La Comida en Giraffe
Although I had to book a new flight and leave a day later than planned, I lucked out because I got to fly with the very nice British Airways (BA) without having to pay extra. I was originally going to stop in both Boston and Chicago with American Airlines (AA), but my BA flight just made one stop in London.
I arrived in the Heathrow Airport around lunchtime and immediately noticed the restaurant Giraffe and its billboard advertising healthy salads. Spain has lots of great seafood and jamón, but finding fresh vegetable tapas is a challenge.
"Super Healthy Veggie and Marinated Oregano Feta Salad" with Barcelona Baluard bread
We often think of salads as being a cinch to make, but getting the right ratio of complementary ingredients and textures and perfect amount of dressing can be tricky. But this salad hit a home run— buttery avocado balanced the pungent feta, cherry tomatoes provided pops of color, bulgur and pepitas contributed extra textural appeal, and the sugar snaps delivered a delightful crunch.
This wonderful salad was dressed with an herby salsa verde vinaigrette and contained oregano marinated feta, lightly steamed broccoli, sugar snaps, alfalfa, borlotti beans (cranberry beans), avocado, bulgur, toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and arugula. Well, it was supposed to have arugula...
Sugar snaps are a cross between English peas and snow peas
Pepitas are pumpkin seeds—it's a Spanish word that has become more mainstream. We buy them at Trader Joe's and I always wondered why they looked so different than the pumpkin seeds I've removed from a pumpkin. They're green because they've been hulled!
Best bakery in Barcelona
I still had some of my special seeded whole wheat bread from the wonderful Barcelona Baluard bakery, and was able to have a slice toasted at Giraffe. Toasting bread brings out the flavors and gives it that slight crunch that I just love.
Borlotti Beans (aka Cranberry Beans)
I was enjoying all the different components of my salad, but noticed I had yet to taste any arugula. I chose this salad partly because it was supposed to have arugula, so I asked the waiter about it. He looked at my salad for a moment and said, "Isn't that some rocket there? No, I guess it's just spinach. I'll be back." He returned shortly with a heaping bowl of arugula and said the chef forgot to include it because he was a little overwhelmed by all the people dining at Giraffe.
It was fun getting such a big bowl of arugula, which was probably more than I would have gotten originally. I saved what I didn't eat to enhance my dinner on the plane.
I loved the giraffe sculptures! Giraffe had a lot of vibrant art on the walls and a great vibe. I was happy to see that a place known for healthy fare was so popular at the airport. There was a line of groups waiting to be seated, but I was able to bypass them since I was eating solo. Unfortunately, no Spanish people here to strike up conversation with. ;-(
Black sneakers belong to me
Not only did I get to fly on BA, but I got the seat in the bulkhead normally reserved for last minute flight attendants. And I was next to a window! My legs get very cramped on long flights (this one was 8 hours), so it was a huge bonus being able to stretch out my legs as far as I wanted!
The food on BA was more gourmet than AA food. Mini bottles of wine were included with dinner which was: risotto with grilled chicken and asparagus (a bit overcooked), tabbouleh salad (very good, especially with my extra arugula), an herbed roll (liked the herby flavor), and a chocolate-caramel mousse (initially delish but became saccharine).
I really think airlines should consider serving Indian cuisine because it always packs a huge flavor punch and legumes are a staple! Legumes don't suffer from extended cooking and reheating like vegetables such as asparagus and broccoli. Plus, airlines wouldn't have to worry about their food being bland, something that most people complain about.
Altitude weakens our sense of taste because the change in air pressure numbs about 1/3 of our taste buds. Also, the low humidity in the cabin dries out our noses. Our noses are very important in how we perceive taste because taste is 80% smell. For more info I highly recommend the book Taste What You're Missing by Barb Stuckey.
Despite being a bit put out about changing flights and spending a couple hours waiting in lines at the airport, I ultimately came out ahead. I met Thanh, saw more of Madrid, and had a nicer flight home than I would have had with AA—fewer stops, better food, more leg room, AND a window seat...what more could I ask for?
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