Mantúa Restaurante Jerez de la Frontera Spain

Mantúa, owned and run by chef Israel Ramos, opened in 2017 and was the realisation of a long held dream. Ramos’s credentials are impressive, having previously worked at several Michelin star and other fine dining establishments throughout Spain. With the opening of Albalá in 2010 he was a pioneer in the upscale dining scene in Jerez. But it’s clear that Mantúa is where his heart belongs. Named after a grape that was planted in the “sherry triangle” region in the eighteenth century, Mantúa reflects Ramos’s philosphy of keeping things local.

I’ve been a fan of Albalá for years and so when I heard it had a posh sister restaurant I put it on my list, waiting for an occasion for a posh meal. Finally the stars aligned and I went for lunch with two local friends who have been to Mantúa several times.

Decór is minimalist chic, with pale cream walls and large windows, crisp white linen on the tables. There are just six tables and the room feels comfortable and welcoming. Elegant but not stuffy.

There are three set menus: Creta (€55), Arcilla (€65) and Caliza (€75), with 8, 12 and 16 dishes respectively. You can also opt for wine pairing (€30-€45 depending on the chosen menu) and put yourself in the very competent hands of front of house somm Jonathan Cantero.

We opted for the Arcilla menu and chose our own wines, with some help from Jonathan, but I think that next time I will just let him do the pairing.

The food. There is a little playfulness with the starters, but nothing too far from reality. I’m not usually a fan of molecular gastronomy, but dammit if that sphere of “marinated carrot” starter didn’t taste exactly like a homemade zanahoria aliñá in one bite, with all the full flavour of fresh carrot, olive oil and cumin. The razor clam with pil-pil and caviar was a delicious visit to the seaside, and the duxelle toast with pancetta and black truffle took us straight up to the mountains. The earthiness of that duxelle… could have eaten five more! We finished the starters with another molecular dish: a sea anemone fritter with manzanilla alioli. My main complaint about deep-fried sea anemone is when they are undercooked and too slimy, but somehow a totally liquid one was perfection.

Main dishes started off with plump fresh prawns with citric sorbet and a silky gazpacho poured over top. Then a medley of lightly sautéed baby veg from Navazo, served with chopped egg and a deep and delicious chicken escabeche. Puntillitas (tiny squid) came with a saffron sauce, egg and truffle, and eensy sausage meatballs. The fish of the day was sea bass with a pumpkin and pringá stew, which was followed by quail pil-pil with manteca colorá and aubergine. Tender deer in a spicy broth with basil yoghurt brought the savoury part of the menu to a close.

Desserts included goat ice milk with sherry vinegar and beet root sauce, Tonka bean with chocolate, arrope and a pretty selection of petit four.

Re: wines. We chose, with Jonathan’s guidance (I said I was looking for something light and fresh, and not too “challenging”), Pezas de Portela 2015 Godello, to accompany most of our meal. But Jonathan also slipped in a couple of fabulous regional wines and finished us off with a beautiful chardonnay champagne with dessert. This is why I say I will let him take care of ALL the wines next time. The Godello was gorgeous, but it is a bit of a shame not to take advantage of – and learn more about – what the region has to offer.

As you can see, everything was beautifully presented, and the service was impeccable. Can’t really recommend Mantúa enough. It has the feeling of a place with real heart, and flavours that attest to the chef’s love of his region. Unpretentious and about as perfect as a meal can get.