Lera Restaurant, sublime game cuisine
I discovered Luis Alberto Lera through an Amazon Prime Video documentary, "From Life to Plate." Many things caught my attention in that episode: the magnificent cinematography of Tierra de Campos and the village where Lera lives, Castroverde de Campos; the space where he cooks his recipes; his mother…
I made a mental note of the place, but with the pandemic, it got a bit forgotten, until Montse, my friend from @1000galletas, told me she'd won a meal for two at Lera in a contest and that since she couldn't go, she thought this family would really enjoy it. And indeed, it was an unforgettable gift!
We decided to book well in advance for a Saturday. Since the restaurant's upper floor is a lovely little country hotel, we also booked Friday night. If life ever takes you to this place, be sure to have a leisurely breakfast there: absolutely delicious in its simplicity.
The dining room isn't very big, seating about 50 people, with tables spaced apart, very well lit with large windows, and the food is simply delicious.
In my family, there's no tradition of cooking game, except for Christmas, when my mother makes these delicious pickled partridges, and the game we use every year to make the number one recipe from Cuenca, morteruelo. Because of this, I approached this dish with a degree of respect, unsure if my palate would enjoy it as much as so many others had, judging by the reviews I'd read.
I don't want to go into too much detail about the tasting menu because that's part of its charm and because it changes seasonally, but I can assure you it has one word: sublime. One thing that really struck me was the variety of dishes with completely different flavors, all cooked incredibly well. The appetizer, which transported me back to my great-grandmother's kitchen, made me anticipate a fantastic meal. The absolutely marvelous pickled dishes confirmed it. Here are some photos to whet your appetite:
Oh! And one last thing: if, for whatever reason, you can't have one of the dishes, you can let the head waiter know in advance. He'll be incredibly helpful and suggest an alternative. For the Lera team, the most important thing is that the customer is happy. And they certainly achieve that!
On Calle de los Conquistadores Zamoranos, 6, in 49110 Castroverde de Campos, Zamora.
Don't forget to book.
