Casa Rural Fulguera

We’d heard good things from several friends, so I wanted to give the restaurant a try. It turned into one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve had. The food seemed average and the portions were a bit small, though that part was about what you’d expect from a restaurant. The trouble began with the drinks. The menu clearly said a small beer came with each meal, but the waitress and manager said the included options were water, wine, and soda. We let that go. Then the wine arrived, and everyone at our table of 20 thought it tasted vinegary and spoiled. When we quietly told the waitress and manager, she rudely said we didn’t know what Bierzo wine tasted like. Her only suggestion was that we buy another bottle, and she handled that unpleasantly too. The same waitress made rude remarks and treated several others at the table badly during the meal. We stayed and finished out of politeness. After paying and leaving, we called politely to say the service had been unpleasant, especially for such a large group. Her response was way over the top. She said it was embarrassing that we were bothering the father of one of the diners, that he was a customer, and asked how we dared complain. She didn’t try to discuss it or acknowledge it as a customer complaint. After telling us, “If you didn’t like it, don’t come back,” she hung up and added an expletive. Her rudeness was unbelievable. We certainly won’t return.

Everything we tried was delicious, the portions were generous, and the quality was excellent. Everyone was lovely too. We went for lunch during the Bierzo gastronomic festival and had the €24 set menu. It started with two octopus croquettes, then we ordered octopus and prawn skewers, Galician broth, and fried eggs with chichos. For the main courses we had cod, botillo, and entrecote steak. Two of us chose the usual octopus and churrasco menu. Both menus came with drinks, dessert, and a shot of something. We’ll definitely be back!

The rooms and the house were perfect, with fantastic views and amazing showers in every room. The terrace grill was pretty dirty, though. We were keen to try the restaurant too, since it smelled delicious.

The homemade food is delicious, apart from the usual fried things like calamari and empanadas. I especially recommend the octopus and any grilled dish, and it makes a perfect fair menu. The setting and views are stunning. I come here whenever I can, and on busy days the wait can be long, which is understandable with so many visitors in a town like this. Even under that pressure, the staff keep their composure and smiles.