Restaurante Borda is located on Calle de de Don Juan de Austria, one of the most popular pedestrian shopping streets in Valencia. But despite its prime location, most people rush right by without ever even noticing the restaurant’s existence, because it’s not at street level. Borda is found on the second floor of the Centro Aragonés de Valencia.
Despite living in the center of Valencia for years, we never knew about this restaurant’s existence, until noticing a little menu hanging outside the door of the Aragon center. A few days later, we returned, and spent a couple minutes inside the building, totally confused as to where the restaurant might be.
But soon we detected the noises which have become so familiar and dear to us — the symphony of a Spanish lunch: clanging cutlery, frantic footsteps from rushing waiters, and the deafening drone of happy patrons chatting over each other at unbelievable decibels. We ran up the stairs and claimed one of the few remaining tables at a restaurant that is always at capacity, despite its somewhat secretive location.
But let’s get to the food of Valencia’s Borda. On this particular day we ordered:
We arrived later than usual and had to wait for a table — it’s a good idea to show up here before the rush at 2pm. Although we didn’t have to wait long before seating, some of the dishes on the menu were sadly already sold out. So we had to make some compromises.
Mike’s dish, Arroz de Sepia y Alcachofas (rice with cuttlefish and artichokes), was packed with incredible flavors. Juergen also enjoyed a classic Valencian salad (Ensalada Valenciana), with loads of fresh, crunchy vegetables and a generous helping of tuna.
While waiting for our second plate, we took the time to appreciate the decor of the restaurant, which sports antique Spanish tiles and rural scenes from Aragon. It’s amazing that such a cool, unheralded, beautiful and affordable restaurant still exists in the middle of Valencia.
Our thoughts were interrupted when the waiter placed the next dishes on our table. Mike’s Merluza a la Plancha, hake served with eggplant, was pan-fried to perfection. Meanwhile, Juergen’s Revuelto de Verduras was scrambled eggs with vegetables. Not the most exciting dish, but he found it satisfying.
For dessert, Juergen had Cuajada con miel, an traditional Spanish dish made from curdled milk. It’s very light in taste and the covering of honey gives it a sweet kick. The Flan was served as a slice topped with a heaping of whipped cream, and was also great. Inspired by the restaurant’s decor, we spent our entire meal planning a trip to the Pyrenees. Actually, we do the same thing every time we eat here, but have never actually followed through. Some day, though, we will!
From our Valencia Lunch Blog.
