Delightfully fresh and flavorful Galician seafood at a higher price range…read more
My friend and I were visiting A Coruña for the weekend and set on a mission in search for centolla (spider crab). We looked around for the best seafood spots and found La Sarten. Although we made the reservation the morning of, we luckily snagged a table at 2pm.
We got to the restaurant early, but they sat us at a table anyway. The interior of the restaurant is compact, with probably less than 20+ table seats and a handful of bar seats. Immediately we noticed that the restaurant was frequented by locals. The bartender and waiters chatted with the guests like old friends, and treated us with similar cordiality. The décor was hip and modern. Clearly the manager emphasized presentation, but how about the food?
We ordered a glass of albariño (Galician white) and a (beer with lemonade) and eager inquired about the spider crabs. "No, it was unavailable." "Why not? Isn't it September the season?" "Regretfully you are just a week or two early this year." We were devastated. We had ourselves all worked up about spider crabs, researched everything about centolla dishes, only to miss it by a week. Crestfallen, we ordered two dishes recommended by our waiter in lieu.
= Food =
Almeja babosa a la marinera (€20): Venus clams sautéed with sailor's sauce. Loved it. The fresh plump clams were enveloped in a sauce bursting with flavor from albariño wine, garlic, tomatoes, onions, and saffron. Large portion size justifies the price.
Arroz con bogavante (€28 per person, two minimum): Rice with lobster. A Galician take on Valencian paella, this sumptuous dish is choke full of lobster meat. Perhaps the best dish we had on this trip. The rice was perfectly cooked, intensely flavored by the seafood broth and saffron. Comes served in a big saucepan that keeps the dish hot while you work through it. Warning - it is a lot of food, and you will not be able to resist finishing all of it.
= Verdict =
While we did not find cebolla, we had an amazing, coma-inducing gastronomic experience. I highly recommend this restaurant for those who love shellfish. I would definitely come back, and hopefully in time for cebolla season!