Dénia red prawn fritter voted best Valencian tapa 2022

A fitter style donut topped with a red prawn has been voted the best Valencian tapa of 2022, at an awards ceremony on May 15.

The red prawn fritter with its spicy mayonnaise, chard cream and pickles typical of the Marina Alta area was put together by the team at La Xerna del Mar restaurant in Dénia, Alicante.

The Tapas d’Ací campaign, run from May 5 to 22, seeks to promote the Valencian tapas culture, as well as serving to attract diners into restaurants in the area by showcasing what they have to offer.

Run by the Hospitality Federation of Valencia (FEHV), six chefs compete for the prize of the best tapa. Two chefs represent each of the three Valencian regions, Alicante, Valencia and Castellon.

The chefs are tasked with producing the best tapa both in terms of quality, taste, presentation and its representation of Valencian cuisine. Judges also base their decision on presentation and creativity, sensory values ​​or identification with the principles of the event through the use of local products.

Second in the competition was the restaurant La Carrasca de Culla (Castellón) ‘Che! Quin Churro’ and third the Casa Toni restaurant in Paterna (Valencia) through a tribute to the famous Cordà.

The three other participants were José Francisco Gómez (Los Infantes de Alicante restaurant), Gemma Gimeno (El Cid de Castelló) and Lucas Ezequiel Maldonado (Ca Miri Resto-Bar de València).

The restaurants that represent each region are those that come out tops in the annual ‘Tapas d’Ací’, a gastronomic odyssey that takes place in 60 bars and restaurants in each region.

La Xerna del Mar will be used on June 14 in an international promotion action that will take place in Zurich (Switzerland) to promote Valencian gastronomy. They will be accompanied by Kiko Moya (L’Escaleta, two Michelin Stars), Mª José Martínez (Restaurante Lienzo, one Michelin Star), Alejandra Herrador and Emanuel Carlucci (Atalaya Restaurant, one Michelin Star), Josep Palomares (Xiri Restaurant, winner of the Best Tapa Contest 2021) and the sommelier Manuela Romeralo.

Judging was carried out by chair Cuchita Lluch (member of the Royal Academy of Gastronomy), Mª José Martínez (Rainbow Restaurant, one Michelin Star), Alejandra Herrador and Emanuel Carlucci (Atalaya Restaurant, one Michelin Star) and Carlos Corredor (director of the Gastronomic Guide of Alicante).

The awards ceremony was chaired by the Regional Secretary for Tourism, Francesc Colomer, who spoke of the importance of the tapa and its history to the people and region of Valencia.

The Tapas d’Ací has become a popular event on the calendar with residents and visitors able to enjoy special dishes like the Dénia red prawn fritter that was voted the best Valencian tapa of 2022.

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