|
Eating
and Drinking
The Moors are supposed to have introduced the cultivation
of rice in Valencia, which may or may not be true, but it
is undeniable that Arab irrigation methods are still the foundation
on which the local market garden system is based. Valencia
is famous as being the home of the paella, and it would
be a shame not to try one here, or better still head out to
the beach or to the village of El Palmar in the Albufera
Nature Reserve. Pundits often proclaim that "real"
paella does not contain seafood, which is an exaggeration
if not a misconception - in Spanish, paella is only
a kind of rice dish, and paella de... is usually synonymous
with arroz con... However, it is true that paella
valenciana is made with rice, rabbit, chicken, snails
(yes, snails) and vegetables. If you want a seafood paella
you will have to order paella de mariscos, and
for the paella commonly seen outside Spain, the term is paella
mixta (don't worry, no-one will look down their nose at
you for ordering it). There are many other rice dishes worth
trying (my favourite is arroz negro, rice cooked in
squid's ink, while arroz al horno, oven-baked rice,
tends to remind Valencians of home cooking). Fideua,
thick noodles cooked in the same way as paella, is at least
interesting, though not to everyone's taste (mine for example).
And Valencia's other great contribution to Spanish cuisine
is all i oli, a garlic sauce. It is not, as it is often
described, a mayonnaise: real all i oli is made from
garlic and olive oil only, no eggs, and is much milder than
you would expect.
Even quite ordinary restaurants in Valencia often
serve a menú de degustación, a set menu
with a lot of different dishes for "tasting," which
is a good way of getting to know the local gastronomy quickly.
For cheap eating, stick to the Barrio del Carmen. Going more
upmarket, you have plenty of choice. For example, El Romeral
(62, Gran Vía Marqués del Turia, tel. 96 395
15 17) is described as a "classic in the city" by
the Michelin guide, and Valencia's highest Michelin-rated
restaurant is Torrijos (4, Dr. Sumsi, tel. 96 373 29 49).
In terms of drink,
Valencia's most famous product is horchata, a soft
drink made from the chufa, which the dictionary says
is "tiger nut" in English (I have never seen an
English tiger nut but I have seen chufas and they look
like squashed yellow kidney beans). Horchata is served
cold as a refreshing summer drink.
D.O. Valencia wine is very acceptable, but not especially
noteworthy. Agua de Valencia is a cocktail of
cava (the Spanish
version of champagne) with freshly squeezed orange juice and
is great in summer.
Nightlife
Valencia's nightlife is one of the liveliest in Spain. The
Barrio del Carmen has enough bars and pubs (late-night
bars with music) to keep most visitors amused, especially
if you intend to get up in the morning. Other areas are around
the Plaza Cánovas Castillo, across the Turia, around
the university and, in the summer, down on the beach. The
weekly supplement El País de las Tentaciones
carried this list of trendy pubs and discos: Platinum
(4, Arquitecto Alfraro), Le Club du Pop (Carretera d'En Corts),
G-4 (23, Alberich. Metro: Avenida de El Cid), Giorgio et Enrico
(Plaza de Canónigo, Benimamet. Metro: Palacio de Congresos),
La Indiana (95, San Vicente Mártir. Metro: Játiva),
El Tornillo (45, Campoamor). It also recommended two places
specifically in the Barrio del Carmen: Radio City (19, Santa
Teresa), and La Lluna Roja (30, Calle Alta).
Of less interest to most visitors, but of anthropological
importance is the fact that Valencia is the centre of the
Ruta del Bakalao, a kind of network of discotheques
where Spanish techno music is played and which Spanish youths
spend all night or days at a time driving between, often drinking
only suspiciously large amounts of water when they get there.
Evidently, drugs, especially ecstasy, are an important part
of this experience. Visitors are unlikely to find it unless
they go and look for it.
Next:
"Beaches/Around Valencia"
>>
<< Back
Page 1, 2,
3, 4, 5
|
