Mengem — Restaurant in Valencia

A hidden gem in Valencia. It's run by a pair of chefs who use local seasonal ingredients to design their menus. We talked to the male chef, and it sounds as if he gets his inspiration from whatever his suppliers bring him that day/week. We tried their tasting menu on our first visit, which was a delightful journey through a variety of flavors. Every dish was unique and delicious, with flavor combinations that sound bizarre on paper, but worked magically. And I don't mean in that "this is weird, but I guess it works" kind of way. Instead they came of like undiscovered classics. For example, we had a started that was white asparagus with passion fruit and chocolate. One of our desserts was an avacado "brule" with chamomile. We were so impressed, which is actually not easy, we came back again a couple nights later for a three course, where I was served a waffle with honey and cauliflower. Again, it sounds odd, but it was one of few times I was served a vegetable dessert that worked, and as I'm not typically a fan of cauliflower, it was shocking to find myself almost licking the cauliflower ice cream from the plate. The service was friendly. That they are killing it so hard after just opening six months ago is even more impressive. Highly...

Now, listen. I know you're browsing this tab to choose a place you want to go to. Maybe drop a little bit of a heavier check on something worth your time and money. This is it. No need to look further. Mengem is exceptional. Cozy interior, with a pop of blue makes you ease into the dining experience. The nicest service will take care of you and explain the dishes. And those, believe me, will stay in your mind. The chefs, Elias and Sandra, know what they are doing, and you can feel it to the core of food you will consume. Perfection. Local veggies, best meat and fish, great selection of wines, all of it, from beginning to the end, is like a beautiful song. I would never guess I will find such a place so close to where I am, yet, it happened, and I am glad to have experienced it. Bib, if not a star from the get go, coming in the...

this was such a culinary experience! the chef was absolutely AMAZING— combining flavor profiles i had never ever tasted before. one thing i really appreciated about this restaurant was how allergy friendly they are. as someone who struggles with very severe food allergies, i often get nervous eating out in different countries, especially those that don’t speak english or have no allergy menu. once i told the wait staff this, they gave me an allergen menu and brought the chef out to confirm what i could and couldn’t eat. after this, the chef came and explained every course we had and was extremely reassuring. on top of that, the meal was one of the best meals i’ve had in my LIFE. i would highly highly recommend. this is a must-do if you are traveling...