The taste and color of the traditional in Fuendejalón (Zaragoza) "Welcome to the taste of the traditional. Where it is possible to evoke the old Grenache vines, the aromas of Moncayo and the flavors of traditional Aragonese cuisine. Where the passion for the stews and the warmth of the Rodriguez family are transmitted in the good gastronomy. Where Grenache wines preside over the diners' glasses". This is how "Rodi" is presented, and it is true, since professionalism and wisdom in the art of cooking come together in perfect combination in this restaurant. In 1968 they founded "Rodi", where the traditional aromas and flavors of Aragonese cuisine blend with home-grown Grenache wines.

In August 1987 the couple's daughters, Blanca and Mari, took over the family business, continuing with the same entrepreneurial spirit and offering the best of traditional cuisine with an innovative touch.

Blanca is the creator, always looking for the perfectionist touch that differentiates her cuisine from any other in Fuendejalón and in the whole region. Mari, in front of the bar, recommends Blanca's exquisite food and tapas. Authentic sensations that only the quality of the products of the land and the care in every detail can transmit: extra virgin olive oil, wines of the D.O. Campo de Borja and seasonal products. Its cuisine moves to the rhythm of the seasons. Chilindrones, migas casseroles, homemade smoked meats, cheeks, pickled vegetables, seasonal salads, the famous slow-cooked stews, and the morrudencias of nougat canutillos, or the red wine sopetas are a delight for the palate. In Campo de Borja, "Rodi" is a reference of good eating and drinking.

"Rodi" offers us the possibility of tasting exquisite tapas and good wine in the old family winery, which keeps in the bowels of the Fuendejalón hills the secret of winemaking of their ancestors.

Centenary Garnacha Wine Salt

The gastronomic bets that Blanca and Mari make in the lands of the "Empire of the Garnacha", have become fashionable. The recovery of the traditional cuisine of the Borja countryside, and especially of Fuendejalón, is a solid, renovating and healthy bet. In the search for new aromas and flavors that highlight the simplest dishes, Sal de Garnacha was born. The objective is pure alchemy, to unite a dead mineral with a living material, to create something new with art and salt. With large doses of patience and imagination, after many tests with different types of salt and varieties of Grenache grape wine, delicate petals of spring salt fused with the elegance of wine from centenary Grenache grapes emerged. The best garnachas from Campo de Borja, with a purple color and intense wine aroma. Garnacha salt enhances the flavor of any dish.

"Rodi" has been able to create a gourmet salt, with an intense aroma and crunchy texture, which adds a touch of distinction and naturally spices and intensifies salads, mushrooms, fresh foie gras, vegetables, carpaccios, red meats, vegetable tempura, or by contrast with chocolate desserts. It is above all a salt to enjoy life.

Grenache Salt is produced in an artisanal way, without preservatives or colorants, after a melting and drying process. The secret of Grenache Salt, which only "Rodi" knows.

This is how a new business initiative arises, to commercialize the Grenache Salt. International companies linked to wine, both from Europe and the United States, have shown their interest in this new salt for gourmets.

The salt can be purchased in the restaurant itself and in some gourmet establishments in Zaragoza and Aragón. It is recommended to use half the traditional salt for dishes such as grilled mushrooms and mushrooms, stewed or sautéed, meat carpaccios, mushrooms or fruits (pineapple, orange, strawberries, grapefruit), grilled foie gras, micuit, or duck mousse. Grilled vegetables take on a different flavor, vegetable tempura, shrimp or squid, salads, grilled or barbecued meats. In desserts, the sweet and salty taste contrasts; the crunchy salt petals, incite us to discover new flavors in some chocolates, in a mousse or in a marzipan.

Fuendejalón, located about 65 km. from Zaragoza in the Campo de Borja region. Hundreds of subway cellars dug in the hills and vineyards that blend into the landscape with the Moncayo. Land of good people and good joteros. Admire its Mudejar or Moorish past in many cases. Stroll among ancestral homes and visit the Church of San Juan Bautista and the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Castillo. The Church of San Juan Bautista, built in the 16th century, is Gothic in style and is crowned by a tower with Mudejar decoration. Inside are kept altarpieces from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. The baroque chapel of Nuestra Señora del Castillo is located on the ruins of an old fortress. It exhibits a Romanesque image of the seated Virgin and Child dating from the thirteenth century.

As a complement, we can visit Bodegas Aragonesas and appreciate its excellent wines. Do not miss it.