Tag Archive for: Madrid

It seems we could dedicate our whole blog just to the Roca Brothers and their restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca, in Girona, Spain.  These boys do not stop with their award-winning perfection and this time, it’s the World’s Best Restaurants of 2014 – TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards.

germans_roca

TripAdvisor, the world travel reference for many, has announced its annual Travelers’ Choice awards and in the best restaurants around the world category, Michelin 3* restaurant El Celler de Can Roca, in Girona, Spain is in 1st place!!  This year they beat off over 350 fine dining establishments, worldwide, to take the Number One spot for their “sublime” (a word we hear frequently from diners there) cuisine.

El Celler de Can Roca, run by 3 Catalan brothers, is currently ranked, by Restaurant Magazine, as the second best restaurant in the World (Nº1 in 2013) on their acclaimed World’s Best Restaurants for 2014 list.  At the same awards ceremony, held in London back in April, Jordi Roca not only celebrated the restaurants’ success with his brothers, Joan and Josep, he was also crowned The World’s Best Pastry Chef.

Jordi Roca

But, apart from El Celler de Can Roca, in Girona, at Nº1,  2 other Spanish restaurants feature in the Top 10 list of the World’s Best Restaurants of 2014 – TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards:

CLUB ALLARD

El Club Allard, in Madrid, at Nº6.

This now Michelin 2 star restaurant started life as a private club in 1998, but opened its doors to the public in 2007.

 

 

Martín Berasategui

Martín Berasategui, in Lasarte – San Sebastián, at Nº10.

This Michelin 3* restaurant is also ranked   35th in the acclaimed World’s Best 50 Restaurants List compiled by Restaurant Magazine.

 

Special mention should also be made to DiverXO in Madrid, awarded 15th place in the World’s Best Restaurants of 2014 – TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards. Groundbreaking chef David Muñoz is on the rise and received the 3rd Michelin Star for DiverXO when the NEW Michelin Guide for Spain and Portugal 2014 was presented last November. Madrid’s only Michelin 3 star restaurant DiverXO was then awarded 94th place in the acclaimed World’s 50 (well 100) Best Restaurants Awards List of 2014.

 

The Top 10 World’s Best Restaurants of 2014 – TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are:

  • 1.   El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
  • 2.   Midsummer House, Cambridge, England
  • 3.   Maison Lameloise, Chagny, France (last year’s winner)
  • 4.   The French Café, Auckland, New Zealand
  • 5.   Alinea, Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • 6.   El Club Allard, Madrid, Spain
  • 7.   Epicure, Paris, France
  • 8.   Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton, England
  • 9.   Le Gavroche, London, England
  • 10. Martin Berasategui, San Sebastian, Spain

 

Spain is the country with the most restaurants featured in the list of the 25 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners with a total of 4! The UK, France and the USA each feature 3 restaurants. Argentina and Denmark are presented by 2 restaurants each, while Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Greece, South Africa, China and Hungary each have 1.

The TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award winners are based on the TripAdvisor travelers’ community and the millions of unbiased reviews and opinions received over a 12month timeframe. The procedure evaluates the quantity and quality of the  reviews that worldwide restaurants receive on TripAdvisor.

With Spanish Chefs taking the World by storm, yet again, now is the time to visit Spain with some of the World’s Best Restaurants and numerous Michelin stars!  On one of our Private Food, Wine and Cultural Tours you can indulge in the Best Michelin Starred Restaurants in Catalonia, Madrid and The Basque Country.  Contact us for your personalized quote.

 

We recently welcomed Michael and Marilyn Mufson to Spain on a fantastic Spanish Food, Wine and Cultural Tour to celebrate their 40 years of marriage!!!! Congratulations to a fantastic couple!

Mufsons at the Mezquita

After their intense, yet fulfilling, 14 day vacation, Marilyn and Michael took the time to write to say thank you, and here are their words to us:

“This is a thank you note, and love letter, to Gourmand Breaks for designing the 40th anniversary trip of our dreams. Our expectations were very high, but Madrid and Andalusia, and your caring attention to detail, exceeded them! It was as close to a perfect vacation as we’ve ever had together, and we’re talking 40 years!

First of all, we loved our guides – Olga, in Madrid: In addition to expertly guiding us through the magnificent El Prado Museum, she introduced us to sizzling prawns in garlic at Cervantes, which became our favorite tapas place! Paloma, in Seville, guided us through Bario Santa Cruz, and the Reales Alcazares. We easily fell in love with Seville. In Cordoba, we were introduced to Maria Jose, whose passion for her city and its history was infectious. We spent 5 1/2 hours with Maria. Obviously, we hated to say goodbye.

While in Seville, Gourmand Breaks arranged for us to see a thrilling Flamenco show. The dancers, musicians and singers were truly artists. Not to be missed!

