This was more of a culinary journey than a meal and I mean that in the best way possible. The restaurant is located in a remote village with a population of 36 in the La Rioja region of Spain. The lunch started with a tour of their extensive garden space where almost all of their produce is sourced. Even the protein and fish comes from within a few mile radius.
From there, the first bites are taken in the garden. It’s really a magical setting as you sit in an orchard with free range chickens strolling around your feet. The amuse bouches were all amazing, especially the fermented cabbage in beetroot cone and the onion ice cream. Next, you are escorted to a demonstration table where the head chef prepares three bites in front of you. The whole experience feels very personalized as the restaurant only seats 7 tables per day.
After about 1.5 hours we finally reach our table in the main dining room. Floor to ceiling windows overlooking the garden means every table has a great view.
The first dish was another savory ice cream of sorts but the pickled fennel really made it stand out. The green beans in garlic sauce were very nice and the seeded sourdough allowed you to scoop up all the goodness. Zucchini “carbonara” was sooo delicious with a great smoky flavor.
Onto the proteins, every single one was a standout. Buttery trout in a rich beurre blanc sauce. Nice and salty pork cheek didn’t need any accompaniment. Perfectly cooked wagyu to finish it off.
The berry dish was absolutely beautiful and refreshing. The last dessert was milk in three ways, the flavor almost reminded me of marshmallow.
Finally we could choose where to have coffee and petit fours. Since it was about 95 degrees outside we chose to go to an enclosed patio. I went with a herbal tea where the waiter procured the ingredients from the garden in front of our eyes!
In the end, our lunch was over a 4 hour experience where we got to enjoy hyperlocal ingredients prepared at the highest level while also enjoying a beautiful setting. I’m honestly surprised no one has written about Venta Moncalvillo here, but I hope I inspire someone to go as it is really out of this world.
by white_choco2006
Dining and Cooking