At Primera Vaca, chef Álex Ortiz prepares one of the delicious pizzas that come out of the oven at this location in Suesa.
In this gastronomic route through Cantabria, hand in hand with the enterprising hotelier Carlos Crespo, we visited his Eating houses, designer stores, vermouth bars, signature hamburger bars... favourites. Although different from each other, they are all united by first-class gastronomy, a strong personality and an engaging atmosphere.
Carlos Crespo is an old acquaintance of the Santander gastronomic scene and, also, of Madrid where, associated with Paco Quirós, he participates in the Cañadío group (name of the restaurant) led by Quirós. Also, he collaborates in the Madrid projects of La Bien Aparecida, La Maruca Velázquez, La Maruca Castellana and La Primera, on Gran Vía. And as if that were not enough, in two more that are to come, one of them is the renewed and mythical Santander Cafeteria, in Alonso Martínez.
The spectacular views of the Bay of Biscay from the Café Centro Botín make for a movie sunset.
BREAKFAST AT THE MUSEUM
look Santander through the eyes of Carlos Crespo it is a privilege, reaffirmed by the tutelage and guidance of his friend and collaborator Charly. The 'gastro' route begins at the Botín Center, which occupies the ground floor of the magnificent building, of which he is the manager and which, moreover, has recently been restored by the interior designer Sandra Tarruella.
Breakfast awaits us there: a perfect tortilla skewer –of tuna tortilla!– and some of the most desired dishes from its restaurants that are also served here. The sweet touch is provided by the almond sucre croissant that sweetens the most austere palate. Álex Ortiz, who is the executive chef of the Crespo restaurants –and his partner in the three Cantabrian premises: the meat, cuckoo bread Y First Cow– added to the menu Cafe Booty mussels cooked with Thai aromas, Iberian wiener schnitzel and grilled red tuna tacos with ponzu sauce, among other delicacies.
The hotelier businessman, Carlos Crespo, having breakfast at the Café Centro Botín.
The high point comes when, after seeing the center –with its magnificent auditorium and the sea in the background and the penthouse with panoramic views of the Bay of Biscay and the city– we visit the exhibition Iberian Picasso, exceptionally guided by the director of the Plastic Arts department, Begoña Guerrica-Echevarría, and in which to observe and learn from the influence of Iberian art in the artist's work.
FOR THE APPETIZER, FROM THE CITY TO THE COUNTRYSIDE
I spend the morning touring the beautiful city of Santander and listening to the anecdotes of Carlos, an interesting and close person, who greets everyone as he speaks – he knows everyone. The purpose of our next stop is to have an aperitif in the field, where the greenery of the Cantabrian landscape is shown in all its splendor.
The cows turn their heads mooing at the newcomers who enter the village of Suesa, where not one, but several more culinary surprises awaits us. Inside Primera Vaca, curious fans, informal furniture –but more than thought, also by Sandra Tarruella–, sea paintings by Eduardo Sanz and surfboards as a decorative element for a surfing public that arrives from nearby beaches such as Somo.
Surfer atmosphere at the Primera Vaca restaurant, a stone's throw from Somo, a paradise for waves.
From the Marana, the king of ovens, pizzas come out that Álex has just kneaded to perfection to delight the guests. When you hear the curious name with which the place has been baptized, the first thing you think of is something related to the friendly animal and, however, the name responds to the first restaurant of the El Riojano Group that opened in the pandemic.
The pizza crunches tenderly at the first bite. The burrata and mozzarella made with Cantabrian milk melt in the mouth and the ingredients are just right. In fact, Álex tells how, during the hardest months of the health crisis, he went to Marquinetti, in Tomelloso, to learn the art of pizza from the wisdom of the world pizza champion, Jesús Marquina. At the table, we also discuss other dishes that Álex dominates: his Russian salad or the scorpionfish cake, of which David de Jorge himself, with that eloquent language that characterizes him, has said wonders.
LUNCH AND LONG TABLE
Right in front is cuckoo bread, nice title that evokes a herb from the Picos de Europa, which is the favorite of the cuckoo and has given the place its name. In it, the delicacies of Álex Ortiz do not take long to come to the table: Japanese oyster with ponzu, citrus and salmon roe; Santoña anchovies on butter ; tuna carpaccio and a very tasty dish: rice with chicken, forceful, unique. For dessert, you could not miss the famous Pan de Cuco flan.
During lunch we talked, among other things, about the Santoña canneries that supply them, such as Catalina preserves. After visiting them I can't stop thinking how cheap are anchovies taking into account the painstaking effort involved put them in brine, knead them until they are smooth, cut the edges, choose the sizes and qualities to finally can them.
At Pan de Cuco, also at Suesa, the menu covers the best of Cantabrian cuisine in a modern key.
Another theme of our desktop is the famous Tea from the Port, an infusion to which pomace from neighboring Potes is added and that, as they say, gives energy, loosen the tongue and the cold of the mountain winter subsides. The cow, protagonist of the environment, also comes up, especially the Friesian milkmaid. How delicious are her fried chops! Although you have to know how to fry them, just as they do in Primera Vaca, a finger of oil and a single turn.
