Regina Troy Barrios

Cantabria’s New Menu Takes You From Northern Spain To Cádiz

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Pepper Teehankee

Two Spanish regions, two chefs, and a shared history come together in <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cantabria.manila/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez&rsquo;s</a> new Los Chicucos menu at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/westinmanilahotel/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Westin Manila</a>. Inspired by the historical connection between Cantabria and C&aacute;diz&mdash;the hometowns of Creative Culinary Director Chef Chele Gonzalez and Chef de Cuisine &Aacute;lvaro Romero-Abreu Raya&mdash;the menu brings together flavors, techniques, and traditions from both ends of Spain.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788246900654Chef Álvaro Romero-abreu Raya and Chef Chele Gonzalez.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">&nbsp;&Aacute;lvaro Romero-abreu Raya and Chele Gonzalez: Two chefs, two regions, one shared Spanish story. | Photo: The Westin Manila</div><h3>From Cantabria to C&aacute;diz</h3>Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez&rsquo;s menu highlights the diversity of Spanish cuisine, starting with produce and delicacies unique to Chele&rsquo;s region in northern Spain. Cantabria is a tierra infinita, or &ldquo;infinite landscape,&rdquo; known for its culinary treasures from the ocean to the mountains.&ldquo;Spanish cuisine continues to evolve over time, and we want to showcase not only its progression but also the shared history of regions such as Cantabria and C&aacute;diz,&rdquo; Chele says.C&aacute;diz was a prominent trade hub with the Americas in the 19th and 20th centuries. This led to a wave of young apprentices, or &ldquo;los chicucos,&rdquo; from Cantabria migrating to the south and becoming a significant provincial group within the commercial sector of C&aacute;diz.They bought and sold products from Cantabria and introduced techniques for cold-chain processing, oil-curing, and the preservation of anchovies and bonito. These methods helped turn traditional local catches into shelf-stable products. Over time, more people discovered Cantabrian products, adding to the trading network that linked northern and southern Spain with the New World.The new menu pays homage to this connection between Cantabria and C&aacute;diz, where Chef &Aacute;lvaro comes from.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788246968994Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez Chef de Cuisine Álvaro Romero-abreu Raya garnishing the Solomillo de Vaca of the LOS CHICUCOS Verano Menú with Fili.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Chef &Aacute;lvaro, carrying the Los Chicucos story forward | Photo: The Westin Manila</div>&ldquo;Our new menu series represents the creative process between me and Chef &Aacute;lvaro,&rdquo; Chele explains. &ldquo;It is like a culinary dialogue centered on flavors, techniques, and traditions from northern and southern Spain, translated into a five-course dining experience. This is our way of sharing our heritage with the community, similar to the story of Los Chicucos.&rdquo;<h3>A taste of Spanish summer</h3>Los Chicucos is a multi-course journey through the hometowns of the two chefs, with seasonal iterations starting with the Verano (summer) menu. Featuring seasonal ingredients and produce prepared using traditional techniques, each course is inspired by the memories of both chefs and the flavors of a Spanish summer.The summer menu starts with&nbsp;Canel&oacute;n Crujiente de Ensaladilla de Salm&oacute;n Ahumado, Ikura y Eneldo (crunchy roll stuffed with smoked salmon, potato salad, ikura or salmon roe, and dill), the first of three tapas served before the five-course meal.This is followed by Bu&ntilde;uelo de Queso Idiazabal al Piment&oacute;n y Gel de Membrillo con Pistachos (smoked cheese puff with paprika, quince, and pistachios), a one-bite dish inspired by the flavors of a Spanish cheese board, with Idiazabal, one of the notable cheeses of northern Spain, and pistachios.The last tapa is Tortillita de Camarones (baby prawn fritters, pickled onions, and parsley emulsion), a light and crispy specialty from C&aacute;diz.