Latest news with #CostaBlanca
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
We're Benidorm superfans – we've spent 5-figure sum in seven years… here's the reasons it's the best place to holiday
IT was the home of the beloved British comedy for over a decade, but to Mark and Karen Gregory, Benidorm is no joke. The superfans of the Spanish town have holidayed there 25 times. 5 5 The couple, both 50, have spent over £30,000 in the last seven years sunning themselves in Benidorm, located in Costa Blanca, after falling in love with it during their first visit in 2018. And the pair, from Swansea, now have no plans to holiday elsewhere ever again, despite anti-tourism protests in some Spanish resorts. Mark says: 'We used to go to Majorca and the Canaries, until we spotted a deal for a trip to Benidorm one day. 'We thought we'd try it for a week and we were so pleasantly surprised that my wife started looking for accommodation to go again as soon as we got home. 'It's the very best place to holiday. "The people who have bad opinions about it have never been. 'We aren't big drinkers but enjoy the budget alcohol. "The pints are 80 cents and bottles of cava are €2.' The couple often return to the same haunts every time they visit — enjoying a pint at the Western Saloon, dinner at Country Ribs or Kathmandu curry house, and cocktails at the Hotel California Beach Club. 'Stag groups zigzag home at 6am' They even love seeing the same Meat Loaf tribute act, often referred to as 'Meatloaf Benidorm', at venue Jokers. Moment huge fight breaks out at Benidorm swimming pool in front of shocked tourists Referencing the sitcom, which aired from 2007 to 2018, Mark reflects: ' The TV show is about typical Brits in the sun, but that's only about ten per cent of the place. 'Yes, you get your typical beer-bellied Brits abroad, but there is a much nicer, quieter side too. "We mainly go outside of the peak season as it's much cheaper, but there's entertainment all year round. 'People do have their own opinions of Benidorm and it is a bit of a 'Marmite' resort — but lots fall in love with it and we can see why.' The couple enjoy the year-round nightlife, particularly the live music, tribute and drag acts. And they love it so much they've visited 25 times since late 2018 — barring the pandemic lockdowns — having spent over £30,000 at various resorts in the town. Mark said: 'We mainly stick to the winter but we've been in May a couple of times. " In winter it can be nearly 40 per cent cheaper — not just to get there, but at the bars and restaurants too. 'And there is still so much to do — you never get bored.' The couple say they avoid the spots frequented by large stag dos and hen parties. Karen said: 'We know the spots to avoid. 'Simply the best' "But we do still occasionally see the stag groups zigzagging home at 6am. 'There's plenty of mad behaviour to see sometimes — and plenty of people passed out on benches.' But they find lots of quieter locations to enjoy their evenings. 5 5 Some of their favourite nights out have been to see a Pink Floyd tribute act, a Tom Jones tribute and a comedian called Tony Scott. The couple largely stay in a self-catered apartment which they visit several times a year — and get a discount because of their loyalty, which keeps costs low so they can afford more visits. But they don't mind, as all the local produce is better quality for their home-cooked meals. Mark explains: 'We do sometimes go for meals but Karen is coeliac so it's not that easy. 'The supermarkets are much better than in England and there are so many gluten-free options for us.' The couple say that since discovering their love for Benidorm they have only holidayed elsewhere once, in Tenerife. But nothing compared to their beloved Benidorm, so they have decided to forget further travel elsewhere. Mark says: 'There are times we think we might be 'Benidormed out'. 'But then we realise it doesn't compare to anywhere else. And when we go, it just gets better and better.' They now have no plans to visit elsewhere, and live a frugal life at home so they can afford their £6,000-per-year trips. Mark added: 'Whenever we go back there are new places that have opened, but we like the familiarity. 'If we go to a new place it takes a few days to find our feet, whereas going here, it's like coming home.' He added: 'People do have their own opinions, but I don't like it when people share derogatory views about it when they've never been. 'If you've never tried it, and you've just watched the TV show or read about it, don't just jump on the bandwagon. Benidorm is quite simply the best.'
