This week (on October 4) I was invited, along with other journalists, bloggers and regular commentators, to the presentation of this season’s tasting menu at Restaurante Ispal. Ispal has been the dream of Pedro Sánchez-Cuerda Rodríguez (director of Grupo La Raza) for the past 15 years, and together with Antonio Bort (his executive chef), and Ispal’s new head chef Rubén García Chacón, Pedro’s dream has now been realised.

The objective of Ispal, which opened a year ago, is to showcase the traditional cooking of Sevilla, using indigenous products and providing support for local family businesses, and then reinterpreting these popular dishes by elevating them to haute cuisine. This, by definition, involves the use of the highest quality ingredients, meticulously prepared and presented.

The local ingredients include salt from the salt flats of Utrera, cheeses from Castilblanco de los Arroyos, the famous tomatoes of Los Palacios, goat kid from Los Corrales, fish from La Puebla del Río, wines from Sierra Norte de Sevilla, Ronda, and sherry wines from Jerez.

The tasting menu, which you can see below, was spectacular. Many thanks to Fernando Huibrodo for the invitation, and to the entire Ispal team, including maître Alonso Reche and sommelier Cisco Nuñez.

Pedro Sanchez-Cuerda Rodriguez – director of Grupo La Raza
Antonio Bort – executive chef of Grupo La Raza
Rubén Chacón – head chef at Ispal
Fernando Huidobro – president of Andalucía Academy of Gastronomy & Tourism

The usual suspects 😉

Cuttlefish churro and its essence
Cornet of anchovies in vinegar with its spine

Fabulous house made breads served with evoo and manteca colorá

Green gazpacho with Iberian crumble, smoked sturgeon and alga roe (1)

Green gazpacho with Iberian crumble, smoked sturgeon and alga roe (2)

Green gazpacho with Iberian crumble, smoked sturgeon and alga roe (3)

Baby eels from Veta La Palma with jamón fat, “fried egg” bread (1)

Baby eels from Veta La Palma with jamón fat, “fried egg” bread (2)

Baby eels from Veta La Palma with jamón fat, “fried egg” bread (2)

Ispal version of garlic prawns

Sea bass 3 ways:
Fillet with meat broth
Parpatana al kamado
Rice with socarrat, marinated belly

Baby goat from Los Corrales with tapenade, mashed eggplant, chestnuts

Popcorn and vanilla ice cream

Ispal torrija smoked with incense(1)

Ispal torrija smoked with incense (2)

This tasting menu will soon be available at Ispal.