From perfect paella to tempting tapas – Where to eat in Spain
El Celler de Can Roca, Girona:
Since Ferran Adria shut up shop at El Bulli, this three-star outfit from the three brothers Roca has become Spain’s hottest ticket.
As at El Bulli, the chefs work not in a kitchen but in a state-of-the-art lab within the modernist restaurant (think cool wood and huge plate-glass windows). Their emotional cuisine aims to transport you back in place and time. Expect Campari bonbons like mini water-balloons; grilled sole with five different-flavoured olive oil emulsions; steak tartare with mustard ice cream; and every course stunningly presented. A seven-course tasting menu costs E125 ($166). More: cellercanroca.com.
El Ancla, Malaga:
You’re deep in the Eurotrash pockets of Marbella here, but there can be few better places for people-watching than sitting in this slick seafood restaurant, all but in the sea. Paella (E14) or caldoso (a soupy rice) with local prawns (E20) are the things to eat. More:elanclarestaurante.com.
La Bola Taberna, Madrid:
Step into La Bola, a typical family-run restaurant in central Madrid, and you could be walking back 150 years. The signature dish of cocido madrileno (a kind of Spanish cassoulet) is still cooked in the traditional way over oak wood. About E30. More: labola.es.
El Quim de la Boqueria, Barcelona: For tapas, it’s got to be Barcelona, and nowhere are they better or fresher than in the city’s bustling food market of Boqueria. Mother, father and son at El Quim de la Boqueria serve traditional Catalan dishes, such as baby squid, ham croquetas and meatballs, to a clamouring, mainly regular crowd. From E3. More:elquimdelaboqueria.cat.
Mugaritz, Errenteria:
This restaurant is set in a Basque farmhouse outside San Sebastian, with its own herb and vegetable garden. Andoni Luis Aduriz trained under Adria, and his avant-garde cooking can be equally breathtaking. He uses the ingredients on his doorstep but turns them on their head. Lamb shank is paired with salted caramel; charcoal-grilled foie gras comes with crystallised yucca and date stone consomme. Set menu from E109. More: mugaritz.com.
Restaurante Arzak, Donostia/San Sebastian:
Arzak is a three-star heavyweight run by a father and daughter team, Juan Mari and Elena Arzak. It is a bit thin on atmosphere but there’s no faulting the food, best described as nouvelle Basque. Juan Mari’s hake with parsley sauce and clams is credited as the first dish to show that traditional Spanish ingredients and cooking techniques could be elevated to the levels of haute cuisine. Menu E164. More: arzak.es.
Asador Etxebarri, Axpe-Marzana:
No one has mastered the art of barbecuing like part-time blacksmith Victor Arguinzoniz. Seafood, steaks, mushrooms: all are cooked over oak on the grill or in a wood-fired oven and served in surroundings as rugged as the cooking. Caviar, oysters, lobster, eggs, even milk ice cream come with a gentle smokiness, and the steak grilled over vinewood is the best I’ve tasted. About E90 a head. More: asadoretxebarri.com.
Estado Puro, Madrid:
Finding the best tapas isn’t always about diving into messy side-street bars. After a cultural feast in the Prado Museum, check out the sleekly modern Estado Puro in the NH Paseo de Prado Hotel, just opposite. Michelin-starred chef Paco Roncero’s tapas may not all be traditional but they provide a cheap entry point to some sensational cooking. Perch on red-topped metal stools at high wooden tables and tuck into foie gras sandwiched between slices of spiced bread, asparagus in tempura batter or veal croquettes served on slate plates with a slick of piperade. Accompany the food with a glass or two of cava and you feel like you’re at a very exclusive cocktail party for Madrid’s jet set. Tapas from about E2. More: tapasenestadopuro.com.
La Pepica, Valencia:
Valencia is the birthplace of paella, and La Pepica has been pulling in the crowds for more than 100 years. Walk into the cavernous tiled interior and the first thing to hit you is the noise of organised chaos as waiters ferry out huge pans of paella. In truth, you’ll find better paella elsewhere, but nothing can touch La Pepica for atmosphere. Main courses from E18. More:lapepica.com.
Bodeguita Antonio Romero, Seville:
This is a proper neighbourhood tapas bar a few minutes from Seville’s cathedral, with beautiful tiles and sherry glasses hanging from the ceiling. You come here for the pringa montadita, a toasted bun filled with the softest roast pork and black pudding, but end up discovering treats such as pig’s cheeks, battered salt cod and marinated potatoes. Tapas from about E2.90. More:bodeguitaantonioromero.com.
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