If you actually want to experience the type old-school, no-frills Valencian lunch menu that used to be abundant in the city, you should head to LL Glaber. Don’t expect trendy dishes and Instagrammable plates at this down-to-earth joint… you won’t be eating any avocado toast or truffle-infused butters. Nope, this is a place where the food is well-cooked, good value, and quintessentially Spanish! Sadly, places like this are having difficulty competing with all the shiny new tourist-oriented restaurants that have been taking over Valencia’s city center. But we’ll always love you, Glaber! If only for the excuse to say your name.
We walked in asking for a table for two, and were greeted by a hospitality that was as charming as it was chaotic. The staff here is incredibly friendly, in a way that feels natural, and they found a spot for us outside. We ordered our food, and they brought us bread and wine.
While waiting for our first plates to arrive, we tried to figure out why we waited so long before coming to L.L. Glaber. It’s situated just a few meters from the Puerta del Mar and the Glorieta Park, very near the neighborhood we live in. We’d seen it a million times while walking past, but never sat down. Maybe it was the name… “Glaber” doesn’t exactly have an appetizing ring to it… but before we could unpack that further, our first plates arrived.
On this particular day we ordered:
Mike
- Fideua
- Lenguado
- Flan
Juergen
- Macarrones
- Albondigas
- Mousse de Chocolate
Let the feast begin! Juergen’s first plate was a massive portion of macarrones with a heavy meat sauce, and grated cheese and herbs on top. A plate which can be eaten every single day. Mike’s serving of fideua was massive and decorated with a huge prawn on top. Both plates were delicious and filling, and we could have stopped there.
But here comes the next course. Juergen went for a Spanish staple: albondigas, juicy meatballs with fries. And Mike tried the lenguado (sole), which is a delicious flat fish found in the Mediterranean and along European coasts. Again, both plates were excellent, and served without any type of pretension.
Our bellies were pretty stuffed, at this point, so we were kind of dreading the arrival of the desserts. I mean, we could’ve asked for some fruit, which is always offered on the desserts menu. But we decided to be brave (for you! for our pictures!) and opted for homemade flan and mousse de chocolate.
Afterwards, we were well and truly done eating, and siesta was beckoning. The coffee (also included in the menu) helped the digestion get started, and we set off on the long, arduous, 5-minute walk back to our apartment. As we dozed off into siesta, we agreed that the word “Glaber” does have an appetizing ring to it after all. We had been wrong.
From our Valencia Menu del dia Blog.
L.L. Glaber Photos
