Tacande is a family owned and run restaurant in the heart of the beautiful village of Haria – the plaza.
We decided to call in on a market day (Saturday) for some lunch and to check out what they describe as a fusion of Asian, Peruvian and Morrocan cuisine.
There are plenty of tables outside, but as it was a hot day, we elected to eat in the restaurant. The decor is fabulous – very modern, interesting textures, spacious and with super comfortable seating. One feature is a “living” wall of plants and grasses. The kitchen has huge glass windows so you can watch your food being prepared.
The menu is a joy for anyone bored of the usual suspects you’ll find in the resort restaurants. There’s a selection of cold starters, some sharing platters, sea food dishes, and a good choice of meat, much of which is cooked at low temperatures. There are plenty of options for a light snack or a full-on meal. Menus are available in Spanish, English and German.
The choice of wines was also varied, and we went for one produced at the familiy’s own bodega in Haria. Using the local Malvasia Volcanica grape, it’s a dry white, with plenty of body and the aroma is “Lanzarote in a glass.”
Our waitress was Sara, and as she took our order, she told us that they had some really good jamon which would make a great starter. She served us with some home made bread rolls and a delicious orange butter.
The ham was carved for us, wafer thin, and it may be the best we’ve ever tasted!
For our main course, Julie went for Bacalao en tempura (Cod in tempura batter.) It consisted of three chunks of cod served with a black garlic ali oli. The cod was perfectly cooked and the batter very light, although there were a few small bones.
I went for Calamar con cebolla caramelizada (grilled squid with caramelised onions.) As well as the onions, mine came with a saffron ali oli and tiny potatoes in their skins. Another really tasty dish, with a lovely melding of flavours. The squid was slightly tough to cut through with a fish knife.
We hadn’t planned to have a dessert, but felt we should try one to share, and we went for Delicia de chocolate, which was a warm, oozy chocolate brownie topped with home made vanilla ice cream and pistachios. Amazing!
We finished off with a superb espresso, but I can’t remember the make of the coffee.
The manager is Victor and he came to check we’d enjoyed our meal, and told us a little about the restaurant and the bodega. The service was excellent and fast despite the place being busy.
We can’t wait to go back – there are so many interesting looking dishes to try – a lamb tagine, pork cheek cannelone, scallops and jumbo shrimp with bacon, to name a few!
Tacande is a fabulous addition to the culinary scene in the north of the island.
Our bill came to €36 a head including wine, water and coffees.
Tacande Restaurante is open every day except Monday from 1200 until 2000. They are located in Plaza del Castillo in Haria. You can call them on 928 835 177 to book a table, and they are on Facebook: Tacande Restaurante.
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