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I ditched the UK for Spain & there's 3 things that make drop-offs so much nicer, my boys say school is ‘more relaxed'
A MOTHER who ditched life in the UK for sunny Spain has opened up on the 'biggest changes' she has experienced since moving abroad. After feeling fed up of working just to pay bills, mum-of-two Becky packed up her life and moved to Alicante, a port city on Spain's southeastern Costa Blanca, alongside her partner and two sons. 4 4 4 4 But now, the mother has got candid on her 'fresh start' as she shared the five things that have 'altered her brain chemistry since moving to Spain.' In a short clip uploaded online, the content creator posted a variety of snaps from Alicante and while she can't get used to the eating schedules, explained that she is a huge fan of the way those in Spain do the school drop-off. Not only does she prefer the school run in Spain, but her kids do too and have described it as 'more relaxed.' Becky confirmed that shortly after arriving, she experienced the 'school drop-off shock,' with three huge differences from that in the UK. She acknowledged that not only do teachers give students kisses on the cheek, but parents always casually hang around the gate after saying goodbye to their little darlings. And that's not all, as she also explained that unlike that in the UK, there is 'no chaotic morning rush,' making the whole experience much smoother and more chilled. Having said that, Becky has struggled to get on board with popular meal times in Spain and claimed that the 'eating schedules make no sense,' with many sitting down for lunch at 2pm and dinner at 9pm. Kelly has also had to adjust to seeing the local police at the school gates helping control traffic and was shocked to witness kids crossing the roads without parents accompanying them everyday. She also found the 'playground culture' a challenge at first, as she recognised that it is now 'normal' for children to go to the park at 8pm. Finally, she recognised that those in Spain are always throwing street parties, with parades, bright costumes and loud music. I quit my job and did a complete 180 moving to Spain - beer is just $3 a pint and my life is so much better She shone a light on the Spanish " carnavals," vibrant pre-Lenten festivals, as she explained: 'There's always a carnaval to celebrate.' The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ bex_from_rain_to_spain, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 61,700 views. Social media users were impressed with Becky's clip and many raced to the comments to praise her 'dream' life. One person said: 'It's freedom and less stress for parents, our nervous system loves it.' Another added: 'I love it. Spain is my dream.' A third commented: 'I love all of these things about living in Spain, except the meal times! I just can't get in the rhythm! But school drop off is such a vibe!' Meanwhile, one mother penned: 'Spanish school and the school run was the biggest culture shock for us too. I love it just seems a little more fun here!' In response, Becky wrote back and confirmed: 'That's what the boys tell me, 'it's just more relaxed here mum.'' Not only this, but another parent asked: 'If you don't mind me asking, how did the kids adjust? We would love to move over with our seven year old.' To this, Becky responded and shared: 'The kids have been amazing! 'Literally took it in their stride, also I no longer battle [getting] my little one into school in the morning.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Knifed in the legs, stripped naked then shot in the head: The Reservoir Dogs-style execution that sparked a bloody tit for tat Irish gang war on the Costa Blanca
John George's death was so gruesome it could have been a scene from a Quentin Tarantino movie: first he was stabbed in the legs so he couldn't run away then repeatedly beaten before finally being shot in the face and chest. His broken, lifeless body was then dumped in an isolated Spanish lemon grove where, even though it was December, the sun was still warm enough that when the father-of-two's body was finally discovered in early January, it was so decomposed that his devastated family were unable to have an open casket at his funeral back home in Northern Ireland. George's murder came just a few days after he left his Belfast home and flew to the Costa Blanca, a magnet for many British and Irish tourists thanks to its home from home atmosphere of pubs, fish and chip shops and curry restaurants. Watering holes such as The Randy Leprechaun, Paddy's Point and Murphy's Sports Tavern serving Guinness and other Irish beers, provide a reassuring link with the old country back home. But apart from the tourists, the area is increasingly being targeted by organised crime gangs, many of them from Ireland, both north and south. And some of their rivalries are having a terrifying impact on the Costa Blanca, particularly since the murder of John George which set off a wave of tit for tat vendettas attacks. In the last three months alone there have been two attempted murders - one local police believe directly connected to the death of Mr George - and a massive 84 kilo cocaine bust involving the arrest of A source on the Costa Blanca with knowledge of the local crime scene told MailOnline: 'There has been an increase in serious incidents involving Irish and Northern Irish in the area not only as victims, but also as alleged perpetrators. 