Seville is known, among many other virtues, for its heterogeneous gastronomic offer, almost always under the protection of quality. Hundreds of restaurants and bars fill the guides and the street not without difficulty to choose. Without trying to set the standard but approaching the infallible temples, Seville already has two restaurants awarded with Michelin stars: Abantal and Cañabota.
Abantal, between Menéndez Pelayo and Luis Montoto, elevated Sevillian gastronomy to excellence and for 14 years has revalidated its recognition in the famous guide, in addition to the two Repsol suns it holds. It opened its doors in 2004 and its kitchen is in charge of chef Julio Fernández Quintero, trained in the school of La Taberna del Alabardero in Seville. The dining room has a simple atmosphere, the work of architects Santiago Pérez Barreda and Jaime Márquez Escudero, and blends in with the menu, the undisputed protagonist of this experience that starts in Seville and crosses the whole of Andalusia. The perfect blend capable of balancing a recipe book with a powerful traditional component and the avant-garde in vogue.
The two tasting menus of Abantal
Respecting the products and their seasonality, Abantal offers two tasting menus. The first one, with 9 stops, costs 80 euros, 115 if you choose the option with wine pairing, which includes 5 harmonies selected by its sommeliers. The Gran Menú Degustación has 12 stops and costs 100 euros, with an increase of 45 euros if pairing is selected, in this case with 6 harmonies.
Cañabota and La Barra, its informal space
Cañabota’s very careful proposal is identified with the sea. Fish and seafood are the backbone of Cañabota’s concept, which is committed to the best products. Juan Luis Fernández created in Seville a space inspired by a fish restaurant full of tiles that he had the opportunity to see in Croatia. Coming from a fishmonger family, the Sevillian chef decided to launch this project in 2016, joined by Jaime and Eduardo Guardiola, Marcos Nieto and Rafa García.
In this consecrated gastronomic temple, technique and service are executed with mastery in each of its spaces. At the moment, the recently starred restaurant in the center of Seville has two spaces for diners.
Namely, the restaurant itself in which they offer three menus. The Homenaje menu, for 90 euros, is designed daily to offer diners the most complete experience. The second option, Armonía, contains vermouth aperitif, wine harmony, water and coffee in addition to the menu, for 140 euros. The third alternative is the Bollinger R.D. menu, which includes a menu for two people and a bottle of Bollinger R.D. 2004, water and coffee for 450 euros.
On the other hand, La Barra has a more relaxed atmosphere, a classic bar in the purest Sevillian style and classic dishes. Seafood, yes, but also other traditional dishes such as ensaladilla or croquettes.
Abantal and Cañabota pilot the culinary scene of the city as the stars, sacralized and emerging, worth trying at least once in a lifetime.