This family restaurant is located in western Asturias, not far from Muniellos Nature Reserve, one of the best preserved oak tree forests in Europe.
Bar Blanco has been serving patrons for half a century and it is located in the heart of the only wine-growing area of Asturias, in Cangas de Narcea, a predominantly mining and farming region located less than an hour’s drive from Oviedo. Brothers Pepe and Enrique “Quique” Ron Linde -who took over from their mother, Engracia- offer quality cuisine, with a perfect balance between innovation and tradition, while making local produce shine, both in the dishes they serve and in the cellar, where their selection of local wines stands out.
The restaurant is known as “El Blanco” and its humble façade is reminiscent of traditional Asturian chigres (in its basic form, a bar-cum-shop where natural cider and other drinks are sold). It is located on the town’s Calle Mayor, and it is divided into two spaces. Upon entering you will find the bar’s largest room presided by a simple, old-style wooden counter -undoubtedly a witness of countless stories-, as well as some tables where you can enjoy some tapas and snacks, while the restaurant’s dining room is in a separate space, at the far end of the bar. The small and charming room, which has around five tables, is decorated in a traditional style, with wooden furniture and white tablecloths and napkins.
The menu changes with the seasons, although classics such as callos (tripe) are always available. In the warm months the options include a salad of tomatoes from Corias, for example, which as Quique explains “is made from tomatoes grown here next door” and worth tasting. Among the dishes served at Bar Blanco are shiitake mushrooms sautéed with Iberian ham and eggs, ham croquettes (€9.50), grilled scallops from Cambados (Galicia), marinated salmon tataki with seaweed and teriyaki sauce (€13.50), homemade callos (€12), chickpeas with squid (€14.50) or Asturian stew (€10). The deboned mullet (€24.50) is delicate and exquisite.
The wine list includes cuvées from several local wineries, like Bodega Vidas, Monasterio de Corias or Dominio del Urogallo. This is worthy of note as it is not easy to find a varied selection of Asturian wine in the region’s restaurants. They also stock a selection of Spanish wines from places such as Ribeira Sacra, La Orotava in Tenerife or Priorat, among others.
The restlessness and desire to innovate of Quique, sommelier and bar manager, have led him to experiment with cocktails and, encouraged by his aunt who used to make them, with distilled spirits too. Thus, it is unsurprising to discover that Quique has launched his own vermouth along with winemaker Nicolás Marcos and Nacho Cuevas Capín. Called Búpili!, the base for this new vermouth is Cangas wine -made with Albillo grapes- and according to Quique, it is "a dry and very bitter drink". It is of course available in Bar Blanco. M.R.G.