'These events have raised concerns within the local community and suggest a worrying trend of escalating violence and a disturbing pattern, linked to individuals from Ireland, both north and south. 'While the authorities have not officially confirmed any broader connections, the nature, severity and frequency of these events – along with the individuals involved – have led many to speculate that we're seeing the signs of organised criminal structures taking root here. 'Locals have begun referring to it as an 'open secret' that elements of the Irish underworld are becoming increasingly active on the Costa Blanca. 'The word on the street here is that the Irish mafia is trying to establish a foothold in this region, using the area's anonymity, relaxed atmosphere, and the international mix of residents as cover. An ex-pat Irish gangster can blend in easily here.' But let us return to Mr George. The 37-year-old last contacted his family at their home in Twinbrook, west Belfast, on December 14, when his father, who readily admits his son was 'no angel' urged him to come home. Four days after the last phone call, in which Mr George told his mother he 'loved her' and would 'see ya soon' he was reported missing. His heartbroken father Billy George spent last Christmas with family and friends looking for his son around the Spanish neighbourhood before that horrible discovery in the lemon grove. Mr George told MailOnline: 'No one deserves to die like that. He was treated like a dog. It was horrible and all we want now is justice.' He said of his son:' He was no angel, but he was a good lad, he loved his kids and they will now grow up without their father. We told him to come back because we didn't like the crowd he was keeping but he said he would be fine. 'I think he was killed the same day we spoke with him - December 14. 'We reported him missing four days later, and I went out to Spain and spent three and a half weeks later we found him but I think his body had been moved. 'We were hearing all sorts of false information from people who were saying they wanted to help but they weren't they were hindering, and these people also knew more than they were letting on.' Mr George had spent time in Spain with a known drug dealer known as Jonny Smyth, 26, also from Northern Ireland and a Czech man called Michal Maly, a former member of the French Foreign Legion. Pictures on Smyth's social media show him living the high life in Spain, with fast cars, fast motorbikes, luxury watches and highly desirable apartments, apparently funded through a cannabis shop he ran in Benidorm. Smyth was eventually identified by Spanish police as a suspect for the murder and eventually arrested in Braga, Portugal, in March Before he was tracked down Smyth got married to his partner, Only Fans model Madison Allen, 19, in Gibraltar. Allen – who has a prolific social media profile illustrated with pictures of her mainly in bikinis – is not a suspect and is not being sought by Spanish authorities and continues to live in the country. And she has told followers as much. But what is concerning is just how they managed to marry in Gibraltar at the official residence of the governor known as The Convent, during an international manhunt when he was wanted for murder. After he was finally arrested Smyth was extradited back to Spain where he is currently in custody awaiting trial for murder. Michai Maly, 32, was picked up in the early stages of the investigation and is said to have provided false information to the family as to the whereabouts of Mr George's body before eventually tipping police off as to where he had been dumped. MailOnline visited the spot where he was found, an isolated country road in the countryside near the village of Rojales, amid lemon groves, around 45 minutes from where he was last seen. Mr George's body was found on January 7, dumped in that lemon grove which is in rural farmland a mile off the main road linking Rojales with Torrevieja. Police had been tipped off to its location by Maly and Mr George's father wants to know more about his dealings with the police. The isolated location where the body was found is close to a farm, and the land, which is popular with fly tippers, is owned by a man called Jose. Jose, who declined to give his surname such is the fear of gangland violence in the area, told MailOnline: 'The first I knew a body was there was when the police came to the house. They asked me if I had seen or heard anything, but I hadn't. 