Dusk falling fast and the preliminaries over, we were led into the dining room. A large open area with lots of space for trolleys to be wheeled in from the kitchen far out of sight. There were just two other couples dining that evening — this was already mid-September and past the busy season — and we felt pampered by the level of service.
There was a choice of menus: "Universo Local" (Local Universe); or Menu "Rising Sun". Having just flown over from Japan, it was the former that intrigued us more (and not only because it featured the classic QD dish, Cuba Libre). Especially as it includes several of the best deshes from Chef Dacosta's past repertoire. However we were also treated to a few dishes from the other menu, generously added to give us an even deeper appreciation of this truly remarkable cuisine.
From this point on the visuals will be supplemented simply by my skimpy notes, scribbled at the table. This is food that defies and transcends verbal descriptions...
The wine list is a massive, handsomely bound tome (actually double tome)...
...put together with the same amazing sense of detail and design that characterises the cuisine.
In the end, we decided to order by the glass, leaving it up to the sommelier to offer us whatever matched the dishes. Though we did specify we wanted to start with sherry. Sacristía, a truly excellent, complex manzanilla...
The first plate, another nibble: "Paper of cereals". Crisp like a crepe but malty-rich and slightly sticky too. Curious and hard to stop eating...
Plate 2: "Table of delicatessens." A selection of smoked seafoods, carved on the trolley with precision and gravitas by manager Didier Fertilati.
Salt-cured and sun dried bonito; botargo of lingfish; sea bass; and smoked octopus. As good as the finest chinmi at a Japanese kaiseki counter.
3. On the side were some beautifully red-tinged pickled spring onions (of the kind you see in the market in Valencia). A superb counterpoint of texture and taste.
Plate 4: "Fig". Dried shards, pink against the vivid green of the leaf.
Crisp, as if freeze-dried, but turning to chewy in the mouth. Here's a close-up:
5. The menu just describes the leaf, pepperwort. Without mentioning the excellent fillet of mackerel served on it. The pepperwort lived up to its name, a foil equivalent to wasabi for the oils in the fish.
Plate 6: Dried Tomatoes' Water (2011). A crisp foam of white...
...concealing an intensely rich gazpacho cream made with sun-dried tomatoes (at least that's what my notes say).
Our next wine, Caligo Esséncia, a lovely late-harvest Chardonnay ("Tokaj-style" it was introduced as) from Catalonia. To accompany the next course (Plate 7).
Which was: Cubalibre (2001/2011). An updated version of the QD classic. Rum and coke jelly. On a generous layer of foie gras mousse. It has to be tried to be believed. Outstanding. Worth the journey already.
Rusks of baguette were served on the side, so we could scoop it all up. Brilliant. And so beautiful!
Next up Plate 8: The Living Forest. For once the term "edible art" has meaning. Exquisite incarnate. Lots of great flavours and textures in there too, all planted in a bed of mushroom "soil".
Another glimpse...
The next glass...
...to sip on while our waiter prepared the following plate...
Plate 9: Avocado (this from the "Rising Sun" menu). Or, more accurately, a wedge of avocado that was perfectly ripe and smooth but permeated with the umami of smoke.
Topped with grated shavings from the pit of the avocado, a process done right in front of us, so we could get the full aroma. Woody and astringent, to balance the smoky bacony flavour and creamy fattiness of the fruit.
Served in a katsuo/konbu dashi: very Japanese.
Plate 10: Peas (2011). A very green dish indeed. Tiny tender garden peas, plus the peppery pea greens, even the flower...
...onto which was poured a thick pea potage... Chilled and very refreshing.
Plate 11 Oyster essential and lemon (2011).
Grated with the zest of the green citrus, which was actually lemonquat. Yes, first time for me too. What an oyster though. Outstanding, says my notes. It really was too.
12: Dénia red king prawns (2010): such a great flavour, sweet and luxurious. Both the bodies and the heads. Served with a thick, concentrated, slightly bitter liquor made from the head juice of the prawns cooked down with cognac.
Small intermission photo...
Plate 13; Red mullet (2011). served in the paper wrapping it was cooked in...
The fish was topped with a sauce of sea urchin and slivers of snow peas. So rich, so delectable.
Then another of the highlights. Plate 14: ¿Which came first? (also from the Rising Sun menu)
The pictures tell the story...
And it tasted as amazing as it looked.
15: Sénia rice. Ashes. (2008). With braised pigeon; and truffles...
A dessert wine: Ordoñes from Malaga.
Then 16: Field of citrus fruits (2005). The first dessert. Dramatically yellow. Dramatically citrus. Remarkable.
17: Chocolate slates (2009). The final course. Served on slate; and slate grey in colour.
But not inside.
One final glass: Fondillón, a deep dark liqueur-rich local Alicante made from 100% Monastrell...
And then out to the garden and the cool night air. Under that handsome old olive tree.
To close: tea and and a small cannister of chocolate caviar. We sit there in stupefaction.
In fact we are so transported that we are hardly able to muster conversation when Chef Dacosta comes out to greet us. But it's not too late to say it here:
It was a tour de force, undoubtedly the best meal I have eaten outside of Japan. Setting a new benchmark. And forever spoiling us. Bravo chef!
More information (and lots more images) at the restaurant's own web site here...
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