We loved  all the hotels Gourmand Breaks selected for us. My favorite was in Granada. The room was stunning, but best of all was the lovely, private patio. Our first night, someone rang our bell at about 11. Enter a lovely young woman carrying a tray of delicious fruit. As if we weren’t already charmed out of our minds! Downstairs, next to the restaurant, was a beautiful courtyard where we enjoyed relaxing and people watching. We ordered simple appetizers but out of the blue were treated to a five course feast straight from heaven. The best paella we’ve ever tasted, served with such panache! The wait staff were heavenly, too.

And then there was the patio/balcony in Ronda with a magnificent view of the white houses on the cliffs on the other side of the gorge. Breathtaking! And in Seville, the courtyard outside of our room where we spent enchanted evenings lounging on couches, dining on tapas and inhaling the scent of orange trees.

 In addition to our superb hotel meal in Granada, our favorite restaurants (suggested by Gourmand), were Viridiana and Alabaster, both in Madrid, both unforgettable.

 As a special treat, Gourmand arranged for us to see an opera, Pagliacci, at Teatro Zarzuela, upon our return to Madrid. Not only were the lead performers exceptional, the staging was outstanding, with circus performers such as jugglers and a man on stilts, all in colorful costumes. Fortunately, a small screen at the top of the proscenium provided English translations!

 It was great fun to be in an audience of local people, many of whom had brought their children along. I’ve never been an opera buff, but this trip may have converted me!

We will be talking about our Spain trip for years to come, and plan to do it again with our grown children and their families! We eagerly look forward to another brilliant vacation with Gourmand Breaks.”

Michael and Marilyn, thank you so much for your kind words!  It was our pleasure to help organize your special vacation and we look forward to welcoming you again, maybe for anniversary number 41?

Mufsons Sorrolla

Marilyn Mufson was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Las Vegas, where Bugsy Siegel bounced her on his knee and gave her silver dollars for her piggy bank.  A writer and actress, Marilyn has performed  serious theater and she wrote and directed the show TIME PLAY. She has written extensively for print and theater and Neon Dreams, her debut full novel, was first published in 2010.

Michael and Marilyn started their 14 day private tour in Madrid then (by high speed train or chauffeur)  traveled to  Seville, Ronda, Granada and Cordoba, before returning to Madrid with a day out in Toledo.  Follow their footsteps to experience the culture, cuisine, heritage and monuments of all these fascinating places on a private tour such as our Majestic Madrid and Authentic Andalucia Private Tour.

 

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, also called the Museo Reina Sofía, (Queen Sofía Museum),  is the national museum for 20th century art in Spain.  The museum was officially inaugurated in Madrid in 1992 and is named after the Queen of Spain. The museum is mainly dedicated to Spanish art with highlights including Spain’s two greatest 20th century masters, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali.

Probably the most famous masterpiece in the museum is Picasso’s 1937, oil on canvas painting, Guernica.  The grey, black and white, mural-size, canvas was created after the bombing of the village of the same name,  in the Basque Country in Northern Spain, during the Spanish Civil War.

Guernica shows the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts, particularly on innocent civilians. Upon completion, Guernica was first exhibited in France and then entrusted to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

The painting traveled extensively in the United States and was then shown in Brazil and major European cities, before returning to MoMA for Picasso’s 75th birthday exhibition.  Concern grew over the state of the painting which resulted in a decision to keep it in one place, at the MoMA until in 1981 it was finally surrendered to Spain.

Guernica was first displayed in Spain in an annex of the Prado Museum that housed early 19th-century paintings and had a large enough wall for the huge canvas.  Although mention is frequently made of the painting’s “return” to Spain, this is not entirely true as it was painted in Paris.  It was moved to its current permanent location in the Museo Reina Sofía in 1992, but not without controversy as Picasso’s will stated that the painting should be displayed at the Prado.

The Basque Country also stakes its claim to the painting as Basque nationalists support the idea that Guernica should be brought to the Basque country, even more so after the building of the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum. Officials at the Reina Sofía claim that the canvas is now thought to be too fragile to move.  While the Guggenheim does not see a permanent transfer of the painting possible, the Basque government continues to support the possibility of a temporary exhibition in Bilbao.

The Reina Sofia collection also includes works by artists such as: Joan Miró, Antoni Tàpies, Pablo Gargallo, Pablo Serrano and Lucio Muñoz. There are few international artists in the collection but there are works by Robert Delaunay, Yves Tanguy, Man Ray, Damien Hirst, Julian Schnabel, Wolf Vostell, Clyfford Still and Georges Braque among others, as well as a large work by Francis Bacon.

The Reina Sofia Museum stands at the southern end of Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art which also includes the Museo del Prado and the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza.

