A Coruña: gastronomy that shines with its own light
Eating in A Coruña was the excuse, a very good one, by the way, to recognize the great transformation of a city that always seemed distant and provincial to me. Mistake. A Coruña has a unique urban physiognomy, in which some jewels of the Roman, the Romanesque, neoclassical, Deco style and contemporary architectures . All framed by that deep and often brutal sea that has sculpted the character of its inhabitants beyond all time.
It could not be different with the chefs, who have taken a giant qualitative leap to show that Galicia does not live only on the well-deserved fame of its products, and that its chefs have their feet on the ground and their heads in the clouds. In addition to the Michelin stars, which in A Coruña and its surroundings add up to five , there are other surprises and the classics remain.
Strolling through the square Mary Pita , the city's main square with its beautiful arcades, I find the delicious omelette from A Penela , fries from Bonilla a la Vista and I stop at some not inconsiderable designer wine and tapas bars. There are people, a lot of them, in the premises. You eat, you drink, you chat, you argue. Beside me, the owner of Zara, one more diner for all intents and purposes, savors a delicious Grilled sea bass with vegetables from the gardens nearby at the Tira do Playa box office, a recently arrived brother of the Tira do Cordel restaurant in Finisterre.
Nearby, at Domus , the views are impressive, people come to take a photo at sunset and then go to the tables to replenish joy and energy in this restaurant where the chef Edward Brown follows in the footsteps of his parents, architects of Casa Pardo. The city is preparing for big events, it breathes a climate of creative power in shops, in theaters, in conversations.
The epic tortillas of A Coruña
Staying at a friend's house in the neighborhood of Oleiros me They say, "Did you know we have the highest per capita income in Spain ?” I did not know it, but I guessed it right away: the third richest man in the world lives here and everything that we will later see in his stores is created, decided and managed here.
The beauty of the landscapes seems unreal in the Bastion of San Pedro , with the Tower of Hercules – built enepic of Trajan – in the background, and beyond the endless beaches. An emblematic place, the San Pedro viewpoint, filled to the brim with locals and foreigners.
Further down, in the very center, without looking at the sea but inspired by it, louis veira makes its own in Árbore da Veira, five tables and a lot of playful creativity . Two menus and a smile that infects you with his joy of living. His star is taken by him and his team as a symbol, but nothing more. His philosophy is to create, imagine, elaborate. The crockery, divine . The venue takes a good step forward thanks to the studio's styling aapril.
Happiness is breathed in the kitchen of Árbore da Veira
I still adore the windows of the buildings in A Coruña, mirrors that reflect the silhouettes of the boats in that port, now undergoing renovation, where the multicolored fleet talks about daily fishing and large ships remind us that we are in an important commercial port . So until you reach the beach Riazor and the recently released Tira do Playa, possibly the best grilled sea bass in A Coruña and frequented by VIPs and players of Depor.
They tempt me to visit other beaches and I get hooked on the "back and forth" in the one of Mere , in that of Bastigueiro and in that of Santa Cruz , all in the municipality of Oleiros . In order not to be left with a circuit, I decide that the Retiro da Costiña restaurant, 60 kilometers from A Coruña and in the middle of Death Coast It will be my next gastronomic stop. Good plan. Manuel Garcia Costina , executive chef and co-owner of this unique “house”, is not kidding. A very careful restaurant michelin star , a superb winery , a english style bar with all the spirits imaginable, a cigar cellar that must be among the best in Spain and the best coffee in the world.
The return to the city, along winding roads and amazing landscapes, invites me to reflect on the emotional intelligence of chefs from A Coruña and its magnificent symbiosis between tradition, modernity and feeling. This trip has been quite a discovery.
Strip of the Beach
FOLLOW THE TRACK OF...
To Station
Xoan Crujeiras and Beatriz Sotelo form a good gastronomic tandem that has found its place in the singular canteen of an old train station . Updated Kitchen Galician roots that some flirtation is allowed with distant products , which brings a certain grace to the recipes, but which is decidedly committed to local producers with whom they maintain a serious commitment. Simple proposals that do not intend to dazzle. Beautiful terrace for dining in summer. Good Galician wine list.
