On Llisa Negra’s instagram page, you can see how they prepare the arroz in their open kitchen and view some of the other dishes. You shouldn’t miss the cheesecake!
Yes, indeed - that was the primary reason I wanted to dine there - the cheesecake
Was the lunch at Llisa Negra one of the menu’s? Or did you order ala carte.
They have 2 menu’s - one with 2 starters, main and dessert and one with 5 starters, main and dessert which seem like quite good value
We ordered a la carte. When we return we’ll order one with 2 starters, main and dessert, because the second option is too much food for us.
Ah OK/ I thought you did the smaller menu because you had 3 starters and the paella - I thought you just added 1 starter from the carte.
Did you see the dishes on the menus? Were the arroz ones considered mains and did you notice if they were shared mains?
I contacted them by email but they did not elaborate but just said the mains changed all the time.
Llisa Negra has more appealing starters and desserts than Lavoe where I was considering having the other arroz meal. I will already have had the paella at Casa Carmela so would be ordering another arroz dish (probably a seafood one) whichever place I go to.
But I will be double dipping there since I will go again the following night for more starters and other mains like the lengua
Our waitress pushed the full menu but we declined because we thought that it would be too much, but it´s a better value. When we return, I may go for the full menu.
The small menu is only available at night, Tues, Wed. Thurs. and we dined at lunch, since paella is never to be eaten for dinner.
Yes, the menu is seasonal. The day we dined, the rice dishes were options for the main dish.
How is fallas in Valencia?
Any specific recommendations on things to do, see, stay and eat at that time?
Never been in Valencia for fallas but I hear it’s a loud nonstop 24/7 party. Not sure how ideal it is for a culinary visit
A couple of recs from our recent visit:
Felix chaques: vegetable forward short tasting menu with interesting local wines. Something of a steal for 55 euros.
Fraula: they have been getting some attention with a star this year and a repsol sun for 2 years. Modern creative with some international flavors but still Valencian.
Napiciol: traditional high end in a small town you can reach in 15 min by regional train. Famous for rices (classic Valencian paella among the best we have tried) but they have an ever changing menu of specials. When we were there it featured game birds and shellfish.
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Thanks for the info fallas sounds fun!
I’ve been to Fallas 3 times, once as a guest of the Valencia Tourist Bureau, and it´s incredibly loud, incredibly crowded and just amazingly fun (that is, if you don’t mind LOUD) and so very colorful. And it’s also a great deal of fun to see the Fallas brotherhoods cook their paellas on the street.
Have you seen the Valencia episode of José Andrés and Family Go to Spain? It’s filmed during Fallas. I really enjoyed it and now available on CNN.
That said, for a culinary visit, many top end restaurants will serve only Fallas festival set menus (including Llisa Negra), which is a handicap, and the other issue is that one would need to book far in advance because of the crowds.
On our last visit, we landed just a few days before the Fallas were mounted, in the initial days, with a daily midnight mascletá, when we could dine a la carte, and then we made our way on to Denia, which is a dining paradise, ime, and from there to Alicante, which for us is also a dining paradise. And we did have beautiful weather.
Thanks, tigerjohn for your dining update. I’ve taken notes.
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Is there a part of town or area you would recommend staying in
That depends on your tolerance for NOISE! On our “fam trip” with the Valencian Tourist Bureau the group stayed at the former Astoria Palace, which is now the 5-star Only You Valencia, located for the group’s convenience, “very close to the action”, which meant that we enjoyed all the mascletás at full volume and were able to walk around, albeit among heavy crowds, most anywhere.
If you stay in an outlying hotel, near the City of Arts or out by Malvarrosa beach, you don´t have the constant high decibel noise factor, but you’ll also have to walk much, much longer distances. The public transportation system collapses (as my taxi driver told me), during the main events of Fallas, as so many streets are closed to traffic.
If you stay in the Ruzafa area, the area we prefer, you have great casual dining and some high end dining within an easy walk and some very interesting architecture as well.
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I think we’ll stay more in the main area just to be near the action.
Any specific recs for Denia? we might do a day trip.
Hi hungryhungryhippos,
For Dénia, El Baret de Miquel is a treasure and a must. A truly unique dining experience.
https://www.miquelruizcuiner.com/es/inicio/
El Faralló, in the suburb of Les Rotes, in the middle of a forest (no sea views) is widely considered the temple of the acclaimed Dénia gamba roja (red prawn) and a pilgrimage site for lovers of this specimen
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Woww will try to book both!
Highly second the recommendation for el baret de miquel but you will need to book ahead. Can be tough to get a table even a week or two ahead.
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Thanks for the heads up!
Are there any quieter mountain towns/country towns near Valencia that would be recommended? Wife would like to do something a little more relaxing after fallas.
Also if you have a car, nearby to Denia is a great higher end place with 2 stars and 2 or 3 suns, Bon Amb, among our favorite places in costa Blanca. They do great things with traditional fishing techniques and cooking, including various curing, aging and smoking.
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We like to stay at a small b&b in xalon (Cuatre Finques), which is away from the busy coastal towns but a 15 min drive to most places and 45 min to Alicante. Several good restaurants within 15-20 min drive including Bon Amb and Denia places.
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Yes, I booked El Baret de Miquel 3 months ahead!
I second Bon Amb and would add Peix y Brasas only if you choose to spend the night in the Marina Alta.
Peix I Brases, next to the Dénia port, come here for fusion, “Mediterrasian”
tapas and small plates in the downstairs gastrobar and tasting menus in the Peix i Brases restaurant with elegant seasonal rooftop terrace. Chef José Manuel López was the former chef de cuisine for Quique Dacosta. The restaurant has earned two Repsol suns and one Michelin star.
Open daily.
At Plaça Benidorm
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