For lovers of rice and all its forms, what could be better than tasting the best rice dishes in the world and getting to know an area as beautiful as Galicia?
We could say that Galicia is not exactly synonymous with rice, yes, but have you ever heard of seafood rice? And what about lobster rice? Many restaurants in the area show it off as their main dish, their main course. And it is no coincidence that this is the case, it is a delicacy.
It may not be the region with the most traditional dishes, but if there is one thing we can say, it is that Galicia has a splendid cuisine, with very tasty, varied, flavoursome dishes, where rice and fish tend to appear in a very strong way. The fun of trying new flavours, of different cultures and, better still, getting to know the cultural history of each place through its food, make gastronomic tours a unique experience. Let’s take a look at some of the best rice dishes in Galicia.
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Going through the south of Galicia we find this beautiful Spanish town that has different bars and restaurants that offer us a unique gastronomy, for example the Pampín Bar, an up to date restaurant where the main dish is the flavours of memory. The rice dishes here are a must, and the spider crab rice is a must on this route of Galician rice dishes.
VIGO
Staying in the south, Vigo offers us a unique gastronomy, with classics that make it not only the southern capital, but also one of the points on this route that cannot be missed in any way. Detapaencepa is one of these places, being a Vigo classic, which all experts in the field recommend. Its dry rice with cuttlefish and crispy shrimps served in paella makes this bar an unforgettable experience.
A CORUÑA
Perhaps one of the cities with the most rice dishes to offer, the mouths of all the people of A Coruña are watering with its excellent gastronomy. We could start with one of the most historic of the place, one of the first: O Lagar da Estrella. A restaurant where you can eat for one of the best prices in the liveliest tapas area of the city.
Right in the centre, in San Andrés street, is one of the places that is basically an obligatory stop on this rice route. Terreo opens its doors for us to see why it is one of the most frequented places in the city, the people of A Coruña are fans and all its visitors have spread the word making this restaurant gain a very high popularity, with its black rice with octopus from the estuary, or with its rice with stewed sweetbreads and mushrooms as main dishes.
The last of our recommendations in this beautiful city is Salitre, with views of the river and a promenade that makes anyone who passes by fall in love. With a more urban cuisine and seafood dishes, this restaurant is one of the best in the area. The sea bass rice with vegetables and the black rice with squid make it one of the must see restaurants in Galicia.
O GROVE
Further south, in O Grove, one of the seafood capitals of the Rías Baixas. Here you have to stop between the beach of A Lanzada and San Vicente do Mar, at a beach bar where Álvaro Fuentes set up his restaurant a few months ago.
A chiringuito, yes, but don’t worry, we’re not talking about just any chiringuito. Meloxeira Praia is the heir to the Meloxeira tavern that won over the local public. It is a gastronomic chiringuito, a place where you can enjoy the wonderful local produce all year round, with a great view. And as for the rice dishes, seafood from here and abroad: white prawns from Huelva, lobster from the estuaries, carabineros (king prawns). Or cuttlefish with a sea aioli that enhances the flavour and is like diving headfirst into the water.
LUGO
We head north, this time to Lugo, to Os Cachivaches, a restaurant located in the new quarter of the city and one of the most popular with the locals. They have designed a menu that is halfway between a more informal approach and a selection of products that is gaining prominence, in which there is no shortage of rice dishes.
The truth is that the rice dishes at Os Cachivaches are tempting and you don’t really know which one to choose: hake and razor clams, octopus and clams, shoulder of suckling lamb and vegetables.
BARIZO (MALPICA DE BERGANTIÑOS)
We go to the Costa da Morte side, where we find the cuisine of Caco Agrasar, but this time in his mother’s restaurant, which his parents opened in 1990 and where he received a Michelin star in 2010, which he still has.
Garzas no longer works with a la carte rice dishes and includes them in a tasting menu that would be worth a visit even if he didn’t. But he does. But he does, because in this restaurant, he does. But it does, because rice dishes have always been a strong point of this restaurant. So it all makes this restaurant, whose rice dishes change according to the menu and the season, the perfect end to this visit.
