Love Unrequited and A Romantic Dinner for 4.

Happy Valentine's Day! 

I am now at home after a rather pleasant day and winding down. The day ended with the rush of parent's evening -I literally blinked and three hours had elapsed. It is hard going talking that much and thinking up delicately put things to say to a multitude of parents -especially when you are meant to be saying everything in Spanish. Fortunately I had a lot of help from my co-workers.

It has been a sunny day here in Spain and I slept in as it was a Thursday before going to meet an older Spanish fellow for some Spanish language practise out in the plaza in the warm weather. We walked for over an hour and it was good for me. I love the language challenge and it is so enjoyable to be sitting in the winter sunshine doing it. I came away truly thinking:

 'Ah, this is the life!'

A sleep in, coffee and language practise in the sunshine...and then..a 5 dish taster course for lunch - why not? We don't start work until 5.30pm after all...

Now, I don't want to say too much here, as it is not the place, but I have a thing for one of my co-workers. He's just...well, great as far as men go but...alas, we are not on the same page when it comes to ideas of starting something so there is not much I can do except accept it. We still get along fine however and hang out as friends and there has been no great cause for concern.

It was his idea to do the taster menu and so I got to go out for lunch with him today but with two other friends too - hence the romantic meal for 4. Ah well...so what?! It was an afternoon well spent anyway with good company. 

In Tarragona they are currently doing a promotion in various restaurants so that the public can sample some of what each restaurant offers so we chose to visit a restaurant called Sadoll which is near the Plaza Forum in the town.

Sadoll is a pleasant, expensive looking establishment decorated in an Art Nouveau style with lots of swirls, flowers and curly end flourishes. The windows are simple arches with beautiful panels of various stained glass and the service is of a high standard.

We ate the following, I can't give you a specific menu description as it was all written in Catalan, but well...you can see how nice it looked and trust me, it was delicious too:

(Some sort of vegetable soup with cheese and a homemade hummus dip)

(a delicious thin pastry adorned with tomato, aubergine and rocket and Parmesan with balsamic dressing)

 (Baked cod with a sweet honey-like sauce, courgettes and I think that is some kind of grain but what I'm not sure...?)

 (a spring roll of beef with shitake mushrooms and vegetables on a kind of mash with a rich gravy sauce)

(and tiramisu...plain and simple!)

All for 17 euros plus it was with a bottle of wine buy one get one free! So about 20 euros each. 

I don't earn a lot compared to a London city wage but hey - sunshine, fancy food, lots of free time...I think I do just fine!

And as for Valentine's? Well...I have lots of friends I love and who love me and a great family...and they don't actually really celebrate it here in Catalonia...in fact, they celebrate their day of romance on my actual birthday! And I'll get plenty of cards then! ;) xxx