Valencia Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

[robert brown]

It looks like I'll be leaving Barcelona and heading down the coast to Valencia before heading back into France. Other than Barcelona, does anyone have any dining and hotel tips? I'll be doing this from August 12-19, or thereabouts.

[Bux]

In Valencia, we stayed at the Astoria Palace a couple of months ago. It was quite nice and centrally located for sightseeing. The hotel is air conditioned, but in August, you might want to stay at the beach. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any. Ca'Sento is definitely a place worth going out of your way for lunch or dinner. It struck me as a rather strange place for the restaurant, but it gave us the chance to walk off lunch by taking a route through an area still under construction with mega apartment structures on our way to see Calatrava's [Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies, in the park they constructed on the old river bed after the river was rerouted. It's quite an interesting development. There was not much shade along the way and as much as I noticed that in May, it may be overbearing in August, but you can drive, take a cab or a bus.

The cathedral was closed when we were able to get there and we never made it to see the Valencian primitive art in the Fine Arts Museum, so I can't tell you about either, but the Mercado Central is well worth a visit for the space. Unfortunately a pigeon problem has resulted in a net across the space.

I think Rogelio has posted elsewhere with suggestions of other places to eat in Valencia and I believe Victor has as well. Our other meals were tapas, augmented by meat and fish pies from a bakery--all enjoyable and nothing to avoid, but no place worth recommending either. I rather liked Valencia as a city. The cental area has a nice scale.

[robert brown]

Bux, did you get a chance to visit IVAM, the modern art museum?

[Rogelio]

Hi Robert, I bet that you have enough suggestions for Barcelona, but if you go down South by the coast there are loads of good eats until you get to Valencia.

Here's a list if you're traveling from Barcelona to Valencia:

- Vilanova i la Geltrú Little fishermen village: El Peixerot Passeig Marìtim, 59 (93 815 06 25) Family runned restaurant with excellent seafood and mariner's dishes like al cremat.They have a branch in Barcelona too.

- Deltebre a singular area in the mouth of river Ebro with great products like rice and king prowns, but there isn't a real good restaurant there. A good option is Can Cadell C/ Cervantes, 14 (977 48 25 62) in the village of La cava

- Peñíscola, nice little town where the Luna Pope lived: Casa Jaime Avda. Papa Luna, 5 - (964 480 030) for great rices (order in advance) and superb suquets (Fishermen stew)

- Castellón de la Plana (not worth the turistic visit): But Rafael C/ Churruca, 28 (964 281 626) placed in El Grao area (Castellón's harbour) is a very good option for fishes and rices.

- Valencia: Bux has given you a few tips, Ca Sento is a very good one. Also La Sucursal placed at the IVAM museum is quite interesting for a modern aproach to Valencian dishes.

[Bux]

Bux, did you get a chance to visit IVAM, the modern art museum?

No. My search for a place to get my glasses fixed led us in the other direction and I spent most of one day wearing sunglasses. Ca'Sento and Calatrava's new museums were also in the other direction.

[vserna]

Best restaurants I know between Barcelona and Valencia:

Can Bosch, Cambrils. Modern seafood-oriented cuisine. Very good. A well-deserved Michelin star.

Joan Gatell, Cambrils. More traditional than Can Bosch, but sensational array of fish and shellfish, and the best 'fideos rojos' (vermicelli, cooked in shellfish stock).

El Pescador (Casa Angelina), Les Cases d'Alcanar. The very best 'suquet de peix' (Catalonia's cousin of bouillabaisse).

Faro de Vinaròs, Vinaròs. In the converted lighthouse in this small fishermen's port, home of some of the most fabled 'langostinos' (tiger prawns) in Spain (the other famous place is Sanlúcar, near Jerez). Modern, refined cuisine - and langostinos, of course.

Forn Tonico, Alcossebre. Rustic little mountainside place in this coastal resort, terrific lamb roasts from their wood-fired oven and 'cocas' (the Valencian reply to pizza).

Rafael, Grau, Castellò. Either a great rice dish (one of the best 'arròs abanda' in this coast) followed by a sea bass or gilthead oven-roasted in a salt crust, or a whole tapas-like meal of small portions of everything: mussels, langostinos, clams, sardines, red mullets... delightful stuff.

Espliego, Vila-real (small town, big-time soccer team!). Pleasant modern cuisine, nice service, local produce (oven-roasted Mediterranean sea bass with asparagus, onion and bell pepper tempura).

