[Spain: Asturias] 3* Casa Marcial

Rating: 4.5/5

A special journey to 3* Casa Marcial in the Asturias region of northern Spain! Nestled in the family’s childhood home, Chef Nacho Manzano and his siblings continue their parents’ legacy with deeply personal and contemporary Asturian cuisine. The restaurant highlights the region’s bounty - from the Cantabrian Sea to the Picos de Europa mountains - using pristine local ingredients with creativity and respect for tradition.

We had the single current tasting menu “Nordeste: El Cachucho” - named after the powerful northeast wind that dries fish and cures meats in the region. The lunch started very strong but lost a little momentum toward the end. Still, it was a very good experience overall with exceptional service. My absolute favorite dish was the brilliant white asparagus served three ways (fermented, raw, and roasted) with caviar and borage flowers - an ingenious celebration of simplicity and seasonality.

Fried corn, scrambled eggs, blue cheese onions / Creamy ham croquette "Casa Marcial"

Cantabrian seafood stone - grilled shrimp, goose barnacle, oyster and warty venus clam

Celery curd, seaweed, cucumber and sheep sorrel granita

Grilled peas, hake essence and mushroom

Fermented, raw and roasted asparagus, caviar and borage flowers

Trout with the aroma of its habitat, spring juice and yeast

Perrechicos, pine nuts, butter marinade and pine oil

Squid with black bean mole and its ink

White bean stew with limpets

Kale juice with pork, chard stems and razor clams

Steamed red mullet, nasturtium flower and roasted carrot

Roast beef, cheese and pasture

Asturian Escanda pasta filled with its giblets, comb, salad and fat emulsion

Stewed "Pitu" in my mother's style

Butter ice cream with cider vinegar and croissant

Tartlet with meadowsweet

Cereal skin with fresh cream

Cream, kefir tofe, goat yogurt, and kerfir & oxalis ice cream

Baked apple, cider mother cream and apple ice cream, cider press

Crispy corn "Fayuela" with salt / Honey gummy

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