Arana Restaurante - Cádiz

Arana Restaurante is a Spanish restaurant in Cádiz which can be found along the Western coast of the city. This restaurant offers typical Spanish food based on recipes from Cádiz and the region of Andalusia as a whole, in a funky and modern environment.

The Restaurant

The Arana Restaurante is located on the West coast of the Cádiz and the restaurant is right next to the seafront, which means you get excellent views of the sea and the famous 'Playa Victoria' or 'Victoria Beach' which spans the Western side of the city. The subtle decoration of the restaurant's frontage gives it a chic look and is sometimes easy to miss if you have your nose in your Cádiz city guide! However, the enticing smells of the Spanish cuisine within will definitely catch your attention!

When the restaurant opened in 1981, it had originally been called the 'Asador Reina Victoria' (Queen Victoria Steakhouse). However in 2003, the restaurant owners decided to give the restaurant a complete revamp and re-brand, changing its name to the Arana Restaurante.

During this re-brand in 2003 and under the guidance of one of the owners, Diego Bello Gómez, the entire restaurant was redecorated and every room was given a separate theme and style. The terrace was designed to give you the best views of the sea without the inconveniences. It has a roof and tent-like walls with large windows that are used when it is windy so that you can still get great views of the sea but without getting blasted by the harsh sea air.

The ground floor space at the Arana Restaurante is devoted to a Spanish tapas bar where all the tables and chairs are high up and therefore much more suited to a bar like room. Upstairs, on the top floor of the building that houses the Arana Restaurante, is an exclusive space which has been dubbed the 'Ático del Arana' (Arana Attic). This floor is more often used for group meals and is therefore decorated sophisticatedly with soft lighting and modern furniture. Altogether, the restaurant can cater for around 150 people.

The Arana Restaurante likes to ensure that the food they produce is of the highest quality and so they have spent a lot of time putting together their dedicated kitchen team. The team has many years of experience in not only this Spanish restaurant in Cádiz but in other restaurants across Spain as well as other sectors of the hospitality industry.

The Menu

At the Restaurante Arana the cuisine served is mostly based on recipes from Cádiz and Andalusia and the kitchen team tries hard to evoke the typical flavours of the region. Their menu covers a broad spectrum of dishes including tapas, meat, seafood, fish, meat and desserts. They also offer a set menu during the week for businessmen and women and occasionally the odd foreign student who is there to study Spanish in Cádiz.

The main menu has such Spanish delicacies as 'solomillo de ternera al Pedro Ximénez' (Veal sirloin steak in Pedro Ximénez wine sauce), 'almejas al aceite de oliva' (Clams in Olive oil), and 'foie de pato con queso caramelizado y confitura de higo' (duck pâté with caramelised cheese and fig jam). Meanwhile the tapas menu includes dishes such as 'pastel de berenjenas' (aubergine tart) and 'paté de cabracho' (scorpion fish pâté).

For all of those with a sweet-tooth out there, you will be glad to know that the Restaurante Arana has an excellent dessert menu that has a large quantity of home-made cakes and tarts. Some of their recommended cakes and desserts include rice pudding, strawberry cheesecake and tiramisu. As with all of this Spanish restaurant's dishes, the desserts are always presented beautifully with brightly coloured sauces which are applied to the desserts, and the plates on which they are served, in patterns.