The order of the factors...
BRIONS
Vivanco Restaurant _(Ctra. N-232, km 442 tel. 941 32 23 40) _ €€€
The terroir and the philosophy of space They impose wine not only as a pairing.
Framed within the renowned winery and foundation that promotes wine culture, it has a museum endorsed by UNESCO and which receives 150,000 people each year. After San Millan de la Cogolla , is the most visited attraction in that community. Your panoramic restaurant at the foot of the vineyard offers interesting menus with or without wine pairing.
For example, five dishes with a key ingredient linked to a grape or label (€59 without pairing/€75 with five wines). Like it shows, the roasted scallop with Malvasia gelée and citrus fruits or the duck foie gras marinated in four varietal tannins and wine caviar.
On the upper floor, there is a space for groups. Booking is recommended.
CALAHORRA
The fourth corner tavern (Four Corners, 16 tel. 941 13 43 55) €€
regional cuisine. Overwhelming selection of dishes and magnificent raw material.
There will be those who do, but reading the letter of this family home from beginning to end is impossible. There are more than 200 suggestions, there is nothing. The first step, Choosing a good product is key.
From it, the Suescun brothers propose a very elaborate traditional cuisine. They take an ingredient and present it in different recipes. Rich tomatoes, wonderful artichokes… Vegetables are the strength of this house founded in 1981 and which is already a classic in Calahorra.
The fish stand out (hake with clams and cocochas), as well as the roasts. For starters: mask salad.
Yes or yes you have to order dessert : wide variety of artisan recipes, see the peach in wine.
CASALARREINA
Dona Isabela's cave (Crossing the Gardens, 15 tel. 941 32 41 22) €€€
regional cuisine. Tradition determines the essence of the dishes and each season, the raw material.
In La Rioja Alta we make a stop in the municipality of Casalarreina. In 1998, this charming restaurant opened its doors. It looks very closely at the local recipe book and has adapted with outstanding marks to the passage of time.
A year later, the Navarrese chef would arrive Nicholas Fuentes. Along with Felix Guijarro , in the dining room, they form a solid and creative team that develops conferences and proposals such as the A Cucharadas club, which has made the clientele more loyal, if possible.
It occupies a 17th century building that maintains the original openwork. It is an establishment with such a singular aesthetic proposal that it could well be an ethnographic museum.
Along with dessert you have to try their sweet wine: Postremus.
Tasting menu
the old warehouse (Avda. de La Rioja, 17 tel. 941 32 42 54) €€
Simple dishes perfectly executed with special prominence of roasts. Strong foods.
It has been 23 years since he opened this restaurant, already accustomed to good reviews. It occupies an old cellar from the 17th century that has been skilfully restored and houses five dining rooms. There is no lack, either, the own orchard that produces, for example, the famous house tomatoes.
From small suppliers they also obtain fresh vegetables depending on the season: artichokes, borage, thistle...
From its famous wood oven comes the aroma of kid, lamb or suckling pig, cooked with calm and care . Exquisite fish such as hake on a piperrada base are also tasted.
To whet your appetite, you can't miss the ham croquettes or the ratatouille.
Eels in La Vieja Bodega
DAROCA OF RIOJA
Sale Moncalvillo (Ctra. del Medrano, 6 tel. 941 44 48 32) €€€€
Signature cuisine. It is the perfect address to confirm that a family business can become a pure avant-garde.
Its location, in a small municipality like Daroca from Rioja It is quite a statement of intent.
Brothers Ignacio and Carlos Echapresto They could have settled in the capital long ago, but they have not wanted to stray from their roots and have managed to transform a traditional eating house into a rare and sophisticated pearl.
The celebration of 20 years of work has been reason enough to redesign the restaurant and give greater importance to the cellar and the orchard.
These last two are a must before starting the experience.
Taking a walk around the area is wonderful. At sunset, much better.
Product and years of experience
TRAIN
Land-Finca of the Arandinos (Ctra. LR-137, km 4.6 tel. 941 44 61 26) €€
Contemporary regional cuisine. Without cheating or cardboard, traditional recipe book, good product and a modern look.
We are talking about a hotel with packaging, located in the vicinity of the municipality of Entrena, 12 km from Logroño. Still tall design, signed by David Delfin, it adds a good spa, a very interesting wine cellar and, of course, an exquisite restaurant.
In the kitchen is from the first day diego rodriguez . Close and honest, the chef from La Rioja bets on local and seasonal products.
The raw material is convincing and Rodríguez imprints his own character on comforting dishes. His thing is simplicity well understood. No unnecessary tricks.
With views of the Sierra de Moncalvillo. It is essential to take some house wine, such as El Conjuro.
