Valencia is always a good idea!
We already told you about it in this article: "This luminous, Mediterranean and light Valencia (for good) excites more than it can". And it is that those of us who are from there, even if we live abroad as is my case, we live with a supine emotion the fact that our city is in the lead.
We are not going to tell you about all the benefits of Valencia. You know them very well: good weather, Mediterranean, light, color, party and gunpowder... We are going to talk about all those who, every day, put their grain of sand so that the city shines like no other and so that more and more, it is one of those destinations where nothing is left to chance and where there are plans for everyone and every taste.
And who are the great exponents of this new wave of energy? Restorers. Yes friends, gastronomy is being one of the great driving forces of renewal in the city.
And it is that in a few months, the city has recovered the 'wow' effect, that ability to surprise by looking to the future with impetus.
Product restaurants, gastronomic markets, new life to old spaces... Valencia is experiencing an explosion of talent and gastronomic excitement at all levels and the last months of 2018 gave us a good handful of reasons to fall in love again. Did we discover them?
Covent Carmen, the new place to be in Valencia
The opening of Baobab (Marqués del Turia, 73) brought fresh air to the Valencian capital. What did this mean? The return of Raúl Aleixandre, that left us a bit orphaned with the closure of Vinícolas.
And Aleixandre came back with a project that represents the tree of life. Curious, right? If we take into account that here he has reflected his work and his know-how in houses –like that great Ca'Sento, a true exponent in the Valencian Community–, the name cannot come to mind any more.
Baobab is a dream come true and to make this dream come true, he got together with Luis Pellicer de Castellvi in charge of the room. Together they have managed to give life to a restaurant market cuisine with new products every day.
The best? The possibility of being able to eat at the bar, seeing how Aleixandre handles himself in the kitchen.
Essential are the cut of Russian salad, its already classic cod fritter , the brie cheese bikini with truffle and the rice , with which Raúl has already demonstrated extensive mastery and which he repeats with high-altitude recipes such as the noodle rossejat or the grilled rice.
Baobab: fresh air in the Valencian capital
Another great opening at the end of 2018 was that of ** Convent Carmen ** (Plaza Portal Nou, 6), a convent from 1609, in the same square where they plant the Na Jornada falla, which had become a cultural epicenter.
Live music, yoga classes, taichi, boxing, cooking, exhibitions... All this in a spectacular project space by the Francesc Rifé studio, starting with an intervention in the desecrated church, down to the smallest detail, taken care of in the exuberance of the garden.
And attention to the garden, because there, in more than 2,000 square meters many things happen. host a gastronomic market outdoors divided into four areas: the vermouth, a street food area, La Lonja and Barra Calma, with more than a hundred dishes from all kinds of cuisines.
The one in charge of giving it life? Miguel Ángel Mayor, chef at Sucede restaurant –a Michelin star– of the Caro Hotel. take a look at his cultural agenda because you won't have time to get bored: jazz, movies, concerts for babies... Besides, it doesn't end there, because soon they plan to convert the rest of the convent into a hotel.
An old convent converted into a cultural epicenter
Another obligatory stop on the new Valencian gastronomic route is **the first gastronomic market focused on street food in Valencia, the San Valero market** (Gran Vía Germanías, 21). Hand in hand with renowned businessmen from the city, such as Víctor Romero and Óscar Iglesias, he began his journey in one of the fashionable neighbourhoods, Ruzafa.
San Valero has ten food stalls for everyone. From an avocado store, to a poke stand, an ostrarium bar or a stall dedicated to red meat from the lion pastures. To this they add a wine cellar where they will organize tastings, pairings and cultural plans.
We are now going to the ** Café Madrid ** (L'Abadia de Sant Martí, 10). Do you know that this place is credited with the invention of the famous Agua de Valencia in 1959?
It was shelter of bohemian Valencia for many years until its closure and in 2018 it came back to life without losing an iota of the intellectual point and the magic that characterized it, to continue being a meeting place and gathering place for Valencians.
