When it comes to experimental fine dining, Spain has been ruling the roost. For the past decade, dozens of restaurants in the country have followed in the footsteps of Ferran Adria and his battalion of inspirational chefs, to achieve "best restaurant in the world" status.
Now, I must apologise, because I really, really didn't want to get Adria's name into this article about Spanish food so early on.
Adria's reknown is, I am sure, well deserved — I've never been one of the lucky few to get a coveted spot at the now-shuttered El Bulli — but it's not the only reason to pay attention to Spanish cuisine.
New light on the cuisine
Adria's success — and that of El Celler de Can Roca, Mugaritz and Arzak, three Spanish restaurants to make it to the Top Ten of the San Pellegrino World's Best Restaurants announced earlier this month — has shone a light on the classic ingredients, cooking styles and eating quirks of this nation, which was once known for paella and churros, and not much more.
Today, Spain is where the world's foodies have pointed their compasses, attracted by a fresh take on Mediterranean ingredients and the surprise that this gastronomic behemoth has been right under our noses all this time.
So while you're waiting a year to get a table at Spain's eating temples, take the time to discover the classic cuisine it is based on, says chef Josevi Jorge, who last week launched his Spanish dining emporium, Tapeo, at Galeries Lafayette.
"Without the traditional cuisine, we would not have had the distinctive modern cuisine that we see in Spain. It's our gastronomic culture that makes traditional Spanish food so special. The real future of Spanish cuisine is in its unique products. In Spain we have a huge quantity of high-quality products — from the sea, from the garden and from the land," chef Jorge says.
Tapeo, located in the food hall of the Dubai Mall department store, focuses on traditional, rustic Spanish dishes — yes, paella included — from several Spanish regions. But Southern Andalucian cuisine, for example, is significantly different from Catalan, Basque or even Madrileno cuisines.
"Tapeo is based on traditional rustic dishes of old-fashioned comfort food, employing the highest-quality ingredients and best recipes for these dishes, but with the knowledge of new gastronomic techniques," chef Jorge says.
tabloid! on Saturday caught up with him for a little chat:
What is Tapeo's signature dish?
The paellas, because all of us are from Valencia [the eastern Spanish city where the rice dish originated].
Are there cuisines from any other region in the restaurant, say Basque or Catalan food?
We've got platters from five regions: Barcelona, Madrid, Andalucia, Cantabria [northern Spain] and Valencia, along with the classics. From Catalonia we have pantumaca [also known as pa amb tomaquet — toasted bread with ripe tomato] and from Madrid, huevos rotos ["broken eggs"]. From the north, we have the classic empanada gallega [a meat pie] and pulpo a la gallega [octopus — a dish popular all over Spain]. And from Valencia we have the most well-known dish, paella. As for the classics, we serve patatas bravas and tortilla Española, which are both very popular in the country.
What are the most important ingredients in a Spanish kitchen?
There is a whole world of products from all over Spain, such as excellent tuna belly from the north of Spain, which we use in one of our salads, RAF tomatoes from Almeria and Murcia, bomba rice from Valencia, sweet smoked paprika ... but our star product, I think, is the olive oil from Spain.
What should I order if I come for dinner to Tapeo?
One of our special salads, one tapa, which could be the gambas al ajillo [prawns], patatas bravas or pulpo a la gallega, and one of our big selection of paellas that are cooked to order. We have seven kinds of paella, from the most popular seafood paella to the Valencia traditional fideuá, black rice with squid or chicken and vegetable paella.
Where in Spain are you from?
I'm from Canals, a small town in the south of Valencia. And the Valencia region is the home of paella, so you have to try our paella.
Where would you recommend people visit in Spain for good food?
My perfect gastronomic route around Spain for traditional food will be in the north, in the Basque region: Stop at Etxebarri (Axpe) and Elkano (Guetaria). Try going out for pintxos [large tapas skewered on bread] in downtown San Sebastian, visit Casa Marcial in Arriondas for some of the best traditional dishes of Asturias. In Andalucia you should try the tapas at FM in Granada and go for the special fish fritters at Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Cadiz. In Catalonia, there is very good food all around, in Calçots and Escalivada, for example. I could continue like this for hours.
Where to?
Tapeo is in Lafayette Gourmet, Galeries Lafayette, Dubai Mall. Call 04-339 9933, ext 2342 or ext 2383.
