La Pepica

Do you like paella? Have you tried the best paella in Spain? Before I ate in this famous restaurant on Malvarrosa beach in Valencia, I was naive enough to believe that no paella could ever be better than my mum's, but after eating here, I realised I was wrong (though my mum's paella is still delicious, hehe! ).

If you're in Valencia and wondering what to eat, ask any Valencian what the most typical regional dish is and they'll tell you Valencian paella with a moment's hesitation.

I was lucky enough to be brought to this restaurant by a friend of a friend, who had been living in the city for some time. I was pleased to go there as although the majority of paella in Valencia is good, it seems that even the locals consider this restaurant to reign supreme with its mix of the art and history of this typical Valencian dish. As often is the case in a new place, there's nobody better than the locals to give you cultural and gastronomical recommendations.

As I've already mentioned, there are lots of restaurants along Malvarrosa beach which serve good paella, and you'll see this when you walk past and the waiters from each one will try to convince you in a friendly manner to eat at their restaurant. They're all good places to eat, but the tastiest and best-known is definitely La Pepica. You'll find it at the very end of the promenade.

The founders of the restaurant have a strange story, starting with a Valencian couple who initially began selling sandwiches and drinks from a vending stall in 1898. Shortly after, they were given permission to set up a permanent place on the beach to sell snacks to sunbathers and swimmers. Finally, after a terrible storm which destroyed all the kiosks on the beach, the current restaurant was built, where the grandchildren of the founders continue to serve friends and customers thanks to the work of their forebearers.

Enter the restaurant through the large white windows on the patio, and though your first impression may not be that this is a place of any note, the walls being crammed with photos of famous Spanish and international celebrities, don't be put off. The restaurant is much bigger on the inside than it seems from the outside. When you see how big it is inside, and how slowly the tables begin to fill with people while the waiters bring out paella after paella which seem to be bigger every time, weaving between the tables as if they were dancing some kind of traditional Valencian dance, you'll realise how marvellous this place really is.

If you want to take a look at the restaurant before paying it a visit, you can do so on the following webpage, where you can enjoy a 360º view of the inside and find more information on prices, on the manu and on making a reservation:

www.lapepica.com/360lapepica/index.html

It's really enjoyable to watch how they serve the dishes. If you want to, you can serve yourself, but I wouldn't recommend it, as it takes longer and you naturally aren't as talented at it as they are, since they're masters of the art. In a few seconds, you have a plate perfectly filled with paella without having lost a single grain of rice.

The atmosphere in the restaurant couldn't be better - lift your head up from your meal for a second and on one side, you'll see people laughing and enjoying themselves with the sunny, beautiful beach in the background. On the other, you'll see the waiters working incessantly, and it's not unusual to see them sweating due to the amount of customers in the restaurant and of work to be done; waiting on people ordering paellas and other traditional dishes. Despite the large number of staff, it's clear that they really earn their pay.

When we arrived, a waiter came over to us very quickly. For starters, we ordered a dish which was as simple as it was tasty, and really surprised me: garlic bread with tomato and garlic dip.

I've no idea how something so simple can taste so good, so much so that it was difficult ordering the paella afterwards since we'd entered into a vicious circle with these little slices of bread and the garlic and tomato dips that was hard to break out of. The price was pretty good, so we ordered four portions of them, since it was three euros for ten slices along with the sauces.

The restaurant serves all kinds of starters, and while the 'ajoaceite' (the name for what we tried) is the cheapest, if you've got some cash to spare, the squids fried in batter (Roman style) and the sepia (cuttlefish) are exquisite. We didn't try any other starters, but I'm sure that the rest are the same or better (oysters, Galician octopus, garlic shrimps, anchovies, navajas, etc. ).

