Citrus del Tancat

If you happen to have at your disposal an estate with plenty of history, an attractive small hotel (Tancat de Codorniu) surrounded by landscaped grounds, over 2 000 fruit trees (mainly orange, hence the name Citrus) and a large organic vegetable garden, you have the cornerstones of a project that is steeped in the local region. Here, the gastronomic cuisine comes courtesy of young chef Aitor López, who flies the flag for Mediterranean cooking that is based around locally sourced ingredients from the Ràpita fish auction and the Ebro delta, with a constant nod to Catalan and Valencian recipes that result from the restaurant’s location straddling both regions. His delicate cooking, including dishes such as roasted onion with langoustine and fish suquet, is centred around three tasting menus: Lo Canar, Montsià, and Sol de Riu. At the entrance to the estate you’ll find a second restaurant called Els Jardins del Tancat offering more straightforward cuisine based around rice dishes and grilled fish.