Rias Gallegas - stylish & modern and other Valencia, Spain Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Rias Gallegas

When on holiday we like to try and have a least one special meal. Before our trip I came across some rave reviews on a restaurant called Rias Gallegas, so I asked our hotel to book a table for us, as it sounded like our sort of place.

Rias Gallegas is located just of Calle de Ruzafa, only a couple of minutes walk from Estacion del Norte. The wooden entrance to the restaurant gives you taste of what is to come - it is a pretty stylish place.

Walk through the door, up to the reception desk, check your coats and then take a seat, enjoying the classy design of the place. Service was polished yet friendly and we were made to feel very welcome.

Favorite Dish: Alex decided to start off with a refreshing drink...a Gin & Tonic...they bought the Gin bottle to our table and started pouring....it looked like they were going to give him half a bottle! It was definitely the strongest/largest G&T he had ever been served. We also ordered a fabulous bottle of Spanish Sauvignon Blanc which was recommended by our waiter and it was perfect with our meals.

To start, we were presented with some little appetisers - a small piece of a type of fish pie and a mini glass of pumpkin soup.

Next we shared the baby octopus, which was perfectly cooked, though I wasn't too keen on the spices that it was cooked in. For main course I had the Grilled Cod which just melted in my mouth, and Alex had the Monk fish which was wrapped in spicy sausage (which over powered the fish a bit).

It seemed criminal not to have dessert...and how could Alex resist the chocolate fondant with the gooey chocolate sauce inside. I was more sensible, sticking to the Almond cake.

So, to sum it up. The food was good quality and very well presented, though we didn't love it. The atmosphere and the service were the best part of the experience, and on those alone I would recommend Rias Gallegas.

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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 96 352 51 11
Address: Calle Cirilo Amoros 4, 46004 Valencia
Directions: Nearest metro: Colon
Also only a few minutes walk from Estacion del Norte
Website: http://www.riasgallegas.es/
Other Contact: riasgallegas@hotmail.com

Restaurant Name: La Utielana

We arrived in Valencia at midday. After checking into our hotel, we decided that lunch was our first point of call. I had read about a small, hard to find place called La Utielana, that was rumoured to be very good value for money, serving delicious local cuisine.

La Utielana was a bit tricky to find, especially without a proper map. After wandering around for a while, we actually came across the back entrance of the restaurant at San Andres 4 (off Calle Poeta Querol), just south of the Palacio del Marques de Dos Aguas. The main entrance is a lot harder to find, hidden in a small courtyard via an alleyway.

Anyway, make the effort to find La Utielana as it is worth it. This is a small, tile lined restaurant which was filled with locals enjoying a quiet Saturday lunch when we visited. Not long after we arrived, all the tables filled up, and by the time we left there was a large queue of hungry people waiting for a table. The service was friendly, and there was a cosy 'family run' feeling, with mama busy in the kitchen serving up honest fare.

Favorite Dish: We both opted for the house speciality, which was El cordero al horno con una salsita (oven roasted lamb in a delicious sauce). It was very good - the lamb just fell off the bone and melted in your mouth. We couldn't resist ordering a bottle of their full flavoured house red wine to accompany it.

All that and a bottle of water as well, for only 20 euros. A great experience.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 96 352 94 14
Address: Plaza Picadero dos Aguas 3 or San Andres 4, 46002
Directions: The back entrance of the restaurant is at San Andres 4 (off Calle Poeta Querol), just south of the Palacio del Marques de Dos Aguas. The main entrance is a lot harder to find, hidden in a small courtyard via an alleyway.

Nearest metro: Colon
Website: http://www.lasprovincias.es/valencia/ocio/restaurantes/lautielana.html

Restaurant Name: Crapa Pelata

2 days in Spain is really not enough time to adjust to the later Spanish meal times is it.
We were hungry and it was only 1pm. No one would serve us up a big paella until after 2pm.

I am saddened to say that we had to opt for pizza....though not just any old pizza, at least this was special!

Not only does Crapa Pelata have an unusual name, but they also have an unusual method of serving up their tasty pizza.

You order a small, medium or family pizza. You then peruse a very long list of different toppings/combinations. If you order a medium you can have 2 different combinations, or 3 if you order family size.

Favorite Dish: We opted for a family size...well, we were hungry! We chose Margherita, Spicy Pepperoni & bacon/egg/potato, and were not disappointed by any of them.

When the big pizza arrived on its rectangular wooden board I wasn't sure we would be able to eat it all....well, we managed. And washed it down with a couple of Italian beers (all alcohol on offer was Italian).

This is a cheerful place, with very friendly staff, who were happy to help us (and the other non-Spanish speaking diners) through the menu.

(There are a couple of other outlets in Valencia too, see website for details...if you can read Spanish or Italian)

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Theme: Pizza
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 96 392 3717
Address: Calle del Mar, 46003 Valencia
Directions: Just near Plaza de la Reina

Nearest metro: Colon
Website: http://www.crapapelata.com/
Other Contact: crapapelata@crapapelata.com

Restaurant Name: Cafe & Te

You may notice a friendly looking chain of cafes located all over Valencia called Cafe & Te. They are open from morning till night, serving coffee & tea, snacks, meals, treats and alcoholic drinks too.

There was a branch located close to our hotel, on Paseo Ruzafa ,and we popped in for a quick breakfast one morning. We ordered at the counter and then chose a table inside...it was a little cold to eat outside.

Favorite Dish: We had a coffee, which was quite drinkable - and they even had proper Decaf coffee for me! We just ate a couple of croissants and a muffin, which were fresh & tasty.

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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Directions: Located across the city, see website for location details.
Website: http://www.cafeandte.com