Bars & Restaurants

Unhealthy Vegan Guide to Valencia

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Unhealthy Vegan Guide to Valencia

When English people find out I’m vegan their response is always ‘protein?’, and then ‘what’s that like living in Spain because don’t they eat a lot of ham and things?’ Though reliably irksome, this is not an unjustified response, as I’ve spent lots of time listening politely while Spanish cafe waiters list ingredients: Me: Hi, I’m a hungry, hungry vegan, what can I have? Waiter: You don’t eat meat then. Me: That’s right, only plants. Waiter: What about fish? Me: No fish. Waiter: What about ham? Me: FFS, no ham. Waiter: Ok, tortilla then. Me: (balls up napkin, stuffs … [Read more...]

En defensa de la cocina británica

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En defensa de la cocina británica

Ah, la comida británica. Un tema a que la gente le gusta poner a parir con regularidad. ¿Y quiénes son los acusados de echar las broncas? Pues, suelen ser los... chan, chan... españoles. Voy a empezar este post con un par de preguntas: ¿Por qué tenéis tanta manía a la cocina británica? ¿Es que habéis oído tanta gente quejarse del tema que creéis que es algo guay? ¿Cuántos platos británicos típicos has probado en tu vida? ¿O solo es que habéis probado un fish and chips de un pequeño, sucio chippy londinense rodeado por turistas? (Algo que se podría comparar con comer una paella en … [Read more...]

UK vs. Spain: a boozy comparison

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UK vs. Spain: a boozy comparison

A nation with a penchant for boozing? We're not so different, you and I... Food, weather, customs, meal times? If you're a Brit and you've ever lived in Spain, or if you're a Spaniard and you've ever called the UK home, then you'll know that there are more than a few things that take some getting used to. One of the main hardships is getting your head (and stomach) around the schedule. It's been said time and time again by every expat blogger out there, but this may be intrinsic in order to understand the subject matter of this post. Lunch in Britain can begin as early as 12 o'clock whereas, … [Read more...]

Breweries, beer and craft ale in Valencia

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Breweries, beer and craft ale in Valencia

It looks like you've finally caught up, Spain. Welcome to the era of the ale. I am British. And I love a good drink. Make of those two sentences what you will. If there's something special about British pubs, it's the ale. Drinking an ale, for me, conjures up feelings of "home"; of sitting in a countryside pub in Yorkshire next to a crackling fire. A quick glance down the bar of any pub anywhere in the country is testament to just how many beers and ales call the UK home. It's common to see 3 or 4 different varieties in any standard pub, often rotating and changing in accordance to … [Read more...]

Valencia Underground II

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Valencia Underground II

"There’s something rumbling in the Valencian underground..." Last year I saw fit to write about the Valencian underground music scene. Or, at least, that's where it started. The truth is that Spain is in the midst of an alternative music boom, with gigs of both nationally famous and local bands taking place nearly every weekend, filling venues with loyal fanbases. Just this week basque rockers Berri Txarrak sold out in Barcelona and Valencia. Last month madrileños Toundra had a hugely successful run in Spain and are currently on the UK leg of a European tour. And not to mention the recent … [Read more...]

Small café, big heart: La Ola Fresca

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Small café, big heart: La Ola Fresca

La Ola Fresca is a charming delicafé with a lively atmosphere and terrace. Grab a pew among the quirky decorations and bookshelves and take advantage of tasty food from the regularly changing menu in this lovely delicafé on pedestrianised street, Calle Músico Magenti in Benimaclet. laolafresca.com boasts, “We are food enthusiasts, always keen to try new ideas - traditional favourites enlivened with our ‘Fresca’ twist of maybe lime, ginger, chilli, lemongrass or other mystery guests”. A great array of teas and coffees are available as well as craft bottled beers including BrewDog Punk IPA and … [Read more...]

Bares míticos valencianos (or the return of the charming ‘old-man’ bar)

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Bares míticos valencianos (or the return of the charming 'old-man' bar)

Don't be fooled by their dark, old-fashioned interiors - you, amigo mío, are in for an authentic taste sensation. Brunch. The hip "new" meal that you can find emblazoned across menu boards of happening bars in Ruzafa. But, come on, we don't want any of that pretentious bull mocking us with pompous use of the English language (what are we, #brunchers?) - we want to experience pensioner chic while propping up the bar with Anacleto and Vicente and knocking back a late morning cassalla. According to the food-centric Spanish timetable, almuerzo is one of the standard 5 meals a day. It can … [Read more...]

