Hola València - I
Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall
My first trip away from Blighty in 2024 is to València.
Here's a city on the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula & the western part of the Mediterranean. Originally named in Latin as Valentia meaning 'strength' or 'valour'.
For sure.
What strikes you as soon as you start to spend time here is that the city embraces its history, culture, culinary heritage & architecture. It also has looked to the future with The City of Arts and Sciences with its breathtaking avant-garde buildings taking inspiration from the sea.
Let's get to the food.
Paella rules here but so does Fideuà, seafood & noodles. There are Coques, delicious sweet or savoury pastries plus Arròs a Banda, rice with seafood & much, much more.
I'm going to start with my first eating experience which was at this very famous & much sought out favourite ..
Here’s the menu in English ..
https://m.centralbar.es/dishes
It had been a really early start from home to València (I left home at 0300) & aside from a bite on the plane over (smoked salmon, cream cheese) it was time to eat.
The Central Bar is located in one of the most magnificent markets I've ever seen. Behold Europe's largest fresh produce market ..
You will have to queue but they have a great system in making sure your name is on the list. At this point on a Saturday afternoon it was just me dining solo & after 15 minutes or so I got a seat at the bar.
A glass of Cava ordered followed by a question to one of the servers: "What would you recommend today?"
(I couldn't be bothered to get the phone out & start doing the QR thing for a menu, plus, I was tired.)
Came the answer: "Grilled artichokes & also some meatballs."
Me: "Sold."
Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall
Both dishes were delicious.
I also got to chat with my Central Bar neighbours. There was an American student with Spanish roots awaiting visitors from home & a local couple who gave me great recommendations for regional wines to try.
Habia llegado a València.
I had arrived in València.
AMM
