Seu-Xerea: Old City, Valencia, Spain

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Restaurant Seu-Xerea in a quiet calle in Valencia's Old City near the Plaza de la Virgen, serves a Mediterranean based fusion cuisine, a perfect blend of the best of the Mediterranean with touches of S.E. Asia, notably Thai and Burma.

The English-Burmese owner of the restaurant, Stephen Anderson, has used the knowledge of eastern cuisines he gained from the Burmese side of his dual nationality, to mix the culinary arts of east and west and blend them into an exquisite fusion of Mediterranean-Asian. His spices are never overpowering, the sauces perfectly blended to complement the fish or meat, and the accompaniments to the main courses are mini classics in themselves. The daily caught fish that is a feature of the menu, will not taste the same two days running, even if the fish is of the same type, as Steve likes to ring the changes with methods of cooking and sauces.

Steve Anderson - From Physics Teacher to Restauranteur
Arriving in Valencia as a physics teacher some years earlier, he realized after a short while that his real love lay in cooking. Seeing his future in positive terms, he abandoned the teaching career, returned to London to learn the art of cooking, and returned to Valencia to open Seu-Xerea. At the moment he oversees both the kitchen and front of house (and continues to cook when needed), helped by a very friendly staff.

What Sort of Food is Served at Seu-Xerea
Lunch time clients are mostly professionals, many local politicians among them, (Seu Xerea is within walking distance of many government offices) and there is a special 3-course Seu-Xerea menu offered Monday to Friday which includes daily caught fish, a rice dish or a meat dish (like a daube of beef with pumpkin purée or Japanese style Iberian pork rib with bok chai) in the main course section, plus desserts, many of which are straightforward English puddings like rhubarb crumble or bread and butter pudding. It is very near the Cathedral and the Plaza de la Virgen and ideal for tourists who seek good food (there is seating outside for those who don't want to lose a minute's sunshine).

There is also that staple of good restaurants nowadays, a tasting menu, but in this case Steve offers a short tasting menu and a long tasting menu. A small, but well-chosen wine list accompanies the menu, with local wines, other European wines and new world wines on offer, alongside champagnes and cavas. Most surprising, however, is the tea menu.

Teas on offer range from Geisha Flower (Japanese green tea with cherry blossom) to Monks Tea (tea mixed with flowers and aromatic herbs – an ancestral recipe of the Tibetan monks) down to The des amantes (red tea with ginger and cinnamon) and the classic English Earl Grey tea.