Spotlight on: Juan Llorens and Extramurs

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Spotlight on: Juan Llorens and Extramurs

Extramuros might not be first on your agenda when planning a night out in Valencia city. Appearing somewhat off the radar in comparison to other nightlife hotspots such as Ruzafa or El Carmen, Extramuros, or Extramurs in Valencian, lies just to the west of the old town, within walking distance from El Carmen. Here's why you'd be wrong to overlook it... The area is often simply referred to as "Juan Llorens" after the main road running through the neighbourhood, a nod to the one of the men behind the Germanías rebellion in the 16th century. Think wide, tree-lined streets with bustling terraces … [Read more...]

Spotlight on: San José + Plaza Honduras

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Spotlight on: San José + Plaza Honduras

According to a recent study, Valencia currently boasts 6 bars per 1000 inhabitants – and it’s not hard to see evidence of this as soon as you step foot outside your flat. Stroll through Plaza Xúquer on any evening of the week and you’ll pay testament to the amount of bars that line the streets of Valencia, and busy bars at that. Head out on a Friday or Saturday night and you may even struggle to get a table if you haven’t booked. One of the night-out hotspots of Valencia City has to be the San José district of Valencia, more commonly referred to as Plaza Xúquer which tends to go hand in … [Read more...]

Spotlight on: Cánovas

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Spotlight on: Cánovas

Taking its name from the square situated next to Gran Vía del Marqués de Turia, the Cánovas area stretches from the Turia riverbed to Avenida del Reino de Valencia in the Eixample district of Valencia. The popular nightlife area is within walking distance from the centre via Calle Jorge Juan, passing by the impressive Colón market. Much like the zone of Barcelona of the same name, the Eixample area (Ensanche in Spanish) consists of streets and streets of nearly identical 100m blocks of buildings, the lower stories of which are filled with hundreds of bars and eateries. Many restaurants up … [Read more...]

Spotlight on: Ruzafa

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Spotlight on: Ruzafa

Ruzafa, a barrio located to the south of Valencia city centre, has, at least for the past 3 years, been a neighbourhood frequented by cool kids, hippies and self-proclaimed artists. Before becoming it's "up and coming" self, Ruzafa was previously a neighbourhood primarily inhabited by Latin American, Maghrebian and Chinese immigrants. Ruzafa's new identity is reflected in the amount of quirky bars, vintage shops and alternative nightclubs that now populate the streets. Because of it's arty-farty reputation, Ruzafa also boasts many examples of street art. One artist that springs to mind is … [Read more...]

Spotlight on: El Carmen & centre

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Spotlight on: El Carmen & centre

El centro, el casco antiguo, El Carme, Carmz, the historic centre… Valencia’s old town goes by many aliases - possibly one for every opportunity that it presents. Old Town Valencia is beautiful: from the iconic bull ring, stretching up to the Torres de Serranos, passing through various beautiful plazas and past picturesque churches. All that the eye meets is beautiful. Orange tree-lined streets lead you deeper and deeper into Barrio del Carmen, sunny terraces entice you in for a cold caña and discreet bars offer, arguably, the tastiest jamón you’ve ever had the pleasure of consuming. … [Read more...]

An Unconventional Saturday: Benimaclet bar crawl and horsemeat sarnies

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An Unconventional Saturday: Benimaclet bar crawl and horsemeat sarnies

I can’t decide which was the highlight of yesterday’s Benimaclet bar crawl: the superb bocadillo in El Chaval; or the little Chinese boy whipping his todger out and having a piss right in the middle of Molino III. And, damn, someone better teach that kid that a tiny scrunched up serviette is not going to clean up his warm little puddles of filth – it just smears it around, if anything. Alternatively we could just teach him not to piss on the floor. But who are we to decide how he lives his life… The bar crawl seems to be a typically British concept. Choose an area, choose your drinking … [Read more...]