It has reopened **on the ground floor of the new luxury hotel Marqués House. ** From the hand of the bartender Ivan Talens (Champion Challenge Sips & Bites World Class Spain 2015) and Nacho Romero (Kaymus) at the controls of the gastronomic proposal, the renovated Café Madrid bets on a signature cocktail menu such as the Valencian Spritz with vermouth, Carmeleta orange, cava and soda top or the mythical Agua de Valencia and a cuisine menu with international touches and the best raw materials. oh! And also has a sun terrace...
The cradle of the Water of Valencia
Another of the great Valencian restaurateurs, Valentin Sanchez Arrieta , which already has hits like Valen & Cia Y To Tun Tun , brings a new proposal with ** Merkato ** (Mestre Racional, 11), his most ambitious restaurant.
The philosophy of the restaurant starts from the place where it is located. Whatever an old aircraft hangar and later on, a paper reel warehouse , is now reconverted into a space with an industrial aesthetic that brings together a market, a restaurant and various stalls under the same roof.
product shop (conserves, cans, etc.) to take there or take home, a bakery zone for breakfast with homemade pastries, a sushi bar and a restaurant that promises to take us on a round trip without leaving home.
Merkato, the new proposal by Valentín Sánchez Arrieta in the capital of Turia
And so, in just two months open, they have managed to turn it into a true temple of the product that Take the vegetables from the Valencian garden and the best meat and fish on the market.
All of them go through the grill, thus linking with the Basque blood that runs through the veins of Valentín.
On the menu you will find delicacies such as leek confit with Mallorcan black pork sobrassada and Comté, veal sweetbreads on a mushroom stew, grilled matured cow chops or some grilled or Roman hake kokotxas, among others.
An old aircraft hangar converted into a restaurant
Another one that bets on the product in its maximum expression is Quique Dacosta with its new opening, ** Llisa Negra ** (Pascual and Genís, 10). In mid-November, his fourth restaurant arrived in Valencia and the fifth in the Community.
Lisa Black It feeds on the local fish markets, choosing the best seasonal products that will go through the grill or the embers, thus ensuring that what we eat is as unadulterated as possible.
They don't mess around here, l he kitchen is direct and simple. Almost all the dishes are prepared in view of the diner from your kitchen and from there they come Dénia red prawns, grilled shrimp, fried Moraira squid with ink emulsion, grilled marinated skate...
Llisa Negra, direct and simple cuisine based on local products
But also meats like Galician blonde cow chop. The customer can choose their garnish (ratté mashed potatoes with butter, grilled artichokes or a piece of mini lettuce and fresh spring onion, among others) and the sauce with which to dress the main dish.
In his Les Marines restaurant (3 Michelin stars), the salted meats have taken on epic dimensions and for this reason Dacosta has decided to include them in the Llisa Negra menu: its famous dried Octopus from Dénia to the flame wave Llisa de Santa Pola roe semi-cured in the sun in Dénia, they are part of the chosen ones.
Llisa Negra, the new Quique Dacosta
THE CULTURAL TOUCH
And yes, there is a lot of new gastronomy to try. But also some other cultural landmark. Did you know that in Valencia it is stored in Holy Grail ? Much has been written and evolved on the subject, but it seems that the Cathedral of the city of the Turia preserves among its treasures the same chalice of the Last Supper.
Such is its importance that just a month ago, it opened Grail Classroom (Cabillers, 6) , the first museum dedicated to the Holy Grail. So in a building in the historic center and just a few steps from the Cathedral, this project was born to learn about the history of the most famous cup in history and one of the most precious relics of the Church and how it came to Valencia.
But there is still more, it has been conceived as a sensory classroom to enjoy with the five senses. You will be able to touch, smell, write with a quill in the medieval way or adorn yourself with a habit like a Templar monk.
Also, on weekend afternoons, the visits can be done as an escape room. They 'lock you up' in a museum and you will have to manage to get out in time to avoid a catastrophe...
You have to go back to Valencia friends, it never disappoints. Little word Traveler.
The Holy Grail is in Valencia!