The atmosphere in Galician restaurants is far more laid back than American restaurants. People seat themselves at whatever table is open and there is never a rush to be in and out of a restaurant. There’s a Spanish word sobremesa, which refers to the experience of chatting and sharing company with others after the meal, and it’s an important part of eating in Galicia. Often more time is spent catching up and laughing after the meal than actually eating the meal itself.
The shared experience of food isn’t just reserved for the traditional three meals a day either. At school, we have a period known as recreo, a thirty-minute break from classes for teachers and students. During this break, most teachers leave the building to go to one of the coffee shops around the school. It’s a time to decompress and connect with coworkers in a more casual way. During these recreos, no one really eats a meal (lunch time is after the school day ends) but everyone gets a coffee or a quick snack to help fuel themselves for the rest of the day.
Many people have similar habits in the evening. Often times restaurants won’t open their kitchens until 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. but will still have numerous customers coming to enjoy peanuts, olives, drinks, and the company of their friends and neighbors before they open.
Pulpo was the first traditional Galician meal that I tried. I went to a small pulpería in A Coruña (a coastal city in Galacia) that was recommended to me by one of my teachers. They served us tentacles of octopus, seasoned with salt and paprika with plenty of olive oil on top.
