Have you ever wondered what volcano charred chicken would taste like? Perhaps some tender beef, sauteed over a deep volcanic well? If you’re up for a bit of travel, adventure, and volcanic food, El Diablo on the Spanish island of Lanzarote might be just the place you’re looking for.
Built on top of a dormant (but still very hot) volcanic site in the Timanfaya National Park, tourists can sit back and relax as chefs cook their meals on grills built above deep volcanic pits. As you’ll see in the video below, the land beneath the restaurant is still very… volcano-ey. All of the cooks have perpetually furled brows, sweat dripping, deep in concentration. Given the fiery pits below, I can’t say I blame them for either.
Cooking with Volcanoes
You know, I’ve got a question; did someone dig that giant pit, or was it already there? I can’t really imagine the restaurant’s founder, César Manrique, in good conscience asking workers to “dig for lava” like they would a water well. I mean, I’m sure someone would agree to do it for enough money, but I’m betting a person would go through workers in no time with a task like that. Not exactly the best way to inspire a loyal work force.
In and Around El Diablo Restaurant
Notice how most of the people are staying way back? Not the woman on the left though. Either she’s very hungry, or her interest in the giant, ominous black pit got the best of her. Considering this pit is hot enough to cook chicken, let’s hope that she didn’t hover her face over for long.
I don’t know what this fellow is doing, but it looks steamy. Perhaps he’s giving the rocks a bath? After millions of years in the ground, I can’t imagine they’re very clean. They’re also probably feeling a bit warm too, and cold buckets of water always help with that.
This is what I like about destinations outside North America. No ropes, no guard rails, no signs… nothing. Just good old common sense that one probably shouldn’t jump into the fiery pit of doom.
I take it back… this guy is telling them to cool it a bit. Things were getting a bit too hot in giant death pit. Even the earth obey’s this guide. A gentle voice, and a few prods with his stick, and the flames have died back.
Here’s a shot of the entire restaurant compound from a distance. Does it not remind you of an alien civilization on say, Mars, or some other barren planet? I’m getting a real Star Wars vibe going on here, and that’s a good thing. The only thing that’s missing is Jabba’s Palace and an epic lightsaber battle as patrons eat their meals.
More Information
If you’re looking for more information on holidays in Lanzarote, the El Diablo restaurant, or even other places in the Canary Islands, you’ve got a few options. Though El Diablo doesn’t appear to have their own website (believe me, I’ve looked), Trip Advisor does have a great page with additional information about the restaurant, reviews, and many users discussing their experiences there. Most of them are very positive, and Lanzarote is now squarely on my hit list of places to visit, if nothing else for all the delicious food. I’ll sit, eat my mountain of meat, and gaze out at the beautiful Tatooine landscape.
Lastly, I would like to thank Sylvianne Moss, Terry Whalebone, and Christine McIntosh for taking such amazing photographs. I hope to add a few of my own once I visit.
