Cozy, authentic joint in Elche
Right around the Basilica de Santa Maria in Elche, you'll find this cozy, somewhat-hidden restaurant serving fresh and authentic regional cuisine. It's one of those places that goes almost overlooked when you walk by, but you enter the front door and descend into the cellar where you'll find stone archways sheltering cozy rooms with white linen tables, all kinds of bullfighting paraphernalia, and photos of tons of Spanish celebrities and local socialites enjoying the restaurant.
They serve regional cuisine, and it's fresh from the garden or fishing boats. We had the snails, a delicious and generous portion of small Levante-area snails cooked with garlic and tomatoes. The fried calamari was second to none and not at all rubbery (a sign that they're usually frozen). We also had some deliciously plump mussels and freshly-grilled wild mushrooms dressed with garlic, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice.
