The pe n de Ifach, almost an institution
What things. Turns out one of the t-shirt capitals par excellence of Mediterranean Levant He has been getting older, stopping building castles in the sand to raise them in the firmament of the stars. Michelin stars, to be precise.
And be careful because we are counting both on those that have already been awarded, and on those that -predictably- will fall in future editions if their chefs continue to do it as excellently as they have up to now.
Calpe and its kistch roll
**AUDREY'S, DINING WITH DIAMONDS (LOCAL)**
Avenida Juan Carlos I, 48. Tasting menu €59. Average menu price: €45.
To Caesar what is Caesar's, and to Rafa Soler what is Rafa Soler . Because this man from Alicante has already written his own story in gold letters in gastronomy books by getting Calpe's first Michelin star in history! , which is said soon.
He has done it with Audrey's, his gastronomic restaurant built on the mezzanine floor of the award-winning ** Hotel AR Diamante Beach Spa & Convention Center **, almost on the beachfront, and just a few meters from the rock.
But let's get down to business. What Soler does at Audrey's is quite a tribute to the products of the land, using as main ingredients all those that come from the fish market and the local garden. From the Villajoyosa vermouth -made with native grapes Monastrell and Grenache - and monovarietal oils from neighboring Benifallim, to sourdough bread from Jalón.
Audrey's snacks in Calpe
And without forgetting the heavyweights of the area: the red prawn, the cuttlefish, the rock salmonella or the Fish from Calp , in addition to sea fennel, salicornia and, of course, rice from the Valencian wetlands, a must in their kitchen.
With everything he prepares a gastronomic menu divided into ten steps and paired -if you want- with local wines carefully selected by the sommelier César Hernández . Pay attention, because suddenly they come and surprise you with signature labels and rarities such as Mojente wines, an area known as Valencian Tuscany, through a Cullerot , a white made in a clay pot by the Celler de Roure winery.
** BEAT , THE RESTAURANT THAT WILL MAKE YOU TALK **
Beat. Marisol Park urbanization,1. Menu: €42–€59-€85
Rumors say that the Calpe's next star It is just around the corner. We talk about Beat , another of those open secrets that the city keeps and that little by little has been gaining the support of all fans of good food. Their leader is Valencian chef José Manuel Miguel, chef who already knows what it feels like to get a Michelin star - in his case two, and both in Paris, with the Goust and Il Vino restaurants -.
His bet now is to shine in the local firmament and, as all bets say, he is on his way to achieving it with Beat, pure gastronomic heartbeat.
Flavors that are beats
It is a small restaurant, for just about **20 diners, opened in The CookBook ** hotel, a small boutique hotel with a colonial essence and luxury service. That is precisely what you breathe and eat at Beat, high simplicity in several **tasting menus (11, 9 and 7 steps)** in which it combines the best of local produce and kilometer 0 with Gallic ingredients, those that he already used in his previous restaurants.
Wow, a breath of fresh air and renewed in the culinary scene of the area, but above all a surprise. First for the eyes, because the dishes are edible works of art, and second for the palate, where citrus fruits and aromatic herbs from their own cultivation are constant with very fresh fish and shellfish from the area, of course.
To open mouth, a Gillardeau oyster on a creamy background of recula, tarragon and iodized ice cream ; we continue with a Cod confit with tripe and carob stew with white garlic sauce and daykon cream ; and we finish with a Bomba rice with esparteña and pig's trotters stew which, of course, embroiders. Do not lose sight of the wine pairing, the perfect complement for a meal at Beat to be ten.
The Restaurant Lounge from The Cookbook
** KOMFORT, A GASTRONOMIC BISTRO TO BE PLEASANT**
Comfort. Urbanization Marisol Park, 1. Average price €35.
We are not going very far because without leaving this same hotel, The Cook Book , we find another of those gastronomic proposals that have come to turn the gastronomic panorama of the city upside down.
Es Komfort, a gastro but informal bistro also led by José Miguel Manuel. Although, with his permission, we will say that here the protagonist is the grill that presides over the main room.
comfort lounge
Unlike Beat, here what is claimed is the comfort food, one more bet on tapas, dishes to share, but in a different way to what we are used to in the city of sun and beach . Well-thought-out bites, perfectly executed and with ingredients that stand out in terms of product quality -of course, local- and originality in presentation.
That is why in the letter they coexist from pieces of sushi and makis to baos -in this case fried, a personal bet by José Manuel that is more than convincing-, in addition to homemade cod cakes, alioli and red pepper, lobster croquettes or the main dishes that come out of the grill Pairing: Galician old cow t-bone, entreacto, Iberian pork rack or even squid. I said, a letter for everyone to feel comfortable. And which, by the way, has already been recognized with a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand.
** ABISS, TAPAS BY THE COAST**
Abiss, Calle Benidorm, 1. Tasting menu: €47-52
It is one of the veterans of the town and since it opened in 2007 it has not stopped reaping praise. And let it be clear that if you talk about Abiss, the restaurant of the Gran Hotel Sol y Mar , it is not only because it has one of the best panoramic views of Calpe and its famous rock.
Carlos Savall is its current head chef , where he combines the best of Alicante's fish market and orchard with nods to Basque cuisine. In addition, it is brand new, because only a few months ago they inaugurated the gastrobar , a more casual space to enjoy its cuisine in tapas format.
The best panoramic views of its famous pen
Savall is no neophyte when it comes to gastronomic restaurants ; After eight years as second chef at Abyss, then led by Ignacio Giner, he has taken over the restaurant's controls, betting on signature cuisine with local winks and Basque reminiscences.
Perfect to get closer to what is cooking in this new era of the most gastronomic cuisine of Calpe, with two tasting menus, in which there are from Grilled rock octopus in putxero broth, Bay fish on a veil of toasted galleys and lemon grass gel , or scallop vegetable and natural on cauliflower cous cous and Iberian ham shavings.
That in the gastronomic restaurant, because at the bar what you take is the height tapeo , depending on the season: roasted aubergine with mozzarella foam and honey, mackerel crunch with sweet tomatoes and spicy sprouts, or stewed tuna and apple bao bread. Quite a surprise.