Restaurante Rodero, Pamplona

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Savor some of northern Spain's best food at Restaurante Rodero. The second generation of Roderos moves the surprising menu forward.

Jesus and Veronica Rodero opened the restaurant in 1975. Today, their children, Head Chef Koldo, sommelier Veronica, and maitre d' Maria Goretti run the family affair.

Pamplona is most famous for its Running of the Bulls, immortalized by Ernest Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises, but it has a tale to tell, too, about its farm-to-table restaurant scene.

Navarre's cuisine goes back to the Romans who settled in this part of northern Spain near what is now the French border. They grew cereals, grape vines and olive trees, the basics of Navarran cuisine to this day: bread, wine, oil.

Romanito is a regional bread, Navarre bottles wine with its own Denomination of Origin and local olive growers press an intense green, fruity oil called Arroniz.

At Restaurante Rodero, a tasting menu takes you on a whirlwind through the region's fields, waters and vineyards.

Starters

Rosato de Martini y Aceituna, Pink Martini and Olive Gelatin. Sip or even spoon this martini—and the olive beside the tiny glass carries out the theme, tinted pink with beta carotene.

Navarre grows some of the world's best olives and presses some of its richest oils, such as the extra virgin oil of Hacienda Queiles south in the Ribera area of Navarre. The green-tinged oil has a strong tomato aroma that somehow supports a spectrum of foods without overpowering.

Croqueta de Txistorra, Sausage Croquette. Txistorra is the Basque name for chistorra, a semi-cured pork sausage that originated in this northern region of Spain. The sausage is a simple mixture of pork, garlic, salt and paprika that's minced for the deep-fried croquette.

At Restaurante Rodero, the pork is paired with a bottle of local Gran Feudo Edicion Seleccion Especial.

Tortilla de Patata y Trufa con Natilla de Cebolla, Potato and Truffle Tortilla with Onion Crème. Chef Rodero loves to dream up little surprises, so it's hard to see where's he's going when this pale little cube appears on your plate. But slice into it and the savory sauce spills out the breached walls, mingling with the onion crème beneath. Dip in another bit of potato crust and all the flavors marry on the tongue.

Most Navarran truffles are sniffed out in Valdorba, in the central part of the state. Look for truffled scallops with sliced artichokes on local menus.

Verduras de Primavera al Instante con Esturion Ahumado, "Instant" Spring Vegetables with Smoked Sturgeon. Another of the chef's surprises, this gift of spring arrives in a beribboned cellophane bag. The staff will help you untie or cut the ribbon to find such fresh dainties as peas and asparagus in a light sauce.

Navarre is the vegetable garden of Spain, with most of the produce growing in the rich flood lands along the Erbo River south near Tudela. Spring is one of Navarra's headiest moments, when asparagus, artichokes, broad beans and peas all come into season.

Navarran asparagus is so superb that it, too, has its own Denomination of Origin, and towns throughout the state celebrate the firm white stalks with festivals and special restaurant events.

Main Dishes

Merluza con Veloute y Caldo de Pochas y Guindillas, Hake with Velvet Sauce on a Bed of White Beans and Green Peppers. Hake is the fish of the north, and this recipe pairs it with other regional comfort food, such as pocha beans from the town of Sanguesa. In this approach, green peppers are just flecked through the beans.

Throughout Navarre you'll also see the red peppers, piquillo, drying on balconies. They're more sweet than fiery.

Cochinillo Confitado y Crocante con Salteado de Manzana y Avellana, Suckling Pig with Apple and Hazelnut. The city of Estella is most associated with roast suckling pig, baked in its own fat, preferably in a wood-fired oven.

Mojito-Limon, a frozen palate cleanser with a vibrant lime flavor and a bit of frozen lime at its core. Again, it's a chance to pause, sip, spoon, and rest from the rigors of a world-class meal.

But certainly don't skip the final dessert: Fresa con Mascarpone, Amapola y Azahar, Strawberry with Mascarpone, Poppy and Orange Blossom. Chef Rodero and his pastry chef save their last bit of illusion food for their finale, a "strawberry" of thin fruit roll skillfully molded around mascarpone cheese. The shape is right, down to each individual dimple and seed, and they even top it off with a genuine strawberry stem. The poppy and orange blossom reductions add even more market-fresh flavor.