Join us on a fantastic Food, Wine and Cultural Tour of Spain to appreciate Great Art, Gourmet Food and Fine Wines. Our Highlights of Spain Luxury Tour takes in Madrid, giving you a chance to visit the Reina Sofia Museum as well as the Prado and the  Thyssen-Bornemisza.

The difference between a Pintxo and a Tapa is complicated and depends largely on context and location in Spain. Which came first –  the Pintxo or the Tapa?  Did Pintxos originate in the Basque Country or were  Tapas invented in Andalucia and then perfected in San Sebastian?  The origin of these great Spanish bites is a little hazy, but what IS known is that all over Spain Pintxos and Tapas are a way of life,  Spanish culture at it’s very best!

 

‘Pintxo’ is the Basque word for the Spanish ‘Pincho’, which itself comes from the verb ‘Pinchar’, which means to pierce.  Pinchos are traditionally pierced with a cocktail stick, to attach the ingredients to the piece of bread they sit on. However, as Basque cuisine has evolved, the food is now less likely to be pierced to a piece of bread than before. Each bar is bursting with many different varieties and Spanish tradition suggests to have one or two pinchos with a glass, or two, of the best local Txakoli wine in one bar and move on to the next.  You can find places that serve up to 100 different pintxos at a time. They can be warm or cold, salty or sweet, and traditionally many pintxos come with seafood and goats cheese, although you will find a many combinations such as Tortilla de Patatas, eggs with tuna, croquets and even  mini hamburgers.

Pintxo etiquette, basically, is that you grab your plate and start loading onto it whatever tickles your taste-buds; it can be difficult because normally they all look so good and you want to try everything.  When you’re full and just can’t  manage one more bite the waiter will come to count the toothpicks that are left on your plate. The most common rule is that you pay per toothpick and because of this there is usually a standard price on all pintxos, no matter what they may contain.

Away from the Basque Country, you will find ‘Tapas’ the plural form of ‘Tapa’ which itself comes from the verb ‘Tapar’ meaning to cover.  In Barcelona, and Catalonia, you will however see the word ‘Tapes’ which is the Catalan equivalent for the Spanish ‘Tapas’.

In the old days Andalusian tavern dwellers used a small plate of food to cover their sherry from the fruit flies between sips, hence the connection with the verb ‘Tapar’.   Today, tapas hopping is part of Andalusian life and in Seville, for example, there are more than 4,000 tapas bars – roughly 1 for every 200 locals so you know they know what they’re talking about!  In the many foodie hot-spots you can try a variety of dishes that come freshly out of the kitchen. Plate after plate of hot and cold food appears on the bar to tempt your palate, so maybe try cold roasted pepper salad or anchovies in vinegar, a hot dish of meatballs in sauce or a slice of Potato Omelet.  In many cities in Spain, particularly Madrid and Barcelona, a large portion of, say, calamares, will be called a ‘ración’ and a quarter-size portion a ‘tapa’.

‘Pintxo’ or ‘Tapa’ ?  Oh! and, free or not free? These are the questions!

In the Basque Country, you are served ‘Pintxos’.  It is never written ‘Pinchos’ and they are never called ‘Tapas’.  Whether it is served pierced to a piece of bread with a cocktail stick or not (a plate of risotto is still a pintxo) you will always pay for your pintxo.

In Salamanca you are served ‘Pinchos’.  They are usually a piece of meat served on a piece of bread. Though not actually pierced with a stick, this is still close to the original idea of what a ‘Pincho’ is.  You will be served a pincho free of charge, to accompany your drink.

In Granada and Leon (and in some other nearby cities) as well as in some bars in Madrid, a small portion, whether served on bread or not, is a ‘Tapa’. It is free, when served with your drink.

In  Seville and parts of Andalusia, all small portions are called ‘Tapas’ and in Barcelona and Catalonia ‘Tapes’. They are not free.

Join the popular Spanish Tapas Hopping Culture on one of our Private Food and Wine Tours where you can hit the Foodie Hot-Spots in Madrid, San Sebastian, Seville or Barcelona with our local Officially Licensed Guides.

Spain is the proud home of some great Art Museums, from the Spectacular Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao to the Famous El Prado Museum in Madrid.  Here’s a quick look at just some of the exclusive temporary exhibitions on at the moment and permanent collections around Spain:

 

Guggenheim – Bilbao

Yoko Ono. Half-A-Wind Show — A Retrospective (through to September 1st)
Yoko Ono Bilbao Guggenheim Museum

Featuring nearly 200 works divided into several thematic sections, including installations, objects, films, drawings, photographs, text, audio, and documentation of past performances, presents a comprehensive overview of the manifold output of this pioneering conceptual and performance artist. Ideas, rather than materials, are the main component of her work. Many of those ideas are poetic, absurd, and utopian, while others are specific and practical. Some are transformed into objects, while others remain immaterial. Her work frequently reflects the artist’s sense of humor as well as her pronounced socio-critical attitude.

