The temple of the red shrimp
There are times when the overwhelming success provided by sun and beach tourism ends overshadow the true essence of a region and its natural and cultural wealth.
It occurs, as in Cádiz or Girona, in much of the Levantine coast and in Alicante. And yet, as connoisseurs know, the Marina Alta is a gastronomic paradise and Denia, its capital, a first-class destination.
Javier Sheriff and Julia Lozano , his wife, transformed in the mid-nineties the canteen of a campsite on the outskirts of Denia into a modest place that they called El Farallo which served appetizers and rice dishes.
Over time, the offer grew more ambitious and the modest establishment grew to become one of the emblems of local cuisine and a place of pilgrimage for those seeking the best produce. But above all for those who want to try the best red shrimp in the world.
The red shrimp. That which is now considered the queen of the sea and quoted at astronomical prices and that before it was discarded grass or destined for trash.
Javier chooses his shrimp carefully depending on the boat, the area and the depth of fishing. The what and where is important, the who is even more so. He takes care of her, pampers her and even talks to her. He subjects her to slow cooking and ice baths. And he achieves perfection: prawns of unprecedented freshness and smoothness.
Therefore, do not miss the red prawn – cooked, please – in his order. But don't overlook the excellent salted fish or dried octopus. Or, depending on the catch, the sepionets, the tellinas or the clóchinas of the area.
And of course, do not leave without trying the rice dishes, like the abanda, the one from the gentleman or that glorious one with squid, monkfish liver and cuttlefish with which we were entertained on the last visit. El Faralló is a party.