Edited July 23, 2004 by vserna (log)

[magnolia]

While in Valencia, don't miss:

Seu Xerea

calle Conde de Almodovar 4

Tel: 34-96-39-24-000

www.seuxerea.tdv.net

bargain lunch, dinner even better

Restaurante Riff

calle Conde Alta 18

Tel: 34-96-33-35-353

www.restaurant-riff.com

dinner

El Maldon

calle Maldonado 46

Tel: 34-96-39-13-510

cheap and cheerful but very nice lunch

Óscar Torrijos

calle Doctor Sumsi 4

Tel: 34-96-37-32-949

I think it's the only Michelin starred one there...

I wrote an article about the restaurant scene in V. a couple of years ago, if you're interested I can send you a copy but due to copyright laws I wouldn't be comfortable posting it (and the link is only available to WSJ subscribers)

[vserna]

Torrijos (the restaurant formerly known as Oscar Torrijos) and Ca' Sento both have Michelin stars.

Unfortunately, Torrijos, Riff (Bernd Knöller's new place, after El Angel Azul) and Seu Xerea are all closed in August, as are most of Valencia's interesting restaurants. This city does shut down for good this month...

[Bux]

Torrijos (the restaurant formerly known as Oscar Torrijos) and Ca' Sento both have Michelin stars.

Ca'Sento has 2 soles in Campsa, while Torrijos has none. Albacar, Rías Gallegas and Riff have one. Ca'Sento seems to be closed all of August. A very few recommended restaurants are open for the first two weeks in August, but it seems Valencia is not the place to visit in August.

[jauster]

My husband is heading to a conference for a few days in Valencia in April. I am looking for some recommendations in the area. Thanks!

[Bux]

Recent post on Ca'Sento

. . . .

- Valencia: Bux has given you a few tips, Ca Sento is a very good one. Also La Sucursal placed at the IVAM museum is quite interesting for a modern aproach to Valencian dishes.

←

Some more, but less recent, suggestions here.

A search generally means wading through lots of false leads, but it's also likely to result in better information than just asking a question as most members are far less likely to post as much the second time they're touching on a subject. Ca'Sento is a serious restaurant and definitely a destination place. It has very few tables and a reservation is a very good idea.

[magnolia]

I can confirmthat Su Xerea and Oscar Torrijos are still both terrific - Oscar Torrijos renovated and is less formal but still lovely. I can get some more recommendations from friends who just left for a week there & will post when they return.

[Rogelio]

Seu Xerea, IMHO was one of last year's big disappointments, tasteless and pretentious dishes , it could have been a bad day, but I'm not willing to repeat.

In a minor league but still interesting:

- El Tossal (Quart 6) Interesting and unexpensive lunch menu including superb meloso rice. Not that good for dinners.

- Casa Montaña (José Benllure 69 Tel 96.367 23 14). This ancient bodega placed in the old fishermen area serves excellent tapas and one of the best wine lists in Valencia, It's got a cosy restaurant at the back.

Edited March 16, 2005 by Rogelio (log)

[magnolia]

Seu Xerea, IMHO was one of last year's big disappointments, tasteless and pretentious dishes , it could have been a bad day, but I'm not willing to repeat.

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Gosh, that's alarming...I was last there late last year as well...and loved it.

What did you have?

[Rogelio]

Seu Xerea, IMHO was one of last year's big disappointments, tasteless and pretentious dishes , it could have been a bad day, but I'm not willing to repeat.

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Gosh, that's alarming...I was last there late last year as well...and loved it.

What did you have?

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If my memory doesn't fails, it was back in November, I had the Satay (fried noodles) with king prawns in a coconut sauce that I found more effectist than interesting and a tasteless rock fish (Mediterranean fish with asparagus, baby broad-beans and tender garlic shoots).

OTOH the 2003 Naia from Rueda that we drunk was very enjoyable.

Edited to amend the name of the dishes as I found the Website

Edited March 18, 2005 by Rogelio (log)

[Judith Gebhart]

We have yet to report our Spanish culinary journey of January 2005. We delighted in both Ca Sento and La Sucursal both Valencian restaurants which have menus of significance. Ca Sento serves the best of seafood and fish off the coastline of Valencia. THis small restaurant will satisfy your most demanding standards for great dishes from the sea. Make sure you have a luncheon or dinner reservation.