 

 

 

 

 

El Prado – Madrid

Evil vanishes. Egusquiza and Wagner´s Parsifal (through to September 7th)

The Museum takes part in the events to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Richard Wagner with an exhibition of works created by the painter Rogelio de Egusquiza inspired by Wagner’s last opera, Parsifal.

Egusquiza was an established artist when he first met Wagner in 1879, whom he already admired and followed. He was the only Spanish artist to establish a first-hand relationship with the composer, albeit of a sporadic, respectful nature. This acquaintanceship completely transformed Egusquiza’s artistic concerns and from then on he focused on the iconography of the composer’s works. Over the years and in an almost obsessive manner Egusquiza produced drawings, prints and paintings of the characters from Parsifal, Wagner’s last opera, which the composer conceived as an allegory of human salvation.

 

Picasso Museum – Barcelona

Post – Picasso. Contemporary Reactions (through to June 29th)
Post-Picasso Picasso Museum Barcelona

This temporary exhibition examines the responses of contemporary artists to the life and work of Pablo Picasso during the forty years since his death, in which his significance for contemporary artists has been controversial. It addresses the question of whether Picasso continues to be important for contemporary art and considers the variety of ways in which artists are engaging his art.

 

 

Salvador Dali Theatre-Museum – Figueres

The Collection.

Dali Theatre-Museum FigueresThe Gala-Dalí Foundation manages various collections of works by Salvador Dalí, a unique compilation in terms of quantity, scope and depth. The entire collection is composed of thousands of objects dating from all the different periods of Dalí’s life, and more than 4,000 works of art reflecting an enormous diversity of techniques, materials and media: paintings, drawings, sculptures, engravings, installations, jewelry, holograms, photography and so on. A large proportion of the work is permanently on show at the Dalí Theatre-Museum, whilst another part appears in temporary exhibitions in the museum itself and at other World wide locations.

 

Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla – Seville

The Prado doesn’t own all the great Spanish art in the country. Located in the early-17th-century convent of La Merced, this museum is famous for its works by such Spanish masters as Valdés Leal, Zurbarán, and Murillo. Spain’s Golden Age is best exemplified by Murillo’s monumental Immaculate Conception and Zurbarán’s Apotheosis of St. Thomas Aquinas.

 

Thyssen-Bornemisza – Madrid

Madrid’s acquisition of this treasure trove of art in the 1980s was one of the greatest coups in European art history. Amassed by a central European collector beginning around 1920, and formerly displayed in Lugano, Switzerland, its 700 canvases, with works by artists ranging from El Greco to Picasso, are arranged in chronological order. This fantastic collection rivals the legendary holdings of the Queen of England herself.

Thyssen Bornemisza Museum Madrid

 

Museum of Santa Cruz – Toledo

The Santa Cruz used to be a hospital and it was built in 1494. The construction did not take too much time and the result was quite ordinary. The only attractive detail was the cross formed by the four buildings together with the hospital. Now accommodating the biggest collection of paintings by El Greco in the World, here you will also find a very good collection of Spanish painters, with the paintings by El Greco being displayed in a separate hall just for them.

 

Pablo Picasso Museum – Malaga

This museum became Picasso’s dream come true as he always wanted to see his paintings exhibited in his native city. 233 works by the great master include paintings, sculptures and ceramics. Over 200 pieces were transferred to the museum by Picasso’s relatives, his daughter-in-law Christina and grandson Bernard, from their private collections. The combined price of all works in the Picasso museum reach up to several-hundred-million euros. The genuine pearl of the museum is the portrait of the artist’s first spouse, Olga Khokhlova, who was the Russian ballet dancer.

Pablo Picasso Museum Malaga
Join us on a fantastic Food, Wine and Cultural Tour of Spain to appreciate great Art, Gourmet Food and Fine Wines. Our Highlights of Spain Luxury Tour takes in Barcelona, Seville, Toledo and Madrid, but we can add The Basque Country if you don’t want to miss the Guggenheim Museum as all our tours are exclusively private.

As temperatures rise out of single numbers, at last,  jackets, scarves and hats can be discarded because the flowers are blossoming, shoots are appearing and the smell of cut grass fills the air.  Cold air is being substituted for an air that has a fresh warm smell – Spring is coming!  Daylight Saving Time is upon us once again and this means longer days.  Spain, Portugal, France and the UK, among others, will be putting their clocks forward on March 30th at 2am!!

Clocks forward 2014

We all love Spring, a chance to shed our layers and open our wings. Our eyes open as we look up rather than down. People are happy, anticipating the Summer, so gardens get tidied and houses get painted.  We feel the need to get out and about under blue skies and discover new places.  Why all the excitement?

