The cooking of Murcia is not complicated, but it is specific, and the coast adds its own chapter. If you eat one thing properly while you are here, make it caldero.
Caldero
This is the fishermen's dish of the Mar Menor: rice cooked in a rich fish stock, served in two parts. First the rice arrives, dense and savoury; then the broth it was cooked in is poured at the table. It is not a rice dish with fish in it — it is a rice dish built out of fish.
From the huerta
Murcia's market gardens supply much of Europe, and they show up on every menu. Ensalada murciana is a plate of tomato, onion, olives and cured tuna, dressed sharply and served cold. Zarangollo is courgette and onion cooked soft with egg, and it is the taste of a Murcian summer.
The tapas
Marineras — small bites of tuna, pepper and a little mayonnaise on bread — are the tapas of the region, and they appear the moment you order a drink. Michirones, a slow stew of beans, is the winter counterpart.
Something sweet
Paparajotes are lemon leaves dipped in sweet batter and fried, then dusted with sugar and cinnamon. You do not eat the leaf. You eat the batter, and the scent of the lemon comes with it.
How to eat here
Lunch is the main meal, and the menú del día is the honest way in: several courses, bread, a drink, one price. Order fish when it is offered as the catch of the day, and eat late.
Where to stay
Casa Brisa Marina
Casa Brisa Marina is an apartment for six in Los Alcázares, with a terrace, a balcony and shared use of the pool.