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788247104212The LOS CHICUCOS Verano Menú starts with a trio of tapas.jpg" style="width: 960px; display: block; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Three Spanish tapas begin the Los Chicucos Verano menu | Photo: The Westin Manila</div><h3 id="isPasted">From tuna to bacalao</h3>The first course is At&uacute;n, Gazpacho, Piri&ntilde;aca y Ali&ntilde;o (tuna sashimi, gazpacho, pickled Spanish peppers, and frozen salad), a contemporary interpretation of a classic with flavors from both the north and south of Spain.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788247165789First Course - Atún, Gazpacho, Piriñaca y Aliño.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">At&uacute;n, Gazpacho, Piri&ntilde;aca y Ali&ntilde;o | Photo: The Westin Manila</div>The second course is Pimientos de Piquillo, Cangrejo, Suero de Hinojo y Majao (piquillo pepper, crab, fennel dressing, and majao). The stuffed peppers are roasted over an open flame to enhance their natural sweetness and aroma. The dish is rooted in northern Spanish cuisine.This is followed by Bacalao al Pilpil, Cuajada de Apio y Meloso de Choco y Vieiras (codfish, pil-pil, celery cuajada, and black rice with scallops), the restaurant&rsquo;s take on bacalao al pil-pil, one of the iconic dishes of northern Spain.The fish trimmings are used to extract collagen, while the dish is composed of black rice cooked with cuttlefish and scallops, similar to paella negra, adding more flavors of the sea.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788247176289Second Course - Pimientos de Piquillo, Cangrejo, Suero de Hinojo y Majao.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Pimientos de Piquillo, Cangrejo, Suero de Hinojo y Majao | Photo: The Westin Manila</div>The meat course is Solomillo de Vaca, Salsa Caf&eacute; de Paris, Pav&eacute; y Berenjena Asada (tenderloin, Caf&eacute; de Paris sauce, roasted eggplant pur&eacute;e, and potato pav&eacute;), an interpretation of classic Spanish home cooking. The Caf&eacute; de Paris-inspired sauce is enriched with Cantabrian anchovies for added depth and umami, a nod to the northern coast.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788247259048Fourth Course - Solomillo de Vaca, Salsa Café de Paris, Pavé y Berenjana Asada.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Solomillo de Vaca, Salsa Caf&eacute; de Paris, Pav&eacute; y Berenjena Asada | Photo: The Westin Manila</div>At the end of the meal is Melon, C&iacute;tricos y Macedonia (melon gel&eacute;e, lime-lemon granita, and Macedonia skewers), a reimagined version of citrus ice pops, served with slices of Cantabrian sobao, a traditional sponge cake. It brings together the freshness and simple pleasures of Spanish summer.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788247286249Fifth Course - Melón, Citricos y Macedonia.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960">Mel&oacute;n, C&iacute;tricos y Macedonia | Photo: The Westin Manila</div>&Aacute;lvaro adds, &ldquo;Every version of our Los Chicucos menu will feature a personal and contemporary interpretation of heritage recipes from the north and south of Spain, while staying true to their essence and tradition. This gives us room for more creativity in curating each selection according to different seasons, drawing inspiration from our memories, and showcasing the best products available.&rdquo;The Los Chicucos Verano Menu is available for lunch and dinner until October 31, 2026, at Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez, The Westin Manila, No. 1 Resort Drive, Pasay City. The menu is priced at P2,900+ per person. Advance reservations are required via Los Chicucos reservations. Follow&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/cantabria.manila/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@cantabria.manila</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/westinmanilahotel/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@westinmanilahotel</a>&nbsp;on Instagram and Facebook for updates.

Cantabria at The Westin Manila introduces Los Chicucos, a seasonal five-course Spanish menu inspired by the shared culinary history of Cantabria and Cádiz. Discover the dishes, the story behind the menu, and how Chele Gonzalez and Álvaro Romero-Abreu Raya bring their hometowns to the table.

Cantabria at The Westin Manila introduces Los Chicucos, a seasonal five-course Spanish menu inspired by the shared culinary history of Cantabria and Cádiz. Discover the dishes, the story behind the menu, and how Chele Gonzalez and Álvaro Romero-Abreu Raya bring their hometowns to the table.