First, because they carry 42 years making squid stew which forms the basis of the pincho, and secondly, because every week, with its original themed dinners, they invite their customers to travel around the world.
“Esencia is a baby squid that travels through six countries, taking an ingredient from each one: from Japan, shiso leaf; from Mexico, chipotle chili; from Spain, the squid's own grandmother's stew and bread from Valladolid -which even has a guarantee mark-; from Vietnam, pickled mango; from Ecuador, marinated onion; and from the Philippines, bacon in soy broth”.
Isabel Gonzalez Gonzalez, head chef at Puerto Chico, Thus, he speaks of his creation, which, in addition, is a tribute to The Little Prince by Antoine Saint-Exupéry, It comes in a white cardboard box with small holes in it. The essential is invisible to the eye, he says, but we have found that it can be eaten with the hand and in two bites.
2.**THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, BY VILLA PARAMESA (3,20€) **
This gastronomic temple in the city of Puebla has become one of the most important obligatory stop on any sybarite route through Valladolid. You can't not go. Keep his name, because Villa Paramesa is the favorite place of the new Spanish Master of Wine, Almudena Alberca., and other local foodies such as Pablo Lazaro, who tries it all and tells about it in @recomiendo_valladolid .
Here it is difficult to choose just one skewer, but The three little pigs -Silver Pincho in this year's Provincial Pincho Competition - is a ode to the pig, as a product that is consumed in different parts of the world and is presented in the form of a story.
“We have started from such a Castilian raw material as the roast suckling pig. It is boned, candied, pressed in the shape of an ingot and topped with three different sauces: ajoblanco, traditional from our Spanish cuisine; ponzu, which is Japanese and adds an Asian touch; and pibil, Mexican. We always recommend eating it in three small bites, in this order”.
José Ignacio Castrodeza, The chef, head chef, explains his masterpiece, which this year has been awarded the Silver Pincho of the Provincial Contest of Pinchos of Valladolid.
If you go, also ask for their Iberian cheeks with licorice and pear or its Ferrero, a dessert you will come back for.
3.**TIGRETOSTON, OF THE ZAGALES (2,95€) **
We are, probably, before the best-selling pincho in Valladolid currently produce more than 40,000 units per year. Yes, as you read it.
He was elected best pincho in Spain in 2010 and, since then, their career has been meteoric. For a while, they asked for help from a cooking school to be able to take on such a volume; later on, it was a person who dedicated his entire day to preparing them, and now they are in charge, have outsourced their production to a specialized company without sacrificing their quality standard..
On the contrary, since they undergo strict controls to ensure that all tigretostones are exactly the same.
What is the reason for so much expectation? “It is a black rye bread with roasted suckling pig skin and black pudding cream that replaces the chocolate, cream cheese instead of cream, candied red onion that acts as raspberry.”.
Antonio González, owner of the restaurant, also tells us that its appearance, identical to that of the famous Tigreton, is one of its main attractions. So much so that it is already sold in bars and restaurants all over Spain. Although, he warns us, even unauthorized copies exist, but others are sold with their approval, as in the case of Evboca (Madrid) .
This Castilian trompe l'oeil is selling like hot cakes.
4.**ANY OF THE JERO RESTAURANT **
And we leave it up to you, because no matter what you ask for, you can't go wrong. Don't let them scare you crowded bar and their strange mixtures, Once you try their appetizing canapé-shaped skewers, you'll wonder what you've been doing in other bars.
Always on bread, they combine such disparate delicacies as cream cheese, apple compote, fresh foie gras and Pedro Ximenez sauce with raisins (“Christmas” skewer) or cod with boletus (called “Mission Impossible”). .
“Angelillo”, “Zapatero” or “Rajao” are other of the most demanded.
CASTILIAN PARROCHITA, FROM THE AQUARIUM RESTAURANT (3€) **
Valladolid also tastes like the sea. Small but tough, this skewer is an explosion of flavor in the mouth.
