Valencia has restaurants that are quite an institution. These centuries-old spaces, which unfortunately are becoming fewer and fewer, are unofficial embassies of Valencian gastronomy and know-how. Casa Carmela, on Malvarrosa beach, is one of them for its history and quality.
Four family generations have kept the business going since 1922. This year this emblematic place celebrates its centenary without changing its recipe one iota. Here they follow the rhythms set by great-grandmother Carmen and that Toni Novo, at the helm since 2011, executes with excellence every day.
The history of Casa Carmela dates back to Valencia at the beginning of the 20th century when the beach was filled with booths for bathers. Casa Carmela began as a barrack that served as a changing room and later began to accompany the service with take-out meals.
The humble barrack later became a small bar restaurant facing the Mediterranean and successive reforms have made it what it is today, a modern corner, adapted to its time, but maintaining all the essence that Doña Carmen devised.
Always with orange tree firewood and only with ingredients from the land, paella is the star dish of Casa Carmela. The Senyoret rice, the lobster paella or the beach lobster paella are the most popular, and the Valencian paella is only made to order.
The rice dish can be accompanied by a large assortment of sea and mountain tapas such as oysters, prawns, esgarraet, puntilla, Iberian ham or a selection of Valencian cheeses, among others. They only work with fresh fish and shellfish brought directly from the fish market, such as Dénia shrimp, beach lobster, clams, Valencian clotxina or beach tellina.
During the last 100 years, its gastronomic offering has gone beyond the limits of everyday life, even appearing in novels such as Tranvía a la Malvarrosa by Manuel Vicent, or being one of the reference places of the most illustrious neighbour of the neighbourhood, Vicente Blasco Ibáñez.
Casa Carmela receives 150 guests every day and cooks about 25 paellas per service. Why mention it? Because I highly recommend reserving a table so as not to miss such an enjoyable place facing the Mediterranean sea.