Night falls early in Winter, giving the impression that there’s not enough hours in the day and so we crave more daylight. Since the shortest day of the year, back in December,  the days have slowly been getting longer, but it’s not enough, and they need a bit of help!  Don’t forget, day light saving time starts (has started already or ends depending where you are!)  at the end of this month (or not), as most of  Europe anxiously awaits “Summer Time!”  An hour of sleep is lost when the clocks go forward, but daylight saving time arrives with the promise of an extra hour of evening light for months ahead.  On the other side of the World (and in parts of the southern hemisphere) the situation is reserved, as Australia, for example, leaves Summer time and heads into Winter time, thus turning the clocks back.  Something the rest of us will not be doing until well after Summer.

Still confused about if the clocks go forwards or backwards?

Most people use the mnemonic “spring forwards, fall backwards” to know what to do with their clocks.  In Spring they “spring” forward and in Fall (Autumn) they “fall” back.

Clocks in The United States and Canada sprang forward already, on the 9th of March at 02.00h (until the 2nd of November 2014, when they fall back again)

Clocks in Spain and France spring forward on the 30th of March at 02.00h (until the 26th of October 2014, when they fall back again)

Clocks in the UK and Portugal spring forward on the 30th of March at 01.00h  (until the 26th of October 2014,  when they fall back again)

Clocks in Australia will fall back on the 6th of April 2014 at 03.00h (until the 5th of October 2014, when they spring forward again)

Spring is a fantastic time to discover Spain, as well as Portugal and SW France.  Although all year round destinations, Spring is an attractive time offering bearable temperatures, blue skies, flowering gardens, vineyards bursting with new shoots and relaxing bar and restaurant terraces to watch the world go by.  The air is clear and life seems lighter, it’s a great time to be outside! But, if you’re in Spain, don’t forget to put your clocks forward on the 30th of March at 2am to take advantage of those longer afternoons and lighter nights!

Barcelona, Spain

Amble along the streets of bustling Barcelona where the locals will still be hurrying along to work, meetings or lunch.  You, however, can take the time to appreciate the Sagrada Família, La Pedrera or the Plaza Real, people watch on the Rambla, stroll along the Barceloneta or take in the views from Montjuic mountain or Antoni Gaudí’s Parc Güell. Barcelona has something for every taste: Chic Shopping to Artisan Boutiques,  Nouvelle Cuisine to Tasty Tapas, Magnificent Monuments to Arty Meccas.

 

Madrid, Spain

Visit majestic Madrid with its ornate rooftops, regal Palacio Real or sit and watch the world go by in the terrace filled squares of Santa Ana and Plaza Mayor.  Retiro Park is a great place to enjoy the open air as you stroll along the paths, of this once royal garden, passing fountains, statues, the delicate Palacio de Cristal, the boating lake and maybe the odd street entertainer or art exhibition.  Should you experience an infrequent Spring shower there’s plenty to visit indoors, like the Prado Museum (the biggest art gallery in the World), the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museums or marvel at the interesting interior of the Palacio Real.  Our Officially Licensed Bi-Lingual Guide is additionally qualified in Spanish History and Art so a private tour of the museums is a must for any art buff to beat the queues and to make sure you miss nothing!

 

San Sebastian promenade

Follow the scallop-shaped seafront of San Sebastian as you stroll along the promenade of La Concha bay to the bustling and colorful port at the end and then continue on the path that almost circles Monte Urgell hill.  For some fantastic views over the bay, and the town, climb to the top of the hill, now a public park,  where at the summit stands a castle, and, it’s not Rio de Janeiro but, there’s also a big statue of Christ.  San Sebastian is also famed for its gastronomy so why not hit the foodie hotspots, as the locals do, for a “pintxo” and a glass of Txacoli wine.

 

Granada, Spain

 

Granada in Spring time offers a fantastic time to visit the great Alhambra and the gardens, which will be bursting with color, all the way to the Generalife – the summer palace of the Kings of Granada.  Walk over to the Albaicin and Sacromonte  for fantastic views of the Alhambra and the surrounding mountains.

 

Orange trees

Saunter around Seville, getting lost in the picturesque narrow streets of the Barrio Santa Cruz, breathe in the scent of the famous Seville oranges (the trees flower in Spring) and visit the grandiose Cathedral to take in the spectacular views from La Giralda.  Join the tapas hopping culture of this great city as foodie hotspots offer their fresh-out-of-the-kitchen plates.  Seville boasts more than 4,000 tapas bars – roughly 1 for every 200 locals so you know they know what they’re talking about!

