El Paraguas

This Salamanca's Recoletos neighborhood restaurant debuted in 2004, serving Asturian (Northern Spanish) cuisine, stews, and fresh seafood. Unusual dishes by chef Sandro Silva include grilled sea urchin in its own shell and oxtail meatballs. For another dish, he stuffs colmenilla mushrooms with foie gras. Dark-tone lampshades, stained glass panels, and plush seats give the ground-level dining room a European elegance, while copper pots add a slight country-kitchen note. Of the more than 100 wines available, most are tintos (reds) from Rioja vineyards such as Valenciso and Ramon Bilbao. The restaurant has valet parking and there are shaded outdoor tables in summer, each with its own ice bucket.