Lamb

Sometimes you have a meal that is so simple, so basic, yet life-changing.  For a long time I’ve loved lamb.  My dad does it on the grill occasionally, with garlic cloves and onions to add flavor.  It’s a meal to be desired.  I know I’m sounding a little silly, especially because this was supposed to a travel/climbing/adventure blog, but sometimes the trip shapes itself as it progresses.  And not to say that climbing wasn’t central.  We might not have done as many routes as Dan wanted, but Reilly and I were content, and though I’m terrible at remembering specific lines, many that we climbed will be remembered forever.  But back to the lamb.

We headed to a place called Alaro.  It’s relatively central on the island, just a touch west of the middle.  As the crow flies, it’s not far from Deya, but as it usually goes in Mallorca, we had to wind over mountain roads to get there. The final approach to the restaurant was up the standard, steeply switchbacked road that we have found ourselves frequenting.  The restaurant is a ways up, about halfway to some old ruins called Castell d’Alaro (an old castle). We weren’t there to see the castle.  Our friend Mike (the Brit I climbed with earlier) told us about this restaurant, firstly because of the lamb, secondly because it’s where you park for some amazing climbing.  From the dirt parking lot, where sheep are constantly running about (closely followed by young, cute lambs, a fact that brewed some guilt), it’s a thirty-minute walk to the cliffs, down, then back up, crossing a small valley on the way.  Honestly, I wasn’t entirely motivated this day, and didn’t climb much.  The cliff was truly inspiring, tall, tufa covered (like stalactites but not free hanging), and fog enveloped.  The day was cool, damp, and we were tired.  Dan was pumped though and did some great climbing.  He tried one classic route, Buf!, but it proved a little too tricky—he only made it halfway.  Oh well.  He headed down just before dark, and Dan ran ahead to save us a table (we had been told that they close at seven…or six).

Inside, it’s like a cottage out the middle ages.  I don’t know how to accurately describe it.  Picture three long tables, with two more up a few steps.  Now in the back, two big hearths.  A small bar, manned by tough looking, middle-aged women (and older).  On the wall, ancient leather harnesses for some sort of farm animal (burro?).  And directly above me, a mounted, cobwebbed goat head, complete with long horns and a shaggy beard.  The menu only had a few options: suckling pig, shoulder of lamb, lamb chops, and some sort of entrée that probably no one had ever ordered.  When asked for our orders, I go first and say shoulder of lamb.  The waitress simply says “tres?” but its not really a question.  Dan and Reilly nod consent and she goes without another word and returns 5 minutes later with plates heaped high.  A shoulder of lamb, simple green salad, and fried potatoes.  The lamb requires no knife—I could’ve eaten it with a dull spoon.  I wanted to ask how long it had been cooked, but I was too intimated by the Amazonian wait-staff.  Never have I eaten meat so tender, so flavorful, so purely delicious.  It fell from the bones completely cleanly, not a speck was wasted.  We had a bottle of the house tinto (red wine) with it.  It came in a label-less green bottle with the cork shoved in.  In my mind, it came from a huge wooden cask somewhere in the stone-walled basement.  When we finished, the long road to Deya awaited and I sleepily steered us home, completely content with the path our trip had taken.  Don’t worry though, there’s more climbing.

Here's a picture (from google) of a lamb shoulder.  It was way better than this picture.

and here's the cliff at Alaro

And on another note, we also ate some doner kebabs, which were delicious (and often include lamb too, but in a very different form)

and look like this, but tastier

Oh, and this is being posted from JFK, where I wait for a flight to Portland and then (hopefully) a ride home from my mom.  Yay for madres.  My own bed in a few hours...and lots more blogs in the next few days