The great thing about Spain is that there are so many great restaurants and bars. There is one restaurant or bar for every 175 people in the country. Valencia has just over 7.5 restaurants for every 1,000 residents.
Thank goodness. The variety and quality of dining in Valencia are absolutely amazing. Great traditional food, Michelin-starred restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops… We are really spoiled for choice.
It’s hard to get to all of them (but we are trying for you). One that you might not want to miss is Idem.
The restaurant is at the Ruzafa end of the Gran Via and you might miss it just walking by. The entrance is a bit dark (in a good way) and unassuming with a large tiled vestibule, however, it is a really beautiful restaurant. The lighting is low but not dim with focused spotlights illuminating each table. The light is a sexy yellow color that complements the black-with-red interior. It is a very sophisticated space.
The service is exceptional and exceptionally friendly. Even with the first visit you are made to feel that you have been a customer for a very long time.
Start with the Huevos Rajados (Cracked Eggs). This is a stunning little starter of free-range eggs with foie gras, Iberian ham, Parmesan, potatoes and truffle. This dish has it all — a bit of sweetness from the potatoes and foie and a great creamy texture complemented by the lightly cooked ham but mostly it is an umami bomb. The combination of the foie, ham, parmesan and truffle is almost but not quite too much. The overall combination is sublime.
The Ensalada de la JEFA is a version a ensalada rusa with sweet mayonnaise and a a bit of black olives. This is all topped by a dukkah that is made from crispy giant corn. Delicious and innovative. Sweet and crispy and umami.
La Tierra is another umami tour de force. The dish is mixed wild mushrooms and creamy mashed potatoes topped with a truffled egg. One of the most delicious umami dishes you might ever have. It is deceptively simple which is the sign of a really great chef.
The Patatas Bravas are really good but could be crispier. They are served with a very spicy cream and a dusting of chopped chives.
The Asian Burrata is described as burrata stracciatella, tomato kisses, kalamata olive, XO sauce, garlic confit and panko crumbs. You might think that this would be another umami-forward dish with the olives, burrata, confit garlic and XO sauce. The result is more sweet due to the excellent cheese and topped by confit tomatoes that are absolutely delicious.
The Steak Tartare is a great version with perfectly chopped beef folded together with bearnaise sauce. It is rich and creamy and beefy with just that hint of tarragon that the sauce brings to the table.
If there is a disappointment beyond wanting the patatas bravas to be crispier, it is the Taco Chido.
It is a corn tortilla filled with charcoal-grilled shredded beef, avocado, red onion, feta cheese, mango, cilantro and lime. It does not sound all that good on paper but we thought we would give it a go. Sometimes the unexpected can work, however, there’s a reason it does not sound very good. Feta cheese and mango just don’t work on a taco.
Reservations might be a good idea. The restaurant is generally pretty busy with good reason.