'When they showed me the location, I was shocked, I had seen blood on the road but assumed it was from an animal that had been run over. 'I walked past that spot every day and didn't smell or notice anything. I'm just so surprised - nothing like this has ever happened here. 'About a month later I met the dead man's brother. He came to see the spot and left some flowers, and I offered my condolences.' MailOnline can also reveal that security cameras, covering a small reservoir of water, point towards the road where the body was dumped but because of Spanish privacy laws they are pixelated. Police were also left empty handed and with no leads after retrieving the footage as it deletes itself after a fortnight. A few minutes away a small shrine has been made by friends and family with flowers and pictures of Mr George attached to a wire fence. The hot sun has faded the petals. A small stone has been left on the floor with the inscription that reads 'Special son. Always in my dreams. Forever in my heart.' The spot his body was found is around six miles from the apartment Mr George was staying in with Smyth at Orihuela Costa, when he arrived last December. The ground floor flat with swimming pool is owned by a British man and currently rented out to a family of Belgian holidaymakers who had no idea of what had happened there. A Dutch man who lives opposite told MailOnline: 'It's terrible what happened there. I remember the night he disappeared. 'There was a big party and there was lots of noise and fireworks, some of them were really loud and now we are thinking: 'Was that gunshots?' 'I remember the man who rented it covered with tattoos and his girlfriend as well, they were always having wild parties, every night loud noise and people coming and going. 'You don't have to be too clever to work out it was all to do with drugs. The police watched the house for a month after he disappeared, they were in a van. 'Everyone knew they were there, but I don't think anything came of it.' Police initially believed another man was involved in the murder of George and on social media, wild rumours circulated involving the brutal stabbing of Dan McMeekin, 29, another Irishman two months ago. Posts from Jonny Smyth's Instagram page advertising cannabis and poppers for sale He was slashed across the throat as he stopped to relieve himself after spending the night in a local Irish themed pub in Torrevieja and social media shows him to be a pal of Smyth and Maly and he also knew Mr George. As he stood in the dark by a small substation, he was attacked from behind with a box cutter – the pools of blood still visible on the pavement – before his attacker fled into the night. McMeekin is himself no stranger to crime, and is expected to testify in Mr George's eventual murder trial. He almost died in the attack - but was rushed to hospital where his life was saved by surgeons. Initially he refused to name his attacker but told police he knew him and a few days after the attack a 58-year-old man also from Ireland was later arrested and although his identity has not been revealed he is also said to be 'well known to police'. Mr George, 56, said: 'I'm sure Dan McMeekin knows something. I don't think he was there when my son was murdered but he's somehow connected, and someone was obviously trying to shut him up. 'There are people like McMeekin who know more than they are letting on and there's no doubt in my mind the attempt on his life was to silence him, he knew what was going to happen to John that night. 'From what I know there was some sort of argument that night between John and Smyth. 'My John was a boxer… he knew how to handle himself and he would have been able to take Smyth out. 'I think Smyth had help.' Mr George added:' All we want now is justice, I want whoever killed John to go behind bars for a long time, I don't want him out after just 12 or 13 years. 'Those involved are all scum bags, the lowest of the low, they took a loving father away from two boys aged 14 and seven and they should pay for that.' Lawyer Andrea Marin, who is representing the George family, told MailOnline: 'The investigation is closed, and the police are not looking for anyone else. 'I haven't been given access to the full files yet as there is a lot of paperwork to go through, I have to provide birth certificates for Mr George and his father, and this have to be translated and certified. 'Once all that is complete, I will have a clearer picture and can inform the family about when the trial is likely to happen, but it won't be until way after the summer. 'July and August are 'meses muertos' as we say in Spain, dead months. Everyone is away on holiday and everything is closed.' For Mr George Snr, the wounds are still raw. He said: 'It was one of John's kids' birthdays this week, 'I'd like to let the people who killed him know that. 'I had to take a card round to the house, because they wouldn't be getting one from their daddy…That was tough.'
