Galician gastronomy

A lot is written in tourist guides about Galician gastronomy, more especially about the wonderful fish and seafood that can be found. Well, of course this is all true - to visit a local fish market is a real joy - to see the bright-eyed fish still flapping on the counter, whilst the crabs and prawns plot to make their escape! It goes without saying that such fresh produce does not require much culinary intervention, and is probably best enjoyed in its most natural state, grilled, pan-fried or 'a la Gallega'. This is perhaps the best known and most widely available type of cuisine in our area, but there is now however, an alternative......

Over recent years, Spain has quite rightly enjoyed a growing reputation for imaginative cooking, spurred on by a generation a young, up-and-coming chefs, and inspired perhaps by the most famous of them all, Ferran Adrià (El Bulli)

Galicia is no exception, and the food revolution is lead by a group of highly talented young men and women who call themselves the Grupo NOVE. Exploiting our wonderful local produce they create memorable dishes with great flair and imagination, sometimes by simply taking traditional Galician dishes and giving them a more modern twist.

My local favourite out of this group (of about 20 restaurants) is Pepe Vieira, now situated in the hills above the road between Pontevedra and Sanxenxo. Not exactly a location that you would stumble upon by accident, but in my opinion, certainly worth a detour. Excellent food, efficient and unobtrusive service, an extensive wine list that includes quite a few non-Spanish wines, and not to mention, some spectacular views of the Ria of Pontevedra!

I should close by saying that my comments are purely objective, borne out of my passion for great food and wine. As yet we do not supply our Albariño to these restaurants, but I am however convinced that with our growing International reputation, that it is simply a matter of time....