Che Boludo
Where? Che Boludo (Valencia, Spain) Map
When? Monday May 22, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Argentinian Steakhouse
I'm in the mood for steak and what better place to have steak than an Argentinian restaurant. If there was two of me, I could have gone for the mixed platter but alas, I've settled for a rib eye. The waiter asks if I want to try an ox rib eye; it's more expensive but better, he says. I'm not too sure so I stick with beef, medium rare.
Entree
Chorizo with chimichurri sauce
I got coaxed into ordering a starter too, since the steak is going to take a while. I didn't want something too big so I went with the classic Spanish spicy sausage, chorizo, with chimi churri. I get the feeling it's precooked and has been fried to warm it up, the inside is still a bit cold. It's a little unpleasant. It tastes okay though, the chimi churi is quite appetising.
Mains
Rib-eye on the bone
The steak arrives and holy moly it is massive. I can do this. It's seasoned very well and it's juicy with that nice smokiness from the grill. There's nothing more for me to say, I just have to power through if I want to finish this.
Halfway through. I regret having the chorizo. I'm definitely slowing down and I don't think I have the momentum. My brain is doing that thing where it's saying the food in my mouth is no longer edible. I can feel my gag reflex coming on. This is a bad sign.
Nope I can't do it. I quit. This is very distressing for me. I stare at my plate solemnly. It was a good, tasty steak but far too much for me, especially after that starter. You could even say this was...
A mistake.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:31am on Saturday June 10, 2017 :: 0 comments :: 
Navarro
Where? Navarro (Valencia, Spain) Map Menu
When? Monday May 22, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Spanish
These guys are open for three hours starting at 1.30pm in the afternoon during weekdays, and a bit longer on Saturday; their menu caught my eye because they have lobster paella and that sounds amazing. They're so busy they won't let me have a table until 2.30pm, which is an hour after I arrived, so I come back.
As I place my order, the waitress tells me the lobster paella will take 30 minutes. Deep down my heart sinks and my stomach grumbles but I am so determined to have it that I say yes. I still have plenty of time to explore Valencia afterwards. I order some bread to tide my hunger pangs in the mean time.
Mains
Lobster paella
Finally at 3.15pm my lobster paella arrives and I grin. It smells phenomenal and has a much richer seafood taste than the seafood paella I had last night. There's fish, shrimp, cuttlefish and squid as well, and it tastes amazing. The rice under the lobster has soaked up some of the roe and it’s clearly the best part of the dish. I'm a bit out of practice with prying the flesh out of the shell but I make it to the end. The heat of the pan helps keep the rice warm while I've been fidgeting with the lobster meat.
That was excellent and worth the wait. So happy.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:23am on Saturday June 10, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
El Pederniz
Where? El Pederniz (Valencia, Spain) Map Menu
When? Sunday May 21, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Tapas
It's my first night in Valencia and according to Google this restaurant is open. It is not, when I arrive at 7.45pm. The waitress tells me they open at 8.30pm, which isn't too far away, so I go for a walk and return.
The owner is happy to make recommendations and will even do half portions for me so I can try more things. I'm also sitting happily with a large glass of sangria, filled with those famous Valencian oranges. Life is so good right now.
Tapas #1
Croquettes
The croquettes are the first to arrive. There are four different types, each battered perfectly with soft, creamy fillings. The large one on the left surprises me; it's very smokey, but they're all delicious in their own way. These croquettes are highly rated on Trip Advisor and I can see why!
Tapas #2
Fresh King prawns in boiling oil with garlic and spicy peppers
They weren't kidding when they said boiling olive oil. It smells amazing though. I'm instructed to take a bit of the oil, half a pepper, some garlic and half a prawn and eat it with the bread for a fantastic flavour combination. I hope the pepper has kick - they're from the owner's garden! I assemble a bite and give it a go. Wow, it's good, the prawns are soft and tender, they've absorbed all the garlic, and he's right, the flavour combination is great. The pepper gives that much needed spice, which makes the garlic more prominent. I ignore the recommendation for half a pepper and go for a full one - I haven't had spicy food in a while. The owner notices and remarks I must love spicy food. If only he knew exactly how much.
Tapas #3
Morteruelo - partridge, quail, wild rabbit, chicken, acorn ham, foie breadcrumbs
The last one is the dish that I can't pronounce. It tastes like stewed meat, very gamey but flavoured beautifully. It's quite rich but perfect with the bread. The pine nuts give it a bit of crunchy texture. There's some leftover garlic oil on my plate, and I happily wipe the plate clean of the morteruelo and the oil. Yum!
Dessert
Manchego cheese flan
I can't pass up the house speciality dessert, Manchego cheese flan. It's much like the filling of a cheesecake, not smooth like a custard flan. The toffee sauce is really good though, and the dessert is quite filling. The only unfortunate thing is now my sangria tastes quite sterile. I know, what a disaster. I'll live.
Dessert Wine
Moscatel
To leave a sweet taste in my mouth, the owner gives me a shot of Valencian dessert wine. It tastes like lychees. A+ would eat here again. I am well and truly sloshed.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:13am on Saturday June 10, 2017 :: 0 comments ::