It’s an exciting time for Spanish food at the moment around the world, so I thought I’d share some of the bits and pieces that have dropped into my inbox, appeared on my feeds or caught my attention recently.
Mercado Little Spain
What do you get when titans of Spanish cuisine collide in a burgeoning area of New York’s Manhattan? There’s no punchline, the answer is a gastronomic market to rival those across the water on the Iberian peninsula. Mercado Little Spain is a food market conceived and created by José Andrés and… wait for it… the Adrià brothers. This is not another overpriced street-food market, it’s a ‘culinary love letter’ by Andrés celebrating the diverse culinary tradition and innovation of his homeland. It opened on 14 March, and you’ll find stalls selling everything from jamón and churros, to flowers and wine. I know where I’m headed next time I’m in New York.
Spain: An Open Kitchen
If you’re happy to get lost down a food rabbit hole then this collaboration between Google Arts & Culture and the Real Academia de Gastronomía is for you (and me). Spain: An Open Kitchen is an online exhibition and a showcase of Spanish food, from the origins of croquetas and tortilla, to interviews with cheese makers and other artisan producers, from Spanish food’s cultural significance, to its global reach. Interestingly, this is the first time Google Arts & Culture has focussed a entire project on an single country’s culinary makeup.
London’s Spanish revolution
In a recent review of Brindisa’s new Battersea restaurant in London for British Airways’ The Club, I wrote, “Fifteen years ago, any paseo around the capital [London] and you’d have found that places for authentic Spanish cuisine were few and far between. However, simmering like a fine fabada for the last 30 years has been Brindisa.” The Spanish food importer and restaurant chain has been at the forefront of changing London’s idea of comida española for more than three decades, and it’s still going strong with its new opening offering up classic plates alongside modern tapas with, as ever, exceptional ingredients.
Another London stalwart is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, too. Ibérica – now an eight-strong restaurant chain – has been delighting London’s hispanophiles for a decade, and to celebrate they’re showcasing the best of the country by dedicating each new month to a different region of Spain. March was Asturias and April showcases the delights of Madrid. I’m guessing Andalucía will make an appearance soon, but I wonder if the Canary Islands will get a shot (perhaps the mojo-roasted orejas de cerdo I ate at the opening of Madrid month were a clue)?
In other exciting new-opening news, chef Victor Garvey – of Rambla fame in London’s Soho – is opening two new restaurants (well, one has just opened but I haven’t been yet – watch this space!). Barullo has just launched in The City and is said to be another mix of classic Spanish dishes with a twist, the same as those everyone (including me) loved so much at his Maiden Lane haunt, Sibarita (now closed). This week the restaurant posted prawns flambéed in tequila on its Instagram that looked incredible. I must get there before Garvey’s other new spot opens, Bar Jaleo in Soho – apparently a love letter to paella.
