One of the restaurant's most recommended dishes — reviewers highlight the creamy, well-seasoned broth that binds the beans, tender partridge meat, and earthy mushrooms. The verdinas (white beans) are Asturian natives, sourced specifically for this dish. It's comfort and refinement in one bowl.
Tips from diners
Order this as your main — it's the dish that defines El Paraguas and changes with the season.
Reviewers note that El Paraguas sources ham from premium producers. The slices are thin enough to almost dissolve on the tongue, the marbling is visible, and the flavor is rich without being overwhelming. Paired with simple bread, it's a complete starter.
Tips from diners
The ham plate is a complete meal on its own if you want something lighter — pair it with a glass of natural wine from their list.
The simplest dishes reveal the most about a kitchen. Reviewers note that the shrimp here are plump and fresh, cooked just enough to set them while preserving their sweetness. The garlic is generous but not burned, the oil is quality, and the minimal seasoning lets the protein shine.
Tips from diners
Start with this — it shows you immediately whether the kitchen is on point that day.
A seafood standout at El Paraguas — the monkfish is cooked to just-set, the romesco adds sweetness and depth, and the fish stays moist throughout. The set menu rotates this regularly, and reviewers consistently call it out as one of their best executions.
Tips from diners
Ask the staff if this is being served that day — the set menu main courses change frequently.
Reviewers praise this spring/early summer specialty — the morels are earthy and meaty, the foie adds richness without heaviness, and the broth is deep and complex. It's a dish that showcases Silva's approach to classical French technique applied to Spanish ingredients.
Tips from diners
This dish is seasonal — ask the waiter if morels are in stock. Spring and early summer are the best times.
El Paraguas opened in 2004 as the first project of Sandro Silva and Marta Seco, anchoring the Salamanca neighborhood with classical Asturian cuisine executed with precision. The restaurant has become a meeting point for locals seeking authentic Spanish cooking — not innovation, but impeccable technique applied to regional classics. The set menu changes seasonally, featuring dishes like rice with verdinas (Asturian white beans), stew with partridge and morels studded with foie, and seafood prepared to highlight the ingredient rather than mask it.
Book for lunch or early evening to avoid crowds — the restaurant accepts reservations but gets packed after 9 PM.
Go for the set menu rather than à la carte — it changes seasonally and showcases the kitchen's best seasonal sourcing.
The lunch menu is a bargain compared to dinner and the service is attentive without being rushed.
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