Before talking about the main, I have to mention a negative point which always annoys me when I go out to eat, and that's the issue with drinks. I usually just order a beer or a Coca-cola, and at La Pepica I ordered the latter, and there was hardly enough in the bottle I was given to fill one glass. When you go out to eat, the last thing you want to be thinking about is ordering another drink because you've drank your first one in two gulps. It's something they should really change. The rest of my experience was, however, 10/10!

When it came to choosing the paella, you'll have the same problem as I did in that there are so many different kinds, it's hard to choose one. The price is worth considering, as some of them are better value if you order a double one.

You should order a paella with at least two portions, and you can choose between Vegetable Paella, Seafood Paella, Paella La Pepica, typical Valencian Paella, and Mixed Paella, with black rice and noodles. All of these are very affordable (14 euros a head), whereas if you're looking for something more exquisite, the restaurant also serves a very high quality Lobster Paella, which costs around 30 euros.

We asked the waiter for advice and the best paellas in terms of good value for money are the Seafood, La Pepica and the Valencian. They're all great and very affordable. The more expensive ones are for people who want to spoil themselves that day, and they look delicious too. I'd like to try them someday.

Finally, we decided to order a Seafood Paella to share between five people. When you've finished your starters, the paella should follow soon after and all you have to do is ask the waiter to bring it over.

It's a great feeling waiting for them to bring your paella and suddenly seeing the waiter supporting it on their shoulder. They then place it next to you and proceed to serve you from the dish, while the smell of freshly cooked rice inundates your nostrils and your mouth starts to salivate with anticipation.

The paella is bright orange-yellow in colour, and it's beautifully presented. The prawns, shrimps and lemon are strategically arranged.

The plate that they serve you is usually enough for most people, but I found it so tasty that I could have eaten half or even a whole plate more. I had problems peeling the prawns, but they peel them for you and gladly. As you can see, the staff serve you to perfection and take care of every last detail so that your visit is a memorable one.

Although it's difficult to believe, some people aren't fans of paella (this is the case for me with paella which isn't really well made - then I prefer other rice dishes). There's always someone who decides to go for a different dish, but this is fine as La Pepica also serve other delicious dishes. A friend of mine ordered a turbot, and said it was great (although it cost around 30 euros).

The fish is very varied here: swordfish, red mullet, sea bass, monkfish, sole, seafood platters, and a very large etcetera. For those who prefer meat, you can choose from roast chicken (this is particularly good here), garlic chicken, pork tenderloin, escalopes, sirloin, lamb chops and pickled partridge.

They serve a large variety of dishes here, so you're sure to find something you like. My opinion is very clear though that you should try the paella. If you're not keen on seafood, order one without it, since if not you'll miss out on the best paella I've ever tried.

In terms of desserts, I love frosted orange, which is a delicious typical Valencian dessert. The pulp is removed and the skin is filled with ice cream mixed with orange and lemon juice, lemon yoghurt and a touch of whipped cream. The orange is then frozen, and turns into an amazing dessert. The cream pies and cheese cake are also great options for finishing off your meal.

Before you leave, I recommend that you take a look at the restaurant's walls. You can stroll along them like I did and look at the many portraits of famous people - the waiters are used to people doing this. I took a good look, and it made me smile.

Concha Velasco, the Duchess of Alba (who said that the paella she tried here was 'the best paella' she'd ever eaten), Ernest Hemingway (who confirmed in his memoirs that he spent a delightful evening here with the beautiful beach as a backdrop), and even Juan Carlos I of Spain have visited La Pepica and enjoyed its paella. This is a reflection of the quality this restaurant offers without its prices being too high; as I've mentioned before, it's very easy on your pocket.

To get here, ask for directions to the famous Malvarrosa beach, famous for the aeroplane acrobatics which take place their every year and for its mascletás. The address of La Pepica is 2, 6 and 8 Paseo Neptuno, Valencia. The former urban circuit in Valencia is nearby, where the Grand Prix Formula 1 was held a few years ago, though the circuit is now disused. If you're a fan of the spot, it's worth visiting the circuit, five to ten minutes' walk away from the beach.