When traveling to different countries, it can be a lot of fun to explore some of the local restaurants. Whether you're planning just a short visit or intend to live in Spain for an extended period of time, you owe it to yourself to explore this country's many delicious culinary offerings. Eating out can be a lot of fun for almost any traveler. However, if you are a devoted "foodie" and love exploring various cuisines, a trip to Spain can really be an eye-opening, exciting and adventurous experience. Here are some tips you can use in order to fully explore the restaurant options in Spain. You're sure to find the experience to be a truly exciting culinary adventure, to say the least.

Spanish Cuisine

Every country is most well known for a few special food types and dishes, and Spain is certainly no different. When exploring the cuisine of Spain, you'll find that the country is actually known for a variety of different dishes. This diversity is largely attributed to differences in culture, climate and geography throughout the various regions. For example, you'll find a big emphasis on seafood in the coastal regions of Spain. Many Spanish dishes also rely heavily on fresh, healthy ingredients. So, even if you decide to eat out at a different restaurant every night while visiting Spain, there's a good chance you'll at least be able to make healthy food choices.

Because of the culinary diversity between the different regions of Spain, it's almost impossible to sum up the country's food specialties to just a few dishes. However, overall you'll find a lot of Spanish dishes focus on foods such as seafood, sausage, tomatoes and peppers. In terms of desserts, you'll find that custards, rice pudding and flans are popular dishes throughout Spain.

Regional Specialties

Depending on the area of Spain you plan to visit, you're likely to experience a variety of different culinary specialties. For example, you'll find plenty of seafood and delicious sauces included in the food specialties of northern Spain. If you travel to the Pyrenees, you're likely to find many dishes that include onions, tomatoes and sautéed peppers. Rice-based dishes are common in the eastern region of Spain, tapas and fried fish are the norm in Andalucia. Stews and roast meats are very prevalent in central Spain.

Dishes to Try

With so many culinary options from which to choose, it can sometimes be difficult to decide which delicious dishes to try. However, it's almost inconceivable to think about visiting Spain without sampling some of the delicious tapas dishes. Tapas are small "finger food" snacks, similar to what you might refer to as a canapé. These miniature dishes are part of everyday life in many regions of Spain. Although there isn't one single "national dish" of Spain, popular regional choices include gazpacho, paella de marisco, tortilla Espanola, which is a Spanish omelet dish, and chorizo sausage.

Choosing a Restaurant

Different regions throughout Span have different rating systems used for restaurants. But basically, you'll find blue and white signs with an "R" on them, along with between one and five forks. Five forks is the highest possible rating, although there are plenty of restaurants with fewer forks that you might discover serve the best food in town.

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