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
British drug king pin once in the 'top 10 criminals in Europe' dies in Costa Del Sol with Spanish courts still considering whether to send him to jail
A notorious British drug trafficker once listed in the 'top 10 criminals in Europe' has died on the Costa Blanca. Brian Charrington, an ex-associate of former international cocaine baron Curtis Warren, passed away in the early hours of yesterday morning at Marina Baixa Hospital in Villajoyosa near Benidorm. The 68-year-old was waiting to hear whether he had to start a prison sentence in Spain over a 2013 cocaine seizure. His defence lawyer had requested the suspension of the eight-year jail term on health grounds. Charrington started out as a car dealer in Middlesbrough but went on to own a Rolls-Royce, Bentley, private jet and fleet of yachts thanks to his international drugs empire. In 2011, his fortune was put at £20 million. In the eighties, he teamed up with Curtis Warren, whose personal fortune was so large he appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List, to import cocaine to the UK from Venezuela. The pair were arrested in early 1992 after a shipment of more than 900 kilos of cocaine sealed inside lead ingots in steel boxes was discovered. The subsequent trial collapsed after it transpired that Charrington was a police informant for the North-East Regional Crime Squad. Britain's security forces went on to re-home him in Australia but his visa was revoked shortly after his arrival. He went on to build up links with North African drug dealers after relocating to Spain and laundered millions of pounds from a fortified villa on Spain's Costa Blanca which he used to bring hashish from Morocco across the border. He was acquitted in two drugs trials in the UK before being extradited to Germany and sentenced to seven years' jail in 2003 for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the country. Charrington was extradited to France following his release in 2006 to serve a two-year prison term over the discovery of 650 kilos of hashish found on his yacht in the English Channel in 1995. In 2004 he lost a civil suit against the Assets Recovery Agency over more than £2 million found in his loft, which he and Curtis Warren disputed the ownership of. The civil recovery order against him and Warren was described at the time as the largest of its kind. Spanish police described Charrington after his 2013 arrest in Spain as 'one of the ten most investigated criminals' by European police forces and 'leader of an international gang of drug smugglers.' Spanish police held Charrington in 2013 along with a number of other people, including his French girlfriend Isabelle Robert and son Ray, after a long-running investigation sparked by a tip-off from French police that he and Robert were smuggling cocaine into Europe from Venezuela. Their luxury villas in Calpe near Benidorm on the Costa Blanca were among a number of homes raided by police on July 4 2013. In a subsequent indictment in which prosecutors initially demanded an 18-year prison sentence for Charrington, they claimed he tried to erase information he had chalked on a blackboard in his office about amounts of cocaine and sale prices during the raid on his home. Police revealed at the time of the operation they had seized 220 kilos of cocaine worth £10 million at another apartment in Albir near Benidorm, said to have been smuggled into Spain through the nearby port of Altea. Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), Venezuelan police and a regional 18-member-state police organisation called Ameripol set up to fight drug trafficking, were also involved. Drug lord Charrington's original 2018 trial and conviction following the 2013 drug bust were quashed by Spain's Supreme Court over impartiality issues, and a second trial had to be held. That resulted in an eight-year five five-month prison sentence for the Brit criminal, which his lawyers were trying to get him exempted from serving because of his poor health. The Spanish courts had yet to rule on Charrington's lawyer's request when he passed away. One of Brian's three grown-up children wrote on social media late last night: 'Rest in peace Dad.' The Brit criminal is understood to have been admitted to hospital shortly before his death.
Forbes
10-07-2025
- General
- Forbes
Spain's Paella Honors Its Roots In The Rice-Growing Region Of Valencia
Valencian paella, cooked over a wood fire When it comes to dining in Spain's Valencia region, there is one humble ingredient that has pride of place. Rice is at the center of the area's cuisine and appears in many of its recipes, even earning its own section on some local menus. It is also the star of paella, Valencia's most famous culinary offering and the dish that is most closely identified with all of Spain. (Sorry, gazpacho and croquetas. Talk to me when you get your own emoji.) While paella has traveled far beyond Spain's borders—often in versions that are blasphemous to the locals—this region is its ancestral home. The Grain That Reigns Supreme Located on the country's eastern coast, the Comunitat Valenciana, as it is known in the local language, is divided into three provinces—Valencia, Alicante and Castellón—with the region's eponymous capital being the third largest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona. But in addition to the provincial capitals of Valencia, Alicante and Castellón de la Plana, and the pretty little beach towns along the Costa Blanca, Valencia is also home to thousands of farms. While many of them cultivate vegetables and fruits (¡Hola, Valencia oranges!), the attention-grabbing jewel of this landscape is the crop that comes from L'Albufera, Spain's largest lake. A mosaic of coastal wetlands surrounded by marshes, dunes and paddy fields, L'Albufera produces the short-grain rice that is essential to making a true