 

Costa Brava, Spain

Breathe in the Mediterranean air, in Calella de Palafrugell, as you walk along the miles of coast path that line the wild Costa Brava coast.  Enjoy a short walk to discover some hidden coves or maybe a longer route, on the meandering clifftop path, to enjoy the wildness (in less common parts the path is quite wild). Calella de Palafrugell to Llafranc is a delightful, easy walk and a glass of wine on a sea front terrace at the end can be your reward!   What’s for sure is you will be at one with nature and feel as free as the sea air.

 

Spanish Winery

The Wine Regions of Spain will  gradually be getting their grapes and, depending on the time you go, the vines in Spring in Spain will be sprouting or full of leaves.  Join us on a wine tour of Spain to enjoy private winery visits to our hand-selected vineyards and exclusive wine tasting!  Ribera del Duero, Priorat, Penedès, Empordà, La Rioja …… will all be waiting, expectant of your comments on their wines as you taste their best!

 

These are just a few of the many places in Spain that you could be visiting on one of our Food, Wine and Cultural Tours in Springtime, but there’s so very much more! And, not to forget Portugal and South West France that too are eager to welcome you into their hearts and their lives!!

Contact us for a personalized quote of your perfect private tour of Spain, Portugal and/or SW France.

 

 

Our Michelin starred Spanish super chefs are waiting patiently for the results of the new Michelin Guide Spain 2014.  The star studded ceremony, this year, will be hosted at the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, next Wednesday evening, 20th of November.

UPDATE 20/11/2013: Results of the NEW Michelin Guide Spain 2014.

 

Nerves abound as 7 magnificent Michelin 3 star restaurants, in Spain, fight to maintain their status, while 16, already 2 Michelin star restaurants, hopefully anticipate that extra star to promote them.  Spanish cities Barcelona and Madrid have yet to fill their rumbling stomachs with a TriStar restaurant, maybe this is the year?

 

The suspense will soon be over, as undercover Michelin inspectors have visited, and surely delighted in, the multitude of establishments, to judge what’s on the plate. The Michelin Guide criteria include: the quality of products, the mastering of flavors, the mastering of cooking, the personality of the cuisine and value for money (of what the restaurant offers to its customers both throughout the menu and the year).

 

Earning a Michelin star is considered one of the highest honors in the industry, but, what does a star mean?

3 Michelin Stars “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”

2 Michelin Stars “excellent cooking, worth a detour”

1 Michelin Star “very good restaurant in its category, a good place to stop on your journey”

 

Here are the complete lists (in alphabetical order, not preferential) of what Spain is anticipating, in the Michelin Star World, next Wednesday.

 

Good luck chefs!

 

 

The Magnificent Seven!  

Michelin 3 Star Restaurants in Spain, hoping to maintain their status:

 

  • Akelarre. Pedro Subijana (Guipúzcoa) 
  • Arzak. Juan Mari Arzak (Guipúzcoa) 
  • Azurmendi. Eneko Atxa (Vizcaya) 
  • El Celler de Can Roca. Joan Roca (Girona) 
  • Martín Berasategui (Guipúzcoa) 
  • Quique Dacosta (Alicante) 
  • Sant Pau. Carme Ruscalleda (Barcelona) 

 

16 Spanish restaurants chasing their third Michelin Star:

 

  • Àbac. Jordi Cruz (Barcelona) 
  • Atrio. Toño Pérez (Cáceres) 
  • Calima. Dani García (Málaga)
  • Casa Marcial. Nacho Manzano (Asturias) 
  • DiverXO. David Muñoz (Madrid) 
  • El Club Allard. Diego Guerrero (Madrid) 
  • Enoteca. Paco Pérez (Barcelona) 
  • La Terraza del Casino. Paco Roncero (Madrid) 
  • Lasarte. Martín Berasategui (Barcelona) 
  • Les Cols. Fina Puigdevall (Girona) 
  • Miramar. Paco Pérez (Girona) 
  • Moments. Raül Balam (Barcelona) 
  • Mugaritz. Andoni luis Aduriz (Guipúzcoa) 
  • Ramón Freixa (Madrid) 
  • Santceloni. Óscar Velasco (Madrid) 
  • Sergi Arola. Gastro (Madrid)

 

Not on the hopeful list anymore is Can Fabes (Sant Celoni, Barcelona) of the late Santi Santamaría.  Unfortunately, at the end of this summer 2013 and after 32 years of service, this 2 star restaurant closed its doors.

