A Restaurant from Santiago at the New York Times

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA has been a tourist town for a millennium; it looks like one, too, with its massive central cathedral, huge central squares, and ancient hotel, now a parador. So finding the right restaurant there is about as challenging as it is in Disneyland. But just outside the old part of town is an important huge university and a part of the city geared not to tourists but to students and locals.

Octopus on the plancha (a super-hot griddle) and sprinkled with smoked pimentón.

When I was advised to try a restaurant in that area, O Dezaseis — or 16, as it's widely known — I was a little dubious. It feels like many European tourist traps: subterranean, a little cavelike, an intentionally charming converted stable of brick and stone and wood, probably 300 years old, with wooden tables and chairs, and with farm and cooking implements hanging from walls and ceilings.

On the other hand, it's not bad looking. And once I started eating, reservations fell away with my hunger. You'll see, as you walk in, a huge wheel of empanada with tuna and pimentón (Spanish paprika). Get some — it's spicy and flavorful, as it should be (but so often is not) in Galicia, the home of empanadas.

Galicia is also the world capital of pulpo — octopus — as far as I can tell. At 16, it's cooked until tender, then tossed on the plancha (a super-hot griddle) and sprinkled with smoked pimentón. In a region where every town has several pulperías — restaurants specializing in pulpo — 16's was exceptional.

What I had are tapaslike dishes, but they're raciones, bigger plates and meant to be shared. Still, almost all these dishes were under 10 euros ($13.50 at $1.35 to the euro), and out of a dozen or so there were maybe two losers. The clear winners were the pulpo; razor clams à la plancha, with just lemon; tender boiled veal chuck with nothing more than pimentón and olive oil; and, perhaps best of all, lacón (the local cured and cooked ham) with chorizo and grelos (broccoli rabe, a Galician obsession) — a simply perfect combination.

Even the desserts (3.50 euros) are good: fresh cheese with walnuts and strawberries, and a wonderful cheese flan. And the wine list is astonishing: my table of four had two bottles of a superb albariño, at 10.50 euros each.

I no longer need to find the cheapest place in town, but 16 happens to be among them, making the quality of the food all the more incredible.

O Dezaseis, Rua San Pedro 16, Santiago de Compostela; (34-981) 564-880; www.dezaseis.com.

Skip to next paragraph

Santiago de Compostela

Readers’ Opinions

Have you eaten at O Dezaseis?

The Article at New York Times ( +Go)

Denis Doyle for The New York Times
and Pablo for Lugo England !