Aug. 01--I knew it would be fascinating to visit bodegas and taste the different wine styles in the Sherry Triangle. But I had no idea I would be eating the best seafood of my life in this part of Andalusia.
Andalusians drink sherry all through the meal, starting with a lighter fino or manzanilla with tapas, then moving on to the deeper-toned, more complex amontillado or palo cortado with tuna and even pork.
Near Seville
Jerez de la Frontera
AlbalẠEduardo Ojeda, director of production at La Guita, suggested this restaurant with a menu that features both traditional and inventive tapas. The sherries are served in white wine glasses rather than the traditional cramped copitas, the better to appreciate the wines' aromas. Beautiful tuna, jamnd more. Not just a counter but tables too. 6 Avenida Duque de Abrantes; 011-34-956-34-64-88, www.restaurantealbala.com. Meal for two, about $35.
La CarbonẠHighly recommended by people in the wine trade for its grilled meats and seafood. Come here when you need a big steak or chop. 2 Calle San Francisco de Paula, Jerez de la Frontera, 011-34-956-34-74-75, www.lacarbona.com. Meal for two about $75.
El Puerto de Santa Mar
Aponiente: The toughest reservation in the region is ngel L鯮's tiny two-star restaurant. The format is tasting menu only, and you will eat some astonishing dishes, all based on ingredients from the sea. (He loves plankton.) L鯮 is extremely innovative, and some of his "bites" are so intricate, it's hard sometimes to know exactly what you are eating -- and it could involve using the back of your hand as a plate. If you like, the sommelier will pair dishes with sherries, some of them old and rare. In the fall, Aponiente is moving to an old mill on the water in El Puerto, which should give L鯮 a bigger stage for his cooking. 6 Calle Puerto Escondido; 011-34-956-85-18-70, www.aponiente.com. Two tasting menus at about $165 and $200 per person.
On the Costa de la Luz
El Campero: Feel like a drive? Of course you do if you're coming here for lunch in the fishing town of Barbate. Fishermen have been catching tuna here right off the Atlantic coast since Phoenician times. At this elegant, contemporary restaurant, tuna, in season, is served myriad ways, as crudo, tartare or grilled. You will never eat tuna of this quality elsewhere, even in Japan. The waiter gives you a diagram so you can choose which part of the fish you'd like to eat. I'd recommend the incredibly flavorful morilla from the top of the head or the barbecued pluma with cauliflower couscous. Whole besugo (sea bream) or salmonetes (red mullet) a la plancha is terrific too. If you don't have a reservation, try the bar for tapas or the terrace in front with its own menu. Avenida ConstituciLocal 5 C, Barbate; 011-34-956-43-23-00, www.restauranteelcampero.es. Meal for two about $125.
Annie B's Spanish Kitchen: Sign up for a reasonably priced cooking class or tapas tour with Annie Manson, an expatriate Londoner who lives in Vejer de la Frontera. She's also a qualified sherry educator. She does culinary tours of the Sherry Triangle and sherry tasting classes. Check her blog at www.anniebspain.com/blog/ for good tips on restaurants, beaches and other things to do in the area. 11 Calle Vi Vejer de la Frontera, 011-34-620-56-06-49, www.anniebspain.com. Info@anniebspain.
irene.virbila@latimes.com
MORE:
A guide to the sherry bodegas of Spain
Savoring the good life in Spain's Sherry Triangle
Five cocktails worth traveling for, near or far