Spanish restaurants chasing Michelin Star Number 2 (there’s a lot!!!) :

  • A Estación. Cambre, La Coruña. 
  • Abantal. Sevilla. 
  • Alameda. Fuenterrabía, Guipúzcoa. 
  • Alborada. La Coruña. 
  • Alejandro G.Urrutia. Gijón, Asturias. 
  • Alkimia. Barcelona. 
  • Andra Mari. Galdácano, Vizcaya. 
  • Annua. San Vicente de la Barquera, Cantabria. 
  • Aponiente. El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz. 
  • Ars Natura. Cuenca. 
  • As Garzas. Malpica de Bergantiños, La Coruña. 
  • Bal d’Onsera. Zaragoza. 
  • Bo·Tic. Corçà, Girona. 
  • Boroa. Amorebieta, Vizcaya.
  • Ca L’Arpa. Banyoles, Girona. 
  • Ca L’Enric. La Vall de Vianya, Girona. 
  • Caelis (Hotel Palace). Barcelona. 
  • Can Bosch. Cambrils, Tarragona. 
  • Can Jubany. Calldetenes, Barcelona. 
  • Capritx. Terrassa, Barcelona. 
  • Casa Alfonso. Dehesa de Campoamor, Alicante. 
  • Casa Gerardo. Prendes, Asturias. 
  • Casa José. Aranjuez, Madrid. 
  • Casa Marcelo. Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña. 
  • Casa Pepa. Ondaira, Alicante. 
  • Casamar. Llafranc, Girona. 
  • Cenador de Amós. Villaverde de Pontones, Cantabria. 
  • Chirón. Valdemoro, Madrid. 
  • Choco. Córdoba. 
  • Cinc Sentits. Barcelona. 
  • Cocinandos. León. 
  • Comerç24. Barcelona. 
  • Coque. Humanes, Madrid. 
  • Culler de Pau. O Grove, Pontevedra. 
  • Dos Cielos (Hotel Me). Barcelona. 
  • Dos Palillos. Barcelona. 
  • El Bohío. Illescas. Toledo. 
  • El Corral del Indianu. Arriondas, Asturias. 
  • El Lago. Marbella, Málaga. 
  • El Molino de Urdániz. Urdaitz, Navarra. 
  • El Nuevo Molino. Puente Arce, Santander. 
  • El Portal (Hotel Echaurren). Ezcaray, La Rioja. 
  • El Serbal. Santander. 
  • Els Brancs. Roses, Girona. 
  • Els Casals. Sagás, Barcelona. 
  • Els Tinars. Llagostera, Girona. 
  • Es Fum. Palmanova, Mallorca. 
  • Es Molí d’en Bou. Sa Coma, Mallorca. 
  • Es Racó d’es Teix. Deiá, Mallorca. 
  • Estany Clar. Cercs, Barcelona. 
  • Etxanobe. Bilbao. 
  • Etxebarri. Axpe, Vixcaya. 
  • Europa. Pamplona.
  • Fogony. Sort, Lleida. 
  • Fonda Sala. Olost, Barcelona. 
  • Gaig. Barcelona. 
  • Hisop. Barcelona. 
  • Hofmann. Barcelona. 
  • Jardín. Port d’Alcúdia, Mallorca. 
  • José Carlos García. Málaga. 
  • Julio. Fontanar del Alforins, Valencia. 
  • Kabuki Wellington. Madrid. 
  • Kabuki. Guía de Isora, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. 
  • Kabuki. Madrid. 
  • Kokotxa. San Sebastián. 
  • Koy Shunka. Barcelona. 
  • La Cabaña de la Finca Buenavista. Murcia. 
  • La Costa. El Ejido, Almería. 
  • La Cuina de San Simon. Tossa de Mar, Girona. 
  • La Finca. Elche, Alicante. 
  • La Fonda Xesc. Gombrén, Girona. 
  • La Llar. Castelló d’Empúries, Girona. 
  • La Prensa. Zaragoza. 
  • La Sucursal. Valencia. 
  • L’Aliança d’Anglès. Anglès, Girona. 
  • L’Angle (Hotel Cram). Barcelona. 
  • Las Rejas. Las Pedroñeras, Cuenca. 
  • Las Torres. Huesca. 
  • Les Magnòlies. Arbúcies, Girona. 
  • L’Escaleta. Cocentaina, Alicante. 
  • Lillas Pastia. Huesca. 
  • Lluerna. Santa Coloma de Gramanet, Barcelona. 
  • M.B. (Hotel Abama). Guía de Isora, Tenerife. 
  • Manairó.Barcelona. 
  • Maralba. Almansa, Albacete. 
  • Marqués de Riscal. Elciego, Álava. 
  • Maruja Limón. Vigo. 
  • Mas Pau. Figueres, Girona. 
  • Massana. Girona. 
  • Mina. Bilbao, Vizcaya. 
  • Mirador de Ulía. San Sebastián. 
  • Miramón Arbelaitz. San Sebastián. 
  • Moo (Hotel Omm). Barcelona 
  • Nectari. Barcelona. 
  • Neichel. Barcelona. 
  • Nerua. Bilbao, Vizcaya. 
  • Pepe Vieira. Raxo, Pontevedra. 
  • Real Balneario. Salinas, Asturias. 
  • Retiro da Costiña. Santa Comba, La Coruña. 
  • Ricard Camarena. Valencia. 
  • Riff. Valencia. 
  • Rincón de Diego. Cambrils, Tarragona. 
  • Rodero. Pamplona. 
  • Rodrigo de la Calle. Madrid. 
  • Saüc. Barcelona. 
  • Silabario. Tui, Pontevedra. 
  • Skina. Marbella, Málaga. 
  • Solana. Ampuero, Cantabria. 
  • Solla. Poio, Pontevedra. 
  • Torreo de L’India. Xerta, Tarragona. 
  • Venta Moncalvillo. Daroca de Rioja, La Rioja. 
  • Vertical. Valencia. 
  • Via Veneto. Barcelona. 
  • Víctor Gutiérrez. Salamanca. 
  • Villena. Segovia. 
  • Yayo Daporta. Cambados, Pontevedra. 
  • Zalacaín. Madrid. 
  • Zaldarián. Vitoria. 
  • Zaranda (Hotel Hilton Sa Torre). Llucmajor, Mallorca. 
  • Zortziko. Bilbao. 
  • Zuberoa. Oyarzun, Guipúzcoa. 

