Restaurante Raff San Pedro — Restaurant in Cuenca

Ultimately very disappointing. Given this restaurant is in the Michelin guide and our hosts for the weekend said that 'it never fails', we were excited for this one however for us it failed on several counts. It was a very average experience at high prices so we left feeling ripped off. To begin with we waited 15 mins to be given the menus, annoying as I really enjoy reading a menu and weighing up what to order. The set menu for €52 didn't grab our attention, so we ordered 2 entrantes, a fish dish and two meat dishes. We started with the ajo arriero, a gloopy mess of garlic, cod and cheese. Tasty but unrefined. Needed to be eaten with bread and honestly the bread they serve is terrible. How hard is it to make some fresh crusty bread? We then got the local cheeses, all very average, nothing to get excited about and we love cheese. Then came the rodoballo (turbot) which again was only ok. Sauce was nice and the veg but the fish was overcooked and a bit tough. Then we had the cierva (venison) which was probably the best dish of the evening but again felt unrefined. The meat was cooked very well and was tender but the jus was really intense and salty. Another fail we had was the wine. We had a decent discussion with the somm about what to order and he upsold a wine to us that cost €53. Suffice to say it was not worth it. Bang average again. I can't recommend this restaurant. The atmosphere is nice though, that's the best part even if the furnishings feel as...

I cannot say enough about my experience here. We traveled to Cuenca from Valencia and spent the day hiking the surrounding peaks and exploring the city. We found Raff after reviewing local spots and were intrigued by the chef’s tasting menu. Not only is the restaurant beautiful inside, but the staff was so friendly and helpful . My husband and I have some Spanish, but certainly not enough culinary terms to be savvy. Andrea was amazing- walking us through each course and describing each detail with great care. We ordered the paired wines as well and the passion and care of the sommelier in sharing each wine was fantastic- Andrea helped translate :) We enjoyed 7 courses of 15 exquisite dishes- we felt like we were on a journey of food that matched the journey we had taken in the day. Each dish lead toward the next with new elements and repeating themes throughout. The pride, care, and attention to detail as well as the culinary vision and artistry was truly exceptional. I’ve never had such an elevated, yet accessible dining experience of this kind. No gate- keeping or snobbery here, just enthusiasm and a desire to share a love of the area and its beauty...

Update: The restaurant’s passive-aggressive response seems like a backhanded compliment. Establishments that are truly aiming for excellence will simply take criticism and improve. The reply speaks more about the restaurant’s superiority complex, thinking about me as a lowly customer who doesn’t know any better. Again, shame.

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Aside from the bacalao tiznao, we ate the more traditional items on the menu: ajo arriero, migas and paletilla de cordero. The food was good! Enough said. Then again, a meal is as much about the food as it is about the quality of the service provided. One word to describe it - IMPERSONABLE. The cold service gives injustice to the excellence of the chef and the staff in the kitchen.

There was quite a long wait just for the bill, and an even longer wait to pay. One last thing - For a place that’s seemingly fancy, why give two “free” amuse-bouches yet charge patrons for the bread? It shouts cheap tourist...