Gratifying El Calderito de la Abuela

After the scenic drive from Mt. Teide, we wanted to eat some authentic Canarian cuisine.

We found a lovely restaurant on the mountain side with a gorgeous view of the entire La Orotava Valley called El Calderito de la Abuela. We were welcomed by restaurant owner Chef Mario who is a fourth generation restaurateur based in Tenerife. Reconstructing the restaurant each decade along with the times, El Calderito de la Abuela literally means the “grandmother’s pot.” We reveled in enthusiasm along with the charming, rustic atmosphere the restaurant exuded in – it truly felt like we were eating at their home.

Style Details

Outfit | FROM 10 YEARS AGO
Sunglasses | CELINE
Shoes | CONVERSE
Necklace & Watch | c/o LA MER COLLECTIONS

The menu featured specific pairing of wines which are from a small artisan family-run vineyard. This vineyard produces wine exclusively for the three restaurants owned by Chef Mario’s family.

Once we finished ordering our food, the server poured some Daragg white wine. Daragg is, apparently, their brand of wine which was named after their great grandfather Don Luis. Chef Mario explained that Daragg’s direct translation means “nightly wind.” It was a sweet, fruity and medium white wine.

For our appetizers, the first was something similar to onion rings. It was called the cabrillas de Gofio escaldón con Caldo de cherne y su mojo de cilantro. These are “Guayonge” onion wedges with a flour mix scalded with coriander sauce. It was a flavorful mix with an addition of red onion wedges. We grabbed the onion and just put it all in there. It was also served with toasted bread. As we ate, we started to feel our sinuses clearing up as the onion’s essences were very vigorous. Because of their garden-to-table concept, were able to taste the freshness of the vegetables which they handpicked just minutes ago!

The second appetizer was the foie mi-cuit con chutney de tomate y reduccion de PX. These are homemade foie made with tomato relish and sweet Pedro Ximénez wine. This dish was paired with the black Terral 205 wine. The tomato chutney was sweet and fruity. The foie was also very delicious and succulent. It was so rich that the chutney served with it practically disappeared into the foie’s flavor. The high quality of both main ingredients was so pronounced in the palette. It was so piquant and exquisite to the taste.

Our third appetizer was the queso con mojos, which are goats cheese pan fried with coriander sauce, hot chilli sauce and sugar cane honey. It featured fresh goat cheese with three divine sauces. It was an enjoyable dish with a flurry of scrumptious flavors.

The fourth appetizer was the Arvejas de la Abuela which was essentially a pea stew with boiled egg and croutons. This dish was served with a dry Terral 205 white wine within the same brand selection but radiates deviating impact. The pea stew oozed with comfort and delight – it is one of those dishes that I can see myself having in a cozy day. Giving off a heartwarming essence, the dish manifests an element that makes one feel so at home.

Lastly, the fifth appetizer was the Pincho de pulpo a la gallega. At this point we were definitely started to get full but since we wanted authentic Canarian cuisine, we might as well experience as much as we can! This dish is translated to octopus with paprika and extra virgin olive oil, Galician style. This is some seriously soft octopus. The paprika contributes a distinct zing. Together they make a very pleasing combination. We can’t believe how soft the octopus is. A perfectly-textured, juicy, full-bodied, freshness can be savored from this wonderful and delicious dish.

Our first main dish was the Cherne bilbaina con papas bonitas. This is a wreck fish seared with a dazzle of vinegar and garlic oil with chili, served with salted boiled potatoes. This was served on a hot plate and baked to keep its juice. Apparently it was to balance the acidity with the fat. The fish was so incredibly soft and lightly seasoned. I must say, this was an impressively meaty fish. I like the texture and flavor of the skin. Its sauce provided a savory, satisfying compliment which we enjoyed throughout the dish.

The second main dish was the Conejo en salmorejo con papas bonitas. This was a rabbit stew, cooked in a red wine sauce with chili, oregano, garlic, and paprika. It was served with a side of “gem” potatoes. This classic Canarian dish came in a very cute red pot. The oil used in cooking the rabbit is added back into the pot so it all gets emulsified. This dish was served with a glass of Terral 205 red wine, an 8 month barique. The rabbit was very soft and tender. This was yet another dish that feels like I am home.. more specifically, it definitely feels like something my grandmother would make for me when I go to her house.

In regards to all the wine we got to experience, I must say the wine they exclusively serve has been extremely impressive in flavor and taste. We got to try 3 different kinds of wine: the Terral 205 Afrutado (a fruity white wine), Terral 205 clasico (a dry white wine), and the Terral 205 with an 8-month barrique flavor (a dry red wine). I think by now it’s safe to say that El Calderito de la Abuela has an impressive wine selection. Apparently, because of the richness of the soil caused by Mt. Teide, the flavors of the wine produced are incredibly amazing! This reminds me of when we had a marvelous wine in Santorini, and the locals there also credited it to the richness of the volcanic soil. They have been producing their wine in Tenerife since 1993 but they recently just started bottling them. The demand from their restaurants is so enormous that they don’t have the production capacity to be able to supply to other markets. I must confess – the wine is unquestionably superb!

Now for our desserts! The first one was the Helado de yogur de cabra con marmoleado de higos y crumble. This was a homemade goat’s yoghurt ice cream with fig paste and crumble. If you love goat’s cheese, you would without question love this as it’s exactly that but better – its ice cream! They have sorbets as well but this one is the only one made with goat’s milk. The second dessert was the Delicia de cafe. Verrine of coffee mousse on a base of lady fingers with a tia maria liqueur, served with macadamia ice cream and meringue with a fine crispy caramel biscuit. All of these ingredients go really well together. You must dig all the way to the bottom and scoop up to have the whole integrated flavor of the dessert. And then there’s the layer of liqueur in which creates that surprising yet heavenly sweet taste. What a fantastic dessert!

As we can all imagine, we were pretty stuffed after this. We had our fill of Canarian cuisine all whilst a having an enjoyable, informative conversation with charming Chef Mario. With spectacular views of the La Orotava Valley, this destination restaurant is one that you must add to your bucket list!