December, the tastiest month

December is undoubtedly the tastiest month of the year and Santa Cruz is ready to celebrate the holidays with its rich and varied gastronomy. Its restaurants serve special menus for the flood of business lunches that are celebrated these days and its chefs take great care to offer culinary luxuries for the most important events, such as Christmas lunch and New Year’s Eve dinner.

For those who, on the other hand, will stay at home to receive friends and family, the gourmet stores of the city will expand their assortment with traditional products for these dates, many of them artisan and local.

A prominent place in the shop windows is reserved for the most sybaritic gift baskets and packages that conquer as soon as they are seen in this month of December.

The Christmas illumination feeds the festive atmosphere of a city that throbs with an incessant flow of strollers and tourists, who leave the stores laden with bags of gifts and around any corner come across steaming street stalls that hypnotize them, like the flautist of Hamelin, with a sweet aroma of roasted chestnuts.

With this taste of tradition, one of the most important campaigns for local commerce, especially for the restaurant and hotel sector, unfolds.

Local Trade this festive season

The Compostelana Group, owner of the Compostelana Plaza España restaurant, has presented various menus to attract group events. The requirement is that they be for more than 10 diners and prices range from 27 to 37 euros, including drinks. The most economical ones are designed for snacks and sharing, while the others include appetizers, first course, main course, dessert and even cava for toasting.

Chef Nacho Solana, on the other hand, proposes to travel through his restaurant with a menu to taste the cuisine of the gastronomic societies of the Basque Country. It is called Goxua, costs 30 and ranges from a piquillo in ventresca salad with Basque gazpacho, to a cod ajoarriero with sweet potato or a txuleta with Idiazabal cheese fluido to finish off with a caramelized torrija with intxaursalsa and ice cream.

At La Noria, Lebeche has prepared three menus to enjoy with colleagues at lunch or dinner. This is one of the few restaurants specialized in rice dishes in the capital and, as it could not be otherwise, rice dishes are the protagonists of all its Christmas proposals, which range from 45 to 77 euros per person, drinks included.

From a mellow with monkfish, cardoon and clams to a very mountain rice, with Iberian secret, chestnuts and mushrooms, a arroz a banda, black rice or a sybarite mellow rice with carabineros and 5 J’s ham. All are part of extensive menus designed for groups.

One of the restaurants that will be making a gastronomic debut for the Fiestas is La Foret. Located in one of the most privileged viewpoints of the city, the Ifara restaurant will serve on the 31st a New Year’s Eve gala dinner of seven courses, in which there will be, among other delicacies, Iberian ham, Uga salmon, turbot meunier, black potatoes, a succulent Wellington and lots of bubbles. The cost of the cover includes the cotillion and open bar and is 240 euros for adults and 100 euros for children.

December and Christmas at home

For those looking for gourmet products to serve on their Christmas tables, the Depatanegra store has an extensive catalog.

One of the classics of all tables is the ham leg, and in this establishment they are experts and work with different brands. They also have a huge variety of baskets with all kinds of Iberian cured meats, chocolates, wines, cheeses and preserves starting at 30 euros.

Another of the establishments that are turning to these dates is the Gustofino store. On its counter, the artisanal sourdough panettones that have been brought for the Christmas campaign and many other Italian products to treat yourself to a gastronomic treat to end the year with a good taste are already on display.

The wine shop El Gusto por el Vino is where you can solve the liquid menu of the meal from beginning to end, ask for advice to find the ideal gift to look good with bosses, partners, friends and neighbors, let yourself go and discover something new or just enjoy again with that glass that you loved in that restaurant where you had such a good time. Surely there is something ideal for you among one of its 900 references.

If you are looking for an original gift for a foodie (or for you, because you’re worth it) the safe bet is a Sabela breakfast at home. You can order one of their typical boxes with croissants, toasts, coffees, natural juices and much more through their website.

They also offer brunches at home and have an online store with selected products from the islands, preserves, pates, oils and many other sweet and savory temptations that you can pick up at the store or ask Glovo to deliver them to your home.