During my last visit to Spain, I arraigned to spend a significant time in Galicia in the far northwest corner. It is a region that is just starting to become recognized for its fabulous wines made from obscure grapes like albariño, godello and mencia.
It was in this region that I had one of the most unusual meals of my life. While I often don't make reservations in advance, the restaurant Casa Marcelo was recognized as being a one star Michelin establishment and therefore "very good cuisine within its category". Casa Marcelo is situated within the world famous town of Santiago de Compostella an important destination among Christian pilgrims.
Casa Marcelo is a fairly inconspicuous restaurant on a small winding street. To get there we tried to convince a taxi driver to take us as we didn't know the layout of the city. Unfortunately he wouldn't take us. After awhile he finally made us understand that the restaurant was just a short walk away by drawing a simple map.
The thing is, I didn't know what made Casa Marcelo so unique until about five minutes after being seated. The dining room is fairly small without feeling cramped and lays adjacent to a spotlessly polished open kitchen. While we were the first seated for lunch, we soon noticed the absence of a wait staff. That's because there is none. There inst even a menu. That's because chef Marcelo Tejedor orchestrates the whole dining experience.
The menu is created daily based on market availability. After the chef recites the five course lunch he then assisted on wine selections. This is when he became his most animated. At first I didn't understand his point then he wrote down the object of his displeasure on his business card. Parker. He apparently didn't fancy wine critic Robert Parker's influence on wine. Join the club buddy.
Throughout lunch, Chef Marcelo delivered each course with a brief explanation in his native tongue. Each course was a delicate, focused and exquisite sampling of Galician cuisine that featured pristine seafood and creative platings. The combination of pleasant surroundings, outstanding food and an intimate experience with the chef made for one memorable time.
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