“The base is intended to be a kind of crunchy wafer, so typical in the fairs of Valladolid, but made with nori seaweed, hondashi butter and cocoa butter. On top, a creamy pea guacamole with tiger's milk, seasoned with red onion, cucumber, tomato, cilantro and chili», can you feel the salivation yet?
«We finish with a sardine that we first marinate in salt and sugar for ten minutes and then introduce in ember oil so that it acquires a smoky flavor, as if it were an espeto malagueño. And we use even the scrapes We fry them and grind them with dehydrated peas to create a pea powder that looks like green snow. With the ember oil we make a smoke mayonnaise to decorate the skewer and, finally, some codium seaweed spherifications”.
Who speaks is José Antonio Guerrero, head chef of the Moga Valladolid Group., who gives us the keys to his masterpiece for traveler.es.
A word of advice: if you arrive in Valladolid by AVE, it can be your first stop., The first time you set foot in the capital of Castilla y León, due to its proximity to the train station. They specialize in rice dishes.
6.**PHOENIX BIRD, OF THE ANGELA RESTAURANT (3€) **
This kind of duck stew montadito is served on a brioche bread tile with truffle oil ash, orange powder and edible flower petals with a truffle visura.
His trick? They marinate the meat in wine and then prepare the stew with the same wine.. This pincho, created by Juan José Alejos, its head chef, has been the winner of the Bronze skewer of the 2018 Provincial Competition.
7.**SHRIMP TOAST FROM LA TASQUITA (2,30€) **
Always full, this Valladolid establishment is one of the best kept secrets of the pucelanos. The food here is too good, even menu of the day.
Its star skewer is the shrimp toast with mayonnaise and garlic, although others are more fanatical about their roquefort sirloin steak montadito or their cod brandade toast au gratin. You will be spoiled for choice.
8.**BOMBON PLUS MARIA, OF THE MARIA RESTAURANT (5€) **
Served on a plate and made only with products from Castilla y León, was winner of the Golden Pincho of the Provincial Contest in 2013. and, since then, it has been the most requested by the customers of the Valladolid restaurant, specialized in traditional spoon recipes.
It is a boneless pork pie stuffed with boletus and foie gras with traditional fritters accompanied by pine nuts from Pedrajas de San Esteban and black truffle from Soria with the aroma of Tierra de Campos.
Make the most of your visit to try their potatoes a la importancia (on request), their stewed oxtail or their Castilian stew. For dessert, their coulant cheesecake, which, If I were in Madrid, I would have already been taking Instagram by storm. .
9.**HAM OR CODFISH CROQUETTE, EL CORCHO BAR (1,10€) **
It's not all award-winning pinchos. Leaving formalities aside and getting (really) hands dirty, there is one that, if the people of Valladolid were to vote, would win the public's award. And that is the very famous ham croquette from The Cork, which, as we always affirm, is one of the best in Spain .
If you want to try that of cod, highly recommended, you will only be able to do it one day a year: the Good Friday. At this point, surely many locals are throwing their hands to their heads, because, just as there are omelets with or without onion, pizza with or without pineapple, there are also those of El Corcho or Ceyjo.
Our advice? Go and try. Variety is the spice of life.
10.**LA TERRETA, DEL 5 GUSTOS RESTAURANT (2,80€) **
Winner of the Golden Skewer in the 2017 Provincial Competition, and work of Palmira Soler, owner and head chef, is based on a galley cream with a sesame tile.
The best thing is that due to the seasonality of the product, the galera is an ephemeral skewer: you can only find it at certain times of the year, such as winter and spring.
BONUS TRACK
If you're still hungry for more, don't leave without visiting La Sepia and order a portion of their star dish, without trying the calamari bocata with aioli at La Mejillonera or without a good rice pudding tartlet from Cubero, one of the most traditional confectionery and pastry shops. Traveler, Valladolid (and its bars) are waiting for you.