EZCARAY
Masip House (Military Academy, 4 and 6 tel. 941 35 43 27) €€
regional cuisine. Tradition prevails, although with some modern winks, resulting in harmonic dishes.
Escaping to the beautiful town of Ezcaray always works; even more so if you stop at the Masip brothers' restaurant, with Pedro at the head, his chef , who entered the world of cooking following in the footsteps of his mother, Vincent Perez.
The game and mushroom dishes stand out, in season, but it is difficult not to opt for the classic caparrones or fish such as baked black monkfish. We are talking about honest recipes, delicate desserts and a successful selection of wines.
Casa Masip is also a family hotel and has a lively bar with interesting tapas. On warm days, the summer garden is perfect.
When it comes to meat, the choice is difficult: venison ragout, royal hare, red partridge or the classic lamb in sauce.
Skewers at Casa Masip
Echaurren Tradition _(Father José García, 19 tel. 941 35 40 47) _ €€€
regional cuisine. To understand the present of Francis Paniego it is necessary to know the first restaurant of the family, Tradition.
If you want to go far it is important to remember where you come from. Francis and his brother, Jose Felix, Chef, They are grateful every day that their origins are located in the family restaurant, together with his mother, Marisa Sánchez, always close by.
She is a noteworthy cook, not only for her famous croquettes, but also for her fish soup, the lamb legs or the chickpea stew: in short, for those recipes that move the soul and warm the spirit.
As well as she says her name, we speak of tradition. Those looking for the avant-garde should only cross the door and ask for a table at El Portal.
Her loyal clientele needs this kitchen of memory and anchored flavors.
The portal of Echaurren (Father José García, 19 tel. 941 35 40 47) €€€€€
Signature haute cuisine. Francis Paniego Through gastronomy, he expresses his weakness for the land and the people who inhabit it.
Sitting at the table at El Portal is something you have to do at least once in your life . There is much that, year after year, Paniego has to tell, owner of a unique discourse.
Transfer to dishes, of unusual beauty, sensations as everyday as a walk through the woods or the aroma and crackling of the vine shoots.
It is clear that he is more clear than ever about his place in the world, in La Rioja, in Ezcaray, and his position at the forefront of national and international haute cuisine.
It is also perceived that he is passionate about the trade that he observed in the family home.
He completes the experience to enjoy the hotel to, after restful sleep, enjoy a truly fabulous breakfast.
Francis' croquettes (with a recipe from his mother, Marisa Sánchez)
FUENMAYOR
Mall (Pza. Félix Azpilicueta, 1 tel. 941 45 00 44) €€€€
regional cuisine . It is a classic within the classics, infallible if you are looking for good vegetables. In the table. Known outside and inside La Rioja, Alameda is synonymous with quality.
Their vegetable dishes from the Ribera del Ebro Depending on the season and without too many decorations, they are the perfect excuse to reserve a table. Next to the vegetable section, magnificent fish and grilled meats.
It is an establishment of the past, that is to say, one that is going to be enjoyed from start to finish, and where any appointment becomes a gastronomic celebration.
To whet your appetite, Iberian croquettes and good salads. To cry with emotion, the stew.
Meat lovers, today as yesterday, will enjoy the grilled chop, deserving of various awards for its excellence.
PREJANO
The laurel inn (Carretera de la Carretera, 3 tel. 941 39 90 44) €€€
regional cuisine. Family house where the market rules.
About 60 kilometers from Logroño, in the municipality of Préjano (200 inhabitants), this restaurant with a family spirit and a very relaxed atmosphere has been going on for 15 years. Chef Damaso Navajas is faithful to the market; he selects vegetables, fish and meat, and has fun changing the menu daily.
The basis of it is the Riojan garden (his own). Special mention to the glass peppers roasted over firewood and the sautéed vegetables. The fish and grilled meats also delight the clientele.
They carry out special pairings and pleasant tastings.
Vegetables from Posada del Laurel
ZALDIERNA
Zaldierna House _(Puente, s/n tel. 941 42 71 53, 670 64 49 94) _ €€
Signature cuisine. High gastronomy in a relaxed context at a very interesting price. In the table. Little more than two years has fulfilled the life project of Antonio Pérez and Pilar Juanes.
They met in Echaurren, where they worked for nearly 15 years, and decided to settle in Zaldierna, a village with just ten inhabitants in winter and 30 in summer.
They are defined as a bistronomic grill. The organic vegetables from La Huerta del Oja, in Santurde, and the grilled cod with piperrada and black garlic deserve sighs.
The offer of its small rural house is completed by a bar and a pleasant terrace for the summer.
Kitchen of always like never
€ Less than €10
€€ Up to €20
€€€ Up to €50
€€€€ More than 50 €
*You can find the 2018 Gastronomic and Wine Guide in a digital version for your devices, at Manzana , Zinium Y google play .