A DINNER WITH A SOUTHERN AIR
We return to Santander to get to know another of those places that should not be missed, Southern days. But before we sit down at your table for dinner, it is essential take the pulse of the city in the Mercado de Abastos and enjoy its hubbub, especially in the fish market area, where spider crabs, barnacles, hake, monkfish, turbot... they attract all eyes. Charly, who knows the stall owners, chats with them and introduces us to Unai Martín Badía, at stall 24, who sends the fish almost alive and kicking anywhere on the peninsula.
Why not start with this eye-popping potato omelette?
When we arrive at Days of the South, its atmosphere reminds me of those warm winds that stir the calm waters of the Bay. Black and white photos of the sea seductively adorn the walls. Here people sit down to have tapas at the bar or at the high tables and have a more formal dinner at the low tables. We started with some squid rings, the well-matched marriage of anchovies and anchovies and a foie crême bruleé with apple chutney, perfect to whet your appetite. And we continue with some beef tripe with potatoes and fried egg and a roasted hake on baked potato. We tried a little of everything.
After dinner, a gin and tonic is imposed in the Great Casino Sardinero whose kitchen, also dedicated to all kinds of celebrations, is part of the group. On the terrace of the iconic building, in the light of the moon and the stars, time seems to have stopped.
MORE COORDINATES 'GASTRO'
The next day, for vermouth time The choice, however, is Vermouth Solorzano. Central and magnetic, the hollow of its marble counter is a faithful witness to the many glasses of vermouth from Reus –some by themselves and others with seltzer– that have skidded down it, ending up lowering it.
The Solórzano Vermutería bar retains the charm of bygone times.
A lifelong audience passes through it and also young people who can choose between the vermouth of the house or another of the 150 references that it offers . The gilda comes as a companion to ours, so do the mussels and of course, the squid rings, the ideal appetizer before going to see the legendary Riojan winery.
THE CLASSICS NEVER DIE
Upon entering the stately restaurant, another of those usual bars catches us. Here the usual clientele of this classic among classics drinks their wine. A space, that of the bar, that Carlos Crespo claims as essential: the bar is the soul of the place.
Inside the doors, the view of the barrels with the painted lids forces you to stop and take some time to observe the Redondo Museum, a series of circular works that close the barrels, some by spontaneous painters and others by famous artists such as Gerardo Vela, Maichak Tamanaco, Laila Baptista or Javier Lamela, and the photographic collection of La Moska del Riojano. Even Woody Allen himself closes a barrel, clarinet in hand. The work Charly, dedicated to his great friend, is by Carlos Crespo who began photography in the 1990s.
The best croquettes, at Bodega del Riojano.
Álex Ortiz unfolds a traditional menu that includes Knife-cut acorn-fed Iberian ham, Cantabrian quesucos or cecina from Astorga. The winery's classics are Riojan-style snails and piquillo peppers stuffed with meat. followed by one Cantabrian hake with Castilian soup emulsion or a stewed beans with squid, if it comes from the sea. For meats, the veal cheeks stewed or the Iberian pork with homemade chimichurri and roasted aubergine they are a good choice. For dessert, the pasiego sobachón has no competition.
A PARADISE FOR BURGERS LOVERS
There is still one more place, hidden, small, fun, the bait. With shades ranging from black to red and more than special hamburgers, washed down by their craft beer Speed & Bacon, their offer is more than seductive.
An applause hamburger, one of those served in Carnaza.
After visiting some of the best places in his land and having tried their dishes, I asked Carlos Crespo what kind of person he would choose to accompany him in each of them. "I would take anyone to Bodega del Riojano for the first time", he answers me without hesitation. " Primera Vaca is to go in summer, with friends, with a girl, while Cuckoo Bread, which is the most personal, he would use it to surprise someone who enjoys cooking. Encountering a Japanese Oyster in Suesa Village It is something to be thankful for, and even more so if the rice with chicken follows, an authentic culinary delight. southern days is more difficult to define: suitable for everyone because of its bar, for its portions and for its traditional cuisine combined with sushi and signature cocktails...". There is something for all tastes.
From the terrace of the Gran Casino Sardinero you can see the sea.
"A Café Centro Botín would accompany me so much lover of culture and beauty in general, because the center has it all. I would go to the vermuteria with someone from the city who knows how to value the place, their particular vibe, while a La Carnaza Burger would certainly take a politically incorrect person by the arm. It's in a weird place, it's dwarf, like the ones I've seen in New York. And his opening was like giving a sharp blow on the table. There is more to see the appointments by the local: 'Lots of lettuce, little fun' or the allusions to the rock world 'All you need is Burger, Like a Burger Stone' that hang from banners".
"In the Great Casino Sardinero I would do the honors to a foreigner for his idyllic situation, the greatness of the building and a letter in which the little toad (small monkfish), baby squid or grilled sirloin rub shoulders with bonito from the north prepared with tartar and wakame seaweed salad, kimchi and lamb's lettuce. The dream of a nigth of summer in the dreamlike enclave of Sardinero Santanderino2.