El Pozo Restaurant, Hostal El Pozo

Down the steps by the town hall

In the same house as the hostal's five rooms, at Calle Arrabal 7, just behind Plaza de la Baronía, you will find the El Pozo dining room. You reach it by going down the steps beside the town hall. It is run by Carlos and Violeta, the second generation of the family, who came back to the village to take over the business. The dining room is small and open to everyone, not just hostal guests.

Ajoarriero, olla churra and olla de berzas

The menu has one side of slow-cooked Chulilla cooking and another with some newer touches. The village dishes: ajoarriero (€6.90), made with potato, salt cod, garlic and oil; Chulilla sausage meatballs in almond sauce (€2.60 each); and two stews that change with the season. In autumn and winter it is olla churra (€15), with beans, potato, cardoon, cured sausage, pork and lamb, and a La Mancha-style gazpacho with unleavened flatbread, chicken and rabbit (€13.90). In spring and summer olla de berzas (€13.50) takes over, with beans, potato, chard and mint, served with a rin-ran of hard-boiled egg and salt cod.

There is rice with Iberian secreto pork, porcini and spring garlic (€14.60), and with wild boar and mushrooms (€15). Among the meats are braised pork cheeks in red wine, oxtail cannelloni, half a roast shoulder of lamb (€25.90) or a matured one-kilo chuletón (€45). Desserts run from €2.50 to €5.50; the tiramisu is the house classic.

Lunchtime menu and children's menu

At lunchtime there is a €27.50 menu per person, without drinks or coffee, served for the whole table: three starters to share (ajoarriero, croquettes and shepherd's migas), a main to choose from the rice dishes, the seasonal stew, the cannelloni or the braised cheeks, and a dessert from the menu. The children's menu, up to age 12, costs €14 without drinks, with a starter, a main (macaroni, burger, rice or noodles in broth, meatballs or homemade nuggets) and dessert.

Weekends and public holidays only

It opens to the public on Friday and Saturday from 13:30 to 16:00 and from 20:30 to 22:30, and on Sunday from 13:30 to 16:00, plus public holidays. During the week it only serves dinner to hostal guests who have booked half board in advance, and it closes two nights a week. As it is small, book by phone on 640 989 020; they answer Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 20:30 and Sunday from 9:30 to 18:00. You can also book by email, leaving a phone number.

A Saturday plan here is to set off early on the Pantaneros route, come back by the Charco Azul and sit down to lunch at 13:30. If you stay the night, the rooms at Hostal El Pozo are in the same house.