Arroz a banda is Valencia's seafood-stock rice, cooked in a fish broth made from rockfish, served alone with allioli on the side: a sailor's rice from the Cabanyal fishing quarter.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Arroz a banda emerged from the Cabanyal fishermen who could not sell the small rockfish (morralla) at market. They cooked the rice in the fish stock until the broth was absorbed, then ate it with allioli on the side. The name (banda = separately) refers to the fish being served apart from the rice, in the older tradition. Modern Valencian restaurants serve the dish without the fish, just the deeply-flavoured rice with allioli, at La Riua, Casa Carmela and the El Palmar restaurants.
Common allergens: Fish, Egg (allioli)
Tip from the editors. The stock is everything. Use small whole rockfish, not just bones, and skim the foam. Add the saffron at the boiling-stock stage, not later.
La Riua on Carrer del Mar in Valencia's old town has run a family-tavern rice kitchen since 1978, now in the third generation, with a dozen paellas.
Signature: Paella valenciana, Arroz a banda, Fideua
Order: The paella valenciana or the arroz a banda; the house Utiel-Requena tinto is honest.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The dining room fills with locals by 14:00; reserve ahead.
Casa Carmela on the Malvarrosa beachfront in Valencia has cooked wood-fired paellas to order since 1922, with a 20-strong rice repertoire and a lunch-only.
Signature: Paella valenciana, Arroz a banda, Esgarraet
Order: The paella valenciana cooked over orange-wood embers, ordered when you book.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead for weekend lunch. Lunch only Tue to Sat 13:00-16:00; no dinner.
La Pepica on Passeig de Neptu in Valencia's Malvarrosa beach has served paella since 1898; Hemingway, Queen Sofia and Orson Welles all ate the rice here.
Signature: Paella valenciana, Arroz a banda, Arroz del senyoret
Order: The paella valenciana with rabbit, chicken and ferraura beans at lunch.
Tip: Book the beachfront terrace one week ahead. Closed Sunday evenings. Hemingway's signed photograph hangs in the inner dining room.
Rausell on Calle Angel Guimera is a 1948 family fish and rice kitchen in Extramurs working a daily chalkboard of lonja catch with pescaito frito and arroces.
Order: Pescaito frito plate of the day plus a half-portion of arroz a banda.
Why locals love it: 1948 family fish-and-rice kitchen in Extramurs with no tourist visibility, a daily chalkboard of lonja catch.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Reserve weekend lunch.
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