DOMUS
Inside the museum of Man-Domus , in a spectacular setting, sheltered by the natural rock and with wonderful sea views, Edward Brown , heir to a notable Galician hospitality saga, fine-tunes traditional recipes from his land interpreted with simplicity in which some modern winks are allowed, especially in the presentations. After the closing of brown house , the whole family has moved to this place.
Toad fish in caldeirada
Viewpoint of San Pedro
Located on top of the mountain Saint Peter , is without a doubt the dining room with the best views of the sea and the city . Modern cuisine, which travels familiar paths and does not take risks. Bet on autochthonous products such as fish and shellfish or the Celtic pork so fashionable now. The place is ideal to celebrate events but also for a romantic date. Veira Tree
Elegant space in key contemporary far removed from Galician clichés , studio work aapril (known for his work for the group Inditex ) . No marine decoration, no wonderful views of the sea or seafood on the menu. louis veira , chef trained with television Pepe Rodriguez King , play with products and flavors etched in memory of his land to achieve modern combinations. In his dishes, aesthetic and dramatic, there is reflection and work. Also certain notes of humor. does not offer menu , only two tasting menus –Árbore y Raíces– through which between 10 and 15 dishes made with excellent raw material parade to the rhythm of the seasons.
Viewpoint of San Pedro
** Dawn **
"We are what we cook," they warn on their website. And what is cooked in this house are the usual Galician products ( Seafood fish ) to which new values are added such as vegetables or the Celtic pork . Markedly Atlantic kitchen in a contemporary key that opens to modernity in the same way as the large windows of the dining room open to the sea . A project in which there are no leaders but an enthusiastic team that is committed to a culinary philosophy based on commitment to the product. Complete selection of wines.
** Costiña Retreat **
Undoubtedly the best thing about this house is the attention and care with which they serve and remarkable coffee , something unique in Spain. In the same way that the appetizer is served in the cellar , to enjoy the coffee you go to a table room where they offer varieties of origin and various forms of preparation, some really sophisticated. A unique ritual that deserves a lot of attention and should serve as an example. The menu is classic, like the atmosphere, centered on the Atlantic fish and shellfish , which when treated with simplicity reach their best expression.
Iván Domínguez, chef at the Alborada restaurant
** Strip of the Beach **
The Coruña branch of the famous Tira do Cordel de Finisterre occupies what was the famous Riazor beach club beach with wonderful sea views. A perfect staging to serve a wonderful repertoire of boiled or grilled seafood and fish, as tradition demands. Crabs, razor shells, clams, turbot ... Neptune's feast without a doubt! To accompany good Galician wines, white or red, great unknowns that surprise.
** Bonilla in sight **
is the reference coffee shop in A Coruña , not only for its delicious Churros with chocolate but also for their portions of fried potatoes that they make in their own factory. The secret of both is that they are made with quality ingredients and fried in good olive oil which is always kept clean as it is changed regularly. Ideal for having a beer with chips as an appetizer or a full blown snack.
Bonilla potatoes: perfect
** The Penela **
Just to try their tortilla Galician-style potato , without onion and with the egg almost liquid, it is worth reserving a table in this central and historic restaurant in Plaza de Mary Pita , in the very heart of A Coruña. Their roast beef with potatoes is another must-have dish, so tender you could cut it with a spoon. Classic and very familiar atmosphere, with consistent service. Generous portions and great value for money. From the terrace you can enjoy an excellent view.
Ace Herons
Beautiful villa with sea views in the region of Malpica , which in addition to being a restaurant rural hotel. Traditional recipes, made with local products, slightly adapted to contemporary taste in terms of cooking times and amount of fat. Elegant presentations come to the sea bass, octopus, rice with monkfish, mussels … and a personal version of the classic salmagundi . dishes of meat with native pieces . In the desserts they allow themselves a little more innovation, and they are right. Good Galician wine list.
* This article is published in the Condé Nast Traveler magazine for September number 76. This issue is available in its digital version for iPad in the iTunes AppStore, and in the digital version for PC, Mac, Smartphone and iPad in the virtual newsstand by Zinio (on Smartphone devices: Android, PC/Mac, Win8, WebOS, Rim, iPad) .
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