A Whole New Take on Calamari

On Saturday night Kevin and I met friends for dinner at El Dorado (Wesselheideweg 59), a Spanish restaurant in Bonn/Duisdorf. We shared a plate of tapas for four, which included bacon-wrapped dates, shrimp with garlic and chili, stuffed mushrooms, and calamari. Everyone had the paella as a main course. All of the food was very good, but the calamari really stood out.

In most restaurants calamari is served breaded and deep-fried. I admit that it is sometimes delicious, but more often then not it resembles fried, chewy rubber bands. Perhaps that's why Saturday's appetizer was such a wonderful surprise.

The squid, which included only a few pieces with tentacles, was cut into generously sized pieces. Instead of being deep fried, it was sautéed in olive oil. Lightly breaded, a few crispy, garlicky crumbs clung to choice morsels. A bright, but not overpowering splash of lemon, topped off the dish.

The effect of the meal is that I am now inspired to try cooking some squid at home. I only hope it's easy to find in my local fish market.