Restaurante la Mayor

Fresh seafood, the traditional way

Clams in wine and garlic

One of my reasons to visit Santander is to enjoy some great quality fresh seafood, the northern region of Spain is sandwiched between Garlica and the Basque region, so as far as gastronomy goes, I am sure Catanbria is right up there too. La Mayor came across when I was doing my research and it is an interesting one, from the decor it looks just like another local canteen but the food they serve is anything but standard. The restaurant pride itself on providing top-quality fresh seafood, all done the traditional local way, with no creativity or gimmick whatsoever.

Tomato salad

Scallops

Langoustines

I went for a selection of seafood dishes to share with my party. The clams cooked in white wine and garlic showcased the outstanding quality of the clams, it was really moist and had no trace of a fishy taste. The grilled 1.1kg Garlican blue lobster was a knockout, cooked over a fire with a good depth of olive oil and sea salt. The roe of the lobster, when I combined the tail meat and head juice of the lobster, it created a sensational umami taste that was just pure joy. Last but not least, we had a local sea-caught red snapper, it was super fresh, and the natural sweetness of the fish came out nicely with the help of the aromatic garlic.

Grilled lobster

Red snapper

Custard and brown sugar sobaos

When you are able to take advantage of all the amazing natural resources and ingredients, simple cooking can get you very far and that is just what la Mayor has done. The decor is so simple that you would just think is a workplace canteen, but the seafood they serve was all done in such a comforting and enjoyable way. The restaurant was packed out on both floors and I was the only tourist table of the evening, it shows how much the locals love this place, and is easy to understand why when you offer amazing fresh seafood like La Mayor at a very affordable price.

Food 4/5

Average cost without drinks and services:
£60 (dinner)

C. Juan de la Cosa, 5, 39004 Santander, Cantabria, Spain