Menu translations

Most eating places in Alcalá don't have menus translated into English, so here's a list of items that are widely available.

Remember that "menu" in Spanish refers to the set lunch (short for menú del día), and is often not written down - the waiter will recite what is on offer that day.  If you want a printed, a-la-carte menu ask for la carta.  With tapas, it's often a case of going to the display cabinet and pointing to what you want.

Snacks and starters

Bocadillo, bocata - Filled baguette
Boquerones en vinagre - Anchovies in vinegar
Boquerones fritos - Anchovies fried in batter or breadcrumbs

Caracoles - tiny snails harvested locally in May-June and braised in a herby broth
Croquetas - Croquettes (flavoured bechamel balls fried in a crisp crumb coating)
Ensaladilla - Russian salad, sometimes with crabsticks or shrimps mixed in
Gazpacho caliente - Hot gazpacho, a local speciality made from bread and tomatoes, served in a wooden bowl
Hamburguesa de retinta - Burger made with locally sourced retinto beef
Mollete - Large floury bap, toasted for breakfast
Montadito - Small filled roll
Patatas aliñadas - Potato salad marinated in oil, vinegar and parsley
Patatas bravas - Potatoes with spicy sauce
Pimientos de Padrón - Deep-fried small green peppers (every so often you get a hot one)
Pimientos de piquillo - Small pointed red peppers, usually stuffed (relleno)
Pinchito / pincho moruno - Marinated pork or chicken cubes grilled on a skewer
Revuelto - A cross between an omelette and scrambled eggs, made in a frying pan and with the ingredients stirred in
Salmorejo - Chilled tomato cream garnished with ham and chopped egg
Sopa de picadillo - Broth containing chopped ham, hard-boiled egg and rice or chickpeas
Surtido de embutidos - Selection of sliced pork meats (chorizo, salami etc)
Tortilla de patata - Spanish omelette (mainly potato)
Tortillitas de camarón - Crispy shrimp pancakes made with chickpea flour

Meat

Albóndigas en salsa - Meatballs in tomato sauce (or occasionally ground almond and garlic sauce)

Añojo - Beef between 12 and 24 months

Callos - Tripe

Carrillada - Tender braised pork cheek

Carne en salsa - Meat slowly braised in gravy (usually pork)

Carne mechada - Pork loin cooked slowly in wine and spices, sliced and served cold

Chicharrones - Crispy fried chunks of pork (meat, fat and skin)

Chuletitas de cordero - Tiny lamb chops

Filete de pollo/lomo - Thinly sliced chicken/pork, cooked on a griddle

Jabalí en salsa - Wild boar slowly braised in gravy

Jamón ibérico - Dry-cured ham made from Iberian pig

Jamón serrano - Dry.cured ham made from other types of pig

Lagarto, lagartito - Strips of pork taken from the rib

Lomo adobado - Sliced pork loin, marinated and fried

Presa - Fried fillet of Iberian pork

Secreto - Fried fillet of Iberian pork

Solomillo - Sirloin or tenderloin

Ternera - Veal or beef under 1 year old

Fish

Atún encebollado - Fresh tuna cooked in a sauce made with onion and  wine

Bacalao - cod

Cazón en adobo - Dogfish rings fried in spicy batter

Choco a la plancha - Squid cooked on a hotplate

Choco frito - Squid cut into strips or rings and fried in batter

Dorada a la espalda - Sea bream opened out and fried flat “on its back”

Gallo - John Dory

Lenguado - sole

Melva - Meaty fish similar to tuna

Merluza - Hake, usually served in tomato sauce

Pulpo a la gallega - Octopus marinaded in olive oil and paprika

Puntillitas / chipirones - Baby squid, floured and fried whole

Rape - monkfish

Desserts

Flan - egg custard, sometimes with a crême brulée finish.

Natillas - egg custard, usually with whipped cream from an aerosol can.

Tocino de cielo - superior egg custard, made with just the yolks and sugar.

Arroz con leche - creamy rice pudding, usually served cold, flavoured with cinnamon

Unless you have a very sweet tooth, fresh fruit or ice cream are usually a safer option.