We also echo Bux's recommendation for La Sucursal restaurant located in the IVAM or Valencia's Modern Art Museum. It is a delightful spot for its Valencian provincial inspired menu with an updated contemporary interpretation. We found Valencia an interesting community with some satisfying culinary destinations. Hope this thread has meaning for those planning to visit Valencia. Judith Gebhart

[Bux]

We also echo Bux's recommendation for La Sucursal restaurant located in the IVAM or Valencia's Modern Art Museum. It is a delightful spot for its Valencian provincial inspired menu with an updated contemporary interpretation. We found Valencia an interesting community with some satisfying culinary destinations. Hope this thread has meaning for those planning to visit Valencia. Judith Gebhart

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I agree that Valencia is a city worth visiting for its cuisine and for it's other attractions, but I didn't get to La Sucursal. That was someone else's recommendation and I'm glad to have it for my next visit.

[Richard_D]

I'm planning on heading to Valencia for a week soon and would be interested in updated suggestions for places to go for tapas and meals out.

We're getting a fully equipped apartment so where do the locals go to get the good stuff (eg fish, fruit, veg) so I can do a bit of my own cooking?

R

[Bux]

I'm told the central market is not what it used to be, but if it's convenient to you, it's probably a good place to start. It's certainly worth a visit anyway.

[Silly Disciple]

Quique Dacosta's El Poblet restaurant in Denia, about 100 km from Valencia seems to be having lots of positive comments lately.

[vserna]

No need to go on a trip to eat well when in Spain's third largest city (and the fastest growing gastronomic hub in the country).

For top-notch modern cuisine (always with a strong regional bent), the leader remains Ca' Sento, followed by La Sucursal and Riff.

For a traditional paella in a fun, kitsch bullfighting atmosphere, Casa Roberto is absolutely the place - best classic rice dishes in town. (It's advisable to order the desired type of paella when booking.)

The Mercado Central (Central Market) is undergoing renovation work, but remains one of the best in Spain (and one of the most appealing covered markets, from an architectural viewpoint).

They have a very good web site, where you can check out, for instance, the 50+ fishmongers:

http://www.mercadocentralvalencia.es/Merca.../principal.html

[Richard_D]

No need to go on a trip to eat well when in Spain's third largest city (and the fastest growing gastronomic hub in the country).

For top-notch modern cuisine (always with a strong regional bent), the leader remains Ca' Sento, followed by La Sucursal and Riff.

For a traditional paella in a fun, kitsch bullfighting atmosphere, Casa Roberto is absolutely the place - best classic rice dishes in town. (It's advisable to order the desired type of paella when booking.)

The Mercado Central (Central Market) is undergoing renovation work, but remains one of the best in Spain (and one of the most appealing covered markets, from an architectural viewpoint).

They have a very good web site, where you can check out, for instance, the 50+ fishmongers:

http://www.mercadocentralvalencia.es/Merca.../principal.html

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Thanks, these are just the sort of recommendations I'm looking for.

R

[Rogelio]

Just a few more recs:

- Tasca Angel C/ Estameñería Vieja, just a few meters from the Mercado Central is a delicious spot on the wall serving wonderful sardines at ridiculous prices.

For a top tapas place Taberna Alkazar in Mosen Ferrandes serves superb seafood and a few simple dishes at high prices.

The locals usually buy in neigbourhood markets like El Cabanyal, with better prices than Mercado Central and very close to it you can Find the above mentioned Casa Montaña where they serve good tapas with a great wine list.

Edited January 16, 2006 by Rogelio (log)

[Judith Gebhart]

Just a few more recs:

- Tasca Angel C/ Estameñería Vieja, just a few meters from the Mercado Central is a delicious spot on the wall serving wonderful sardines at ridiculous prices.

For a top tapas place Taberna Alkazar in Mosen Ferrandes serves superb seafood and a few simple dishes at high prices.

The locals usually buy in neigbourhood markets like El Cabanyal, with better prices than Mercado Central and very close to it you can Find the above mentioned Casa Montaña where they serve good tapas with a great wine list.

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We wanted to unequivically recommend El Poblet . Our misgivings about this dynamic chef are truly disturbing. RGS touted this chef as a great talent with big accolades. But, RGS, have you sampled his undercooked menu items??

This restaurant boasts an innovative menu. We would have rated this dining destination far higher had the lobster, langoustine and various shellfish been better prepared. We are disappointed with our El Poblet experience. We would like to return but only if we have some assurance that El Poblet has altered it undercooked seafood practice. This is not a great dining pleasure. Judith Gebhart

[vserna]

My memories of Denia red shrimps (the greatest shrimps in the world, I sincerely believe) prepared by Quique in Madrid a few months back are of sheer perfection. No qualms here about undercooking. Yet, I insist: Denia is quite a distance from Valencia, so I don't see too much of a need to include it in a Valencian culinary trek.