 

Michelin Star Number 1 may be on the menu for some of these hopeful Spanish restaurants:

 

  • 41 grados. Albert Adrià (Barcelona) 
  • Abastos 2.0. Taberna. Iago Pazos y Marcos Cerqueiro (Santiago)
  • Álbora. David García (Madrid) 
  • Altaïr. Ramón Caso (Mérida, Badajoz) 
  • Antaviana. Rosina Miserachs (Girona) 
  • Apicius. Enrique Medina de Arnal (Valencia) 
  • AQ. Ana Ruiz y Quintín Quinsac (Tarragona) 
  • Arola Arts. Sergi Arola (Barcelona) 
  • Azafrán. Teresa Gutiérrez (Albacete)
  • Ca’Suso. Iván y Vicente Feito (Asturias) 
  • Casa Urola. Pablo Loureiro (Vizcaya)
  • Compartir. Castro, Xatruch, Casañas (Girona)
  • Coure. Albert Ventura (Barcelona) 
  • El Barrigón de Bertín. Alberto Asensio (Asturias) 
  • El Olivar. Firo Vázquez (Murcia) 
  • El Poblet. Quique Dacosta (Valencia) 
  • El Retiro. Ricardo González (Asturias)
  • Elkano. Pedro Arregui (Guipúzcoa) 
  • Espai Kru. Ever Cubilla (Barcelona) 
  • Fagollaga. Ixak Salaberria (Guipúzcoa) 
  • Fermí Puig. Fermí Puig (Barcelona) 
  • Gresca. Rafa Peña (Barcelona) 
  • Íñigo Lavado. Íñigo Lavado (Guipúzcoa) 
  • Koldo Miranda. Koldo Miranda (Asturias) 
  • La Botica. Miguel Ángel de la Cruz (Valladolid) 
  • La Casona del Judío. Sergio Bastard (Cantabria) 
  • La Llotja. Marc Miró (Tarragona) 
  • La Plaça de Madremanya. Vicenç Fajardo (Girona) 
  • La Salgar. Nacho Manzano (Asturias)
  • La Salgar. Nacho Manzano (Gijón) 
  • Mas de Torrent. Jordi Garrido (Girona) 
  • Messina. Mauricio Giovanini (Málaga)
  • Monastrell. Maria José San Román (Alicante) 
  • Pa i Raïm. Roseta Jorba Duran (Girona)
  • Pakta. Albert Adrià (Barcelona) 
  • Palio. Jesús Ángel (Toledo) 
  • Punto MX. Ricardo Ruiz (Madrid) 
  • Refectorio. Pablo Montero (Valladolid) 
  • Roig Robí. Mercè Navarro (Barcelona) 
  • Sacha. Sacha Ormaechea (Madrid)
  • Sudestada. Estanis Carenzo (Madrid) 
  • The Mirror. Paco Pérez (Barcelona) 
  • Tickets. Albert Adrià (Barcelona) 
  • Torralbenc. Paco Morales (Menorca) 
  • Treintaitres. Ricardo Gil (Navarra) 
  • Tribeca. Pedro Giménez (Sevilla) 
  • Villa Magna. Rodrigo de la Calle (Madrid)
  • Xarma. Xabier Díez y Aizpea Ohianeder (Guipúzcoa) 

 

 

We’ll keep you posted with the results of Michelin Guide Spain 2014 next Wednesday! In the meantime, “Bon Appetite!”

 


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