time we tried a pitcher of white sangria which was sweet and yummy.

First up was the Queso Manchego. A slice of cave-aged Spanish sheep's milk cheese was served on top of a piece of raisin pecan bread with quince paste. The cheese was mellow yet savory, and overall it was a nice light bite to start with.

Queso Manchego

Next, a few things came out together. The Albondigas de Ternera, veal meatballs, were served in a leek, carrot, celery, and tomato stew and topped with slivered almonds. This was one of our favorite dishes of the night. It came with 4, so unfortunately we each only got one of these super tender, delicate, and flavorful balls of goodness. The slivered almonds added a nice salty crunch, making for a good combination that I had never tried before.

Albondigas de Ternera

Since I liked the Pulpo a la Gallega last time, we ordered it again. The boiled octopus was cooked nicely, though I still prefer a good char. The oil and vinegar and seasonings gave the octopus some zest.

Pulpo a la Gallega

The most adventurous dish of the evening was the Mollejas al Espuma de Cava & Ajo, otherwise known as crispy sauteed sweetbreads. It was served in a garlic and cava wine reduction alongside julienne veggies. They were very tender and juicy inside and the outside stayed crispy atop the savory reduction sauce.

Mollejas al Espuma de Cava & Ajo

There was a request for croquettes at the table, so we went with the Croquetas de Pollo. They were crispy on the outside and filled with creamy chicken on the inside. That might not sound the best, but it was actually really good. The tomato dipping sauce was a tasty compliment as well.

Croquetas de Pollo

Last time I thoroughly enjoyed the skirt steak, so this time we went for the Solomillo de Vaca a la Pimienta Verde...or the filet mignon. The meat was high quality and cooked wonderfully and served in a light herbed green peppercorn sauce atop of julienne veggies and homemade french fries.

Solomillo de Vaca a la Pimienta Verde

The final dish was the paella. We tried a different one than last time, the Valenciana. This one had a bit more variety of land and sea ingredients - chicken, veal, Spanish chorizo, monkfish, mussels, squid, clams, scallops, shrimp and veggies. You could tell everything was cooked together and all of the flavors came through beautifully.

Paella Valenciana

I am glad I went back to try a few new things. The menu is huge so it will definitely take a few more trips to really hit everything. We had a really delicious meal and I would recommend going back with 4 people, maybe 6, so you can drink lots of sangria and try as many things as possible!