Last Thursday, Magic Kings Day, I invited "the family" to
Restaurante Duque in Segovia for lunch as a kind of Thank You for their hospitality. This is something I try to do each time I visit Madrid and stay at their house. (and eat all their wonderful, home-cooked meals. mmmm.. :p )
My ladyfriend, her mother & aunt and I walked in at about 3pm and the place was FULL. They asked, "Do you have a reservation?". No. We did not. But LUCKILY, there was ONE table available in the lefthand dining room (past the bar and to the left) so we were seated there.
I've been to Duque now 3 times and I always like since I LOVE
cochinillo, Roasted Suckling Pig. Mmmm... It's ALWAYS so tender and delicous and this visit didn't disappoint.
My ladyfriend and I both got the "Menu Tipico Segoviano" which consists of the
sopa castellana, cochinillo, dessert, and house red wine. My ladyfriend's mother had the
cochifrito which are fried pieces of pork and the aunt had the
chuletillas lechal guarnición.
Here's the bill:
2 Sopa Castellana: 12 € ($15.85)
1 Chuletillas Lechal Guarnición: 16.60 € ($21.93)
1 Chochifrito: 16.65 € ($22)
2 Menu Típico Segoviano (Cochinillo Asado): 56 € ($73.98)
2 Pan (bread): 1.92 € ($2.54)
1 Milhojas con crema y nata (dessert): 4.25 € ($5.62)
1 Tocino de Cielo (delicious dessert!): 4.25 € ($5.62)
1 Café: 1.20 € ($1.59)
Base: 112.87 €
I.V.A. 7%: 7.90 €
Total: 120.77 € ($159.47)
The meal was REALLY REALLY REALLY great. Wow. I can't say enough for it. I had the right hind-quarter (hoof & tail included, mind you) while my ladyfriend had the right front quarter (with the crinkly ear).
The place is just beautiful too and is arguably the BEST restaurant in Segovia.
Restaurante Duque , for me, IS A MUST STOP & EAT place for lunch in Segovia. It's expensive, yes, ESPECIALLY if you're suffering from the poor US DOLLAR exchange rate.
You'll easily find Restaurante Duque too. From the aqueduct, walk towards the old center, going towards the right and uphill, up the old, pedestrian street of Calle de Cervantes. Almost at the top of the hill on the left, just before the street makes a sharp right turn, Duque is on the left at Number 12. You may want to make a reservation if you go on the weekend or a holiday. Otherwise, if it's a normal workday you probably won't need one. I've gone "early" before, at about 1:30pm, and the place was absolutely empty. That is, it was empty then but when I finished and left at 3pm the place was FULL!
So if you can afford it and want a special dining experience in Segovia's oldest restaurant (110 years old) I recommend Restaurante Duque. Segovia is about 1 hour by bus/car and is an easy daytrip, even only for late-morning stroll through the old part and then for lunch and return home, sleeping on the bus the whole way on a full stomach. We went by car and took the brand new tollway (5.47 € toll, I think).
EDIT: Oh, and by the way, this time we were not overcharged. In fact we got 2 of our desserts free because we accidentally ordered dessert NOT on the
Menu Típico Segoviano and neither we nor the waiter noticed our error until they brought the items. And coincidentally, I had the same table AND the same waiter when I made a solo daytrip to Segovia last April. I had the same "Menu Típico Segoviano" then too. Mmmm.... :p
Saludos, MadridMan