Valencian Cuisine
Lovers of a great Spanish food restaurant who plan to visit Washington, D.C., have another reason to rejoice! Danny Lledo’s fine dining restaurant, Xiquet, awarded a Michelin star in 2021, will introduce you to Valencian cuisine. Should you already be familiar with the tastes and textures of that region of Spain, they will reaquaint you.
Restaurant Special Dishes
For example, dishes such as “arros de marina,” a type of paella that includes the very healthy phytoplankton, “coctel de polp sec.” This is a dish featuring grilled octopus, and “llengado,” dover sole with cured sole roe and parsnips. Its flavors will transport the diner to the Mediterranean coast where Valencia is located.
Xiquet is named after the term of endearment that Lledo’s father, also a chef, used to call him. It means “local kid” in Valencian. Lledo opened Xiquet at the very beginning of the pandemic. He and his team have been working hard throughout this challenging period. As a result, their hope is that the restaurant will be awarded another Michelin star in the near future.
Dining Experience
At Xiquet, the appetizers start on the ground floor of the building. Next, guests move to the third floor, where the six-table dining room is located. For instance, one of the first bites of the meal is a specialty of Valencia called “Mojama.” It is a cured tuna dish that Chef Lledo learned while drinking beer and fishing with his uncle. Finally, dessert is served on the middle floor. Clearly, the tasting menu is elaborate and there are fourteen small dishes presented over the course of the experience.
Paella Chef
Lledo, “the most-awarded paella chef in America,” hopes that diners will taste the richness of the region. Valencia is Spain’s third-largest city, and the surrounding region offers unique flavors. For example, he imports some special ingredients to Washington, D.C. One of them is the prized “Red Prawn of Denia,” from the Valencian coast.
Valencia
Valencia is the home of paella. In addition, it is known for its City of Arts and Sciences, a collection of beautiful white futuristic buildings. They were designed by acclaimed architect Santiago Calatrava. Initially, it was founded as a Roman colony, and later became a powerful medieval commercial trading center. Since, Valencia has become a hub for digital nomads in the 21st century. They are drawn due to its mild climate, relatively low cost of living, and cultural offering. Along with, add to that the access to nearby nature, especially the sea and white sandy beaches.
Arros
The Moors brought rice to the region over twelve hundred years ago. The Spanish word for rice, “Arroz,” comes from Arabic. (In Valencian, the word for rice is “arros” with an “s” instead of a “z” as the final letter of the word. This is how you will see it spelled on Xiquet’s menu.) As a result, Paella evolved from a dish that laborers would cook over a wood fire to a Sunday-lunch favorite for residents throughout Spain.
One dish similar to paella but distinctly different is fideua, made with noodles and seafood. It is often on the menu at Xiquet. Furthermore, it would allow diners to expand their view of what paella and related dishes represent.
Restaurant Experience
Lledo, who has worked at restaurants such as Madrid’s historic Botinand for Jose Andres’ Think Food Group, hopes diners will have a renewed appreciation for Spanish gastronomy. Particularly the cuisine of Valencia, after dining at Xiquet. In Lledo’s opinion, Spanish cuisine has “come a long way.
French cuisine was the dominant force in the U.S. for a long time.” However, this now-‘local kid’ from Washington, D.C., invites you to taste the flavors of the Iberian Peninsula. Specifically, the Valencian region, by trying the creations that he and his team serve at Xiquet.