C   a   n   a   r   y   F   o   r   u   m

Spanish Seafood & Fish Dishes

monkfish

 

 

If you don't mind eating with the workers so aren't looking for anything fancy, after almost 20 years on the island I have yet to find better tasting fish dishes at better value here in the south than at Bar El Boya located in El Pajar in Arguineguin. What makles dining here even more unique is the restaurant is located on a pebble beach just a few dozen meters from a huge cement factory. Dinner is only Friday and Saturday nights until 23:30 otherwise it's open daily from 08:00 until 17:30 and closed on Thursday. You can get their seafood rice for around 5 euros which other tourist restaurants might serve as paella only with less seafood and charge 20 euros. Also, if you're self catering and have a microwave they do food to take away so grab something during the day to take away for dinner?

If you do want something fancy though then a short drive from the fishing harbour is the highly recommended sea-front restaurant in Patalavaca - the La Aquarela restaurant. Haute cuisine though you're paying for it. Check their website for a look at the menu. In Puerto Rico try the Grill Costa Mar down near the beach, in Meloneras try Las Rias in the Varadero center, El Senador on the beach at Maspalomas and in Playa del Ingles try Rias Bajas next to the Yumbo center. In Puerto de Mogan all the restaurants around the marina serve fresh fish dishes with some having their own boats to go out and bring in fish and seafood for them.

paella

So what dishes to try? My favourite and perhaps the most traditional here on Gran Canaria is of course seafood Paella. As mentioned above, head to Arguineguin on a Friday or Saturday evening for the best deal. Another traditional option is to grill fish over an open flame. Sardines are cooked this way with rock salt, as is sea bass (lubina). "Cherne" is on just about every menu; It’s actually Wreckfish which is also known as Stone Bass or Bass Grouper - not to be confused with Sea Bass which it isn't.  As with all restaurants, if it's full of locals or you need a reservation to get a table then it's good.

 

Fish Translations :-

 

Anchoa – Anchovies

Anguila – Small eels, often served with scrambled eggs.

Atún Rojo – Red Tuna, better known as Bluefin Tuna which is actually an endangered species in the Atlantic

Bacalao – Cod

Bocinegro – Sea Bream

Bonito – Skip-jack Tuna

Boquerones – Anchovies - this time marinated ones.

Burro – Grunt

Caballa – Mackerel

Cherne – Wreckfish / Stone Bass or Bass Grouper

Chicharro – Blue Jack Mackerel.

Chopa – Black Sea Bream

Congrio – Conger Eel

Corvina – Brown Meagre

Dorada – Gilthead Sea Bream.

Gallo – Megrin

Lenguado – Sole

Lubina – Sea Bass.

Merluza – Hake

Mero – Dusky Grouper

Morena – Moray Eel

Pez Espada – Swordfish

Pampano – Blue Butterfish

Panga – Vietnamese Cobbler

Pargo – Common Sea Bream

Rabil – Yellowfin Tuna

Rape – Monkfish

Raya – Ray

Rodaballo – Turbot

Rubio – Tub Gurnard

Salmón – Salmon, an easy one.

Salmonete – Red Mullet

Sama – Red Sea Bream 

Sardina – Sardines

Sargo – White Sea Bream

Tollos – shark.

Trucha – Trout

Vieja – Parrot Fish

 

Seafood :-

 

Calamares - Squid

Cangrejo - Crab

Gambas - Prawns

Langosta - Lobster

Langostina - Crayfish

Mejillones - Muscles

Ostras - Oysters

Pulpo - Octupus