Jeff Koehler

Just saw that you made it to La Casa del Abuelo. Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for the update.

For more traditional rices, two top options are just outside the city, south in the Albufera: Casa Carmina and Casa Savador. Casa Carmina (in El Saler) is legendary for her soupy rice of fesols i naps (white beans and turnips, flavored by various parts of pork) and Casa Salvador (further south in Cullera) for his range of dry rices. Salvador pulls of the near impossible task of preparing truly excellent restaurant paella by having two kitchens – one dedicated solely to "dry" rices (aka, paella) with 23 wide burners flaming away. The paella of boneless duck and tender garlic is phenomenal. CASA CARMINA Embarcadero, 4 El Saler 34/961.83.02.45 CASA SALVADOR L’Estany de Cullera Cullera 34/961.72.01.36 www.casasalvador.com

I have also eaten very well at Ca' Sento and, as well, saw no issue whatsoever with the matire'd. I love its size and the fact that Raúl Aleixandre can see the main dining room from the kitchen - and in fact watches, keeping an eye on what is going on. It's small, be sure to reserve.

Hola Mar, Although not en El Carme, Torrijos is an alternative to Ca' Sento. The chef is the young Josep Quintana who dazzles with his reworking of classics and local flavors. One of the finest rices I've eaten anywhere in Spain was a meloso one he did with partridge, foie gras, and the smoke of burnt acorn twigs. TORRIJOS Doctor Sumsi, 4 Valencia 34/963.73.29.49 www.restaurantetorrijos.com Again, outside El Carme, but a short taxi ride away, is the unmissable Casa Montaña, the 170-year old bodega in El Cabanyal (near the port). Very mixed crowd – and a favorite of local chefs. The wine list is said to be the longest in the city and the owner, Emiliano García, is chatty and generous with his knowledge. Don't miss the tapas – the ajo arriero (pureed garlic and potato dip eaten cold) is fab as are their salt cod croquettes with pine nuts. The tocino de cielo (“pork from heaven”) dessert is original, with a bit of tomato confit. CASA MONTAÑA José Benlliure, 69 Valencia 34/963.67.23.14 www.emilianobodega.com Enjoy! Jeff

Of the old classic tapas places, those that do just a couple of things and do them very well, don't miss La Casa del Abuelo (not far from Puerta del Sol). It is an old bar (in 2006 they celebrated their 100 year anniversary), traditional, with wine stored in wooden barrels and almost no where to sit. The specialty: gambas al ajillo, shrimp cooked in a small clay dish with olive oil, garlic, and a chili. To drink: small glasses of the sweet house red wine. You dip bread in the bread into the burning oil and spear out the shrimp with tiny forks. The shells, the napkins, everything is tossed to the floor. It's hard not to gorge yourself on these… but move on! The city is full of such tapas places. La Casa del Abuelo C./ de la Victoria, 12

Don't forget the great couscous joints in Marseille, which is about an hour from Arles. Sur le Pouce in the Belsunce neighborhood is a cheap, authentic classic. It might be a bit scruffy on the edges, but they prepare very light and fluffy (double-steamed) grains. Along with the standard options for flavorings / toppings, on Fridays they serve couscous au mérou (grouper). La Kahena, at the edge of Vieux Port, is popular with Algerian pied noir families, and Le Fémina (also in the center) serves barley couscous. (If you go to Le Fémina let me know; when I was last in town, at the end of August, it was closed.) After, amble down to Vieux Port and find the tiny Pâtisserie d’Aix, which has fab Tunisian délices – mouthwater zlabia, makrouth, m’karek, beignets tunisiens, etc. The beignets are fried right among the handful of tables. (By the way, the owners are cousins of the owners of Sur le Pouce; both opened in 1981.) And don't skip the lovely Camargue just south of Arles. (Be sure to try bull meat.) Back in Arles, you'll find plenty of interesting stuff to eat at the massive Saturday street market.

For me the best place in town these days is Inopia. Sure, one of the co-owners is Albert Adrià, the pastry chef of El Bulli and brother of Ferran, but overall it is pure bar del barrio. Fabulous cooking, very comfortable. It's in Poble Sec, not far from Quimet & Quimet and just down the block from Casa Lucio (both stand up choices). Inopia is perfect for either for a drink and a plate of their patatas bravas (very smoky and deep tomato-flavor to the sauce) or La pulga de Inopia (a small piece of toasted bread topped with salt cod, tomato comfit, and olivada) before heading out to dinner, or a whole meal here made from similar pickings. Moritz beer is on tap plus a decent selection of wines, cavas. They don't open until 7 p.m. and if you want a stool go soon after. Inopia Tamarit, 104 Barcelona 34/934.24.52.31 www.barinopia.com

I will be in Algiers next month and was hoping for some thoughts on where to eat out. La Maison Lahlou is top of the list - anywhere else I shouldn't miss?