Valencian paella. Valencia's Albufera wetlands, with an albuferenc (the lagoon's traditional type of boat) in the ... More foreground This lagoon is the source of approximately 15% of the rice consumed by Spaniards. Three varieties dominate here—senia, bomba and albufera—each with slightly different qualities, but all are notable for their ability to absorb double or triple their volume in liquid. It's this attribute that makes them the perfect vehicle for paella valenciana, highlighting whatever flavors are added during the cooking process. A true paella connoisseur will always taste the rice first; the other ingredients are there to support this tiny little diva. Paella Is A Collective Delight The word 'paella' refers to the flat round pan in which the dish is cooked, so the name gets applied to rice that's combined with a range of miscellaneous ingredients. You will see the term used to describe recipes that include chorizo, garlic, seafood and other elements, which would be sacrilegious in a true Valencian paella. In fact, locals use a different (and pejorative) term for the other versions: arroz con cosas, or rice with things. Paella valenciana should feature chicken, rabbit, garrofó (a kind of butter bean), ferradura (flat green beans), tomatoes, saffron, smoked paprika and salt, although some valencianos will also add artichokes, snails and/or duck. Paella pans for sale in Valencia Paella began as a practical way to feed workers on area farms, and its preparation relied on ingredients that were readily available. To maximize its flavor, paella valenciana is cooked over an open flame, preferably using orangewood from local citrus orchards as well as some charred rosemary sprigs, to lend the herb's strong aromatic notes. The shallow pan allows these scents to permeate the rice and creates the ever-important socarrat—a golden, slightly crusty texture that is pure savory deliciousness and that distinguishes paella valenciana from the mushy rice casseroles you'll find is many restaurants outside the region. Paella's consumption has long been a collective experience, a reflection of rural communities that were built on cooperation among neighbors. Folks gathered around the pan, spoon in hand, with each person eating from their own section of the large pizza-shaped vessel. Even today, the dish retains these communal roots and is often the star of a big Sunday lunch or festive gathering of family and friends. Where to Eat Paella Valenciana In Valencia, there seem to be nearly as many paella restaurants as there are grains of rice in each flat pan. An excellent place to enjoy true paella valenciana is Nou Racó, which is located in the Albufera lagoon, about 10 kilometers from the city's center. The restaurant complex includes a preserved barraca, a traditional Valencian farmhouse (a white structure with a steeply sloped roof covered in reeds). While you can reach Nou Racó in a car, it's much nicer to travel the last stretch of the journey by water, taking a short ride in an albuferenc, the small traditional boats that navigate these wetlands. Along the way, the ornithology-obsessed in your group can try to spot some of the 350 bird species that reside in or migrate through the area. If you'd prefer to stay within Valencia's city limits, there's the legendary Casa Carmela. Founded by José Belenguer in the early 1920s as a beach shack, it's now run by the fourth generation of his family and turns out an average of 25 paellas per meal service. Family tradition is also central to Restaurante Levante, founded by the parents of chef Rafael Vidal over 50 years ago. His forebears became famous for their excellent paella, famously serving it to the King of Spain in 1976, and Vidal has helped the dish reach an even wider audience since then. When celebrity chef José Andrés first opened his Leña in NYC, a restaurant focused on open-fire cooking, he flew Vidal over to train the team on proper paella-making technique. Although Vidal's family now has a second Levante location in downtown Valencia, history buffs will want to drive a half-hour northwest to the village of Benisanó, to dine at the original outpost. Going Beyond Paella The fideuà at Nou Racó in the Albufera lagoon In a rice-growing powerhouse like Valencia, however, paella is only one of many recipes to feature the crop. To name just a few others, there's arroz a banda, where the fish that's used to make stock in which to cook the rice is served separately from the cooked grains; arroz del senyoret, a seafood and rice dish; and arroz negro, where the grains are tinted black with squid ink. If you get tired of rice (shhh, don't tell the locals), there's also fideuà, a close relative of paella in which the short-grain rice is substituted with small skinny noodles that crisp up slightly when cooked. (Nou Racó serves up an excellent version of this dish.) Would you prefer a soupier rice dish with seafood? Head south for a bowl of caldero. Although some associate caldero with the neighboring region of Murcia, you can find excellent versions in the Valencian province of Alicante, particularly on the island of Tabarca. Like paella, caldero takes its name from the vessel in which it is cooked—a large soup pot, where seafood, tomatoes and rice are layered with fish broth and ñoras (small, round sun-dried peppers) to produce a result that is more than the sum of its parts. In the coastal town of Benidorm, the seafood restaurant Posada del Mar has been ladling up richly flavored bowls of caldero for more than four decades, served with a fluffy mound of garlicky egg-free alioli on the side. (Dollop generously.) Grab a seat at one of the restaurant's oceanfront tables, order a crisp glass of white wine and a bowl of caldero, and exhale. [But wait! There's much more to Valencian cuisine than rice. Check back in a few days for the second installment on the area's most emblematic culinary offerings.]
