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    Home » World Travel

    MercatBar by Quique Dacosta - Valencia

    Published: Dec 9, 2022 by Jennifer Che

    Such a good deal - 6 course tasting menu for only 34,00€VAT included

    This post is part of a larger series on Valencia outlined in the Valencia Trip Report.

    MercatBar is one of the more casual out posts of well-known celebrity chef Quique Dacosta's restaurant empire in Valencia. The words "mercat bar" mean "market bar." MercatBar pays tribute to the traditional tapas bars you find inside Valencia food markets (sort of like Central Bar!).

    The Food

    MercatBar takes that concept and modernizes it a bit, adding chef Quique Dacosta's own touch to the traditional Valencia market bar.

    There are many different food options on the menu. The tapas section includes traditional tapas and "tapas from around the world" which take on global influences. There are also several main dishes, such as grilled meats, paellas, and other creative entrees.

    Gargoyle Menu (off season)

    During off-seasons (e.g., spring, fall), they also have a Gargoyle Menu, a multi-course tasting menu (7-8 courses total), including 3 cold starters, 3 warm tapas, a main dish, and dessert. The courses are designed to be shared, and thus the whole must get it. However, at 34€ a person, it is an absolute STEAL.

    On top of that, we ordered a Robert Parker RP95 Valencian wine for less than 30€ for the whole bottle, yet another STEAL.

    Below is our Gargoyle dinner.

    Cream cheese with eel and mackerel
like creme brûlée with savory fish, candied almonds, sweet + savory, yummmm

    We began with a creamy custard made with cream cheese, eel. and mackerel topped with a caramelized topping, candied almonds, roasted tomatoes, and herbs.

    It was short of like a seafood creme brûlée, both sweet + savory, perfectly balanced, and delicious.

    Mercatbar oyster
so good! cashew? edemame? EVOO, such good balance, oyster is plump and sweet

    The next course, the Mercatbar oyster, was fantastic! The oyster itself was plump and sweet, and the overall flavor of the bite was perfect. Various elements such as nuts, fresh herbs, pea puree, and EVOO, came together in a perfectly balanced way.

    Turkish taco with kimchi sauce
beef,

    Turkish taco with kimchi sauce and beef.

    Smoked aubergine wonton and red tuna “mojama” - nice, salty, crispy, nice balance of flavors

    Next was a wonton chip topped with smoked aubergine (eggplant) and red tuna “mojama”. This was a nice bite, being salty, crispy, and overall having a nice balance of flavors.

    “Mercatbar” croquettes each topped with a slice of Serrano ham.

    Raw cuttlefish toast
“sepia”

    Raw cuttlefish toast “sepia”

    “Mercatbar” croquettes
serrano ham

    We remembered "Air Baguettes" from our meal at Tickets Tapas Bar in Barcelona, and we wanted try MercatBar's version. So, we did order one extra a la carte course that was not on the menu. MercatBar's version came wrapped with jamon Iberico and topped with jam.

    Seafood plain rice

    The seafood rice had lovely flavor, but I missed the crunchy "socarrat" (charred crispy bits) that you get in a paella made with a traditional pan.

    creme brulee

    Thoughts - MercatBar by Quique Dacosta

    All in all, we were absolutely floored at the quality of the meal, especially for the price. The service was friendly, the outdoor seating was pleasant, and the food was great. I would come back in a heartbeat, at least for one casual meal.

    MercatBar by Quique Dacosta
    Joaquín Costa, 27
    Valencia (Spain)

    Other Restaurants by Quique Dacosta

    Llisa Negra Valencia
    El Poblet

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    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

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