Chef C’s Paella de Andaluz – a New Paella Discovery!

Rockwell UTT Winner #24: 
CHEF C’S PAELLA DE ANDALUZ
3.59

127 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
162 foodies rated 4- I love it!
125 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
75 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
19 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.

Chef C’s Paella de Andaluz is a recent paella discovery, which was introduced in Mercato Centrale by our resident Angus Tapa Lady. It is almost sold out every weekend. Its success can probably be attributed to the great cooking skills that run in Chef Carlos’ family. He was able to successfully learn and apply the Spanish cooking techniques passed down through generations.

At the UTT, I kept hearing people rave about the seafood and meat paella. I wasn’t really surprised. The paella is quite unique and different from the ones already available in the market.

Congratulations to Chef C’s Paella de Andaluz for winning over foodies at the Ultimate Taste Test in Rockwell!

The Story of the Paella de Andaluz
by Carlos Tuason

Went to Spain two years ago to fix my papers and of my siblings since we were entitled to get our Spanish passports (as citizens of Spain ) since my mother is half-Spanish.

My Mom and I stayed at her relative’s place at Santa Coloma de Geremet, Barcelona for about five months. We lived with our Abuelita, the sister of my Abuelito, who was 92years old at that time, but very much capable to go around shopping, converse and, of course, cook.

She taught me her Spanish dishes since we were not able to communicate as much. She spoke more of Catalan (we Filipinos speak Castillano), and one of her forms of communicating (with) me was through teaching me how to cook her dishes as her family would go home for lunch everyday from work (their office is just near their place).

Aside from my Abuelita, two of my uncles, Angel and Franci, were good cooks as well. The latter one was one of the chefs at a well-known restaurant at Sta. Coloma. He, too, taught me some of his specialties but Tio Angel, the husband of the 1st cousin of my mom, was the one who taught me how to cook Paella. Tio Angel told me that his style of cooking his paella was handed down to him from generation to generation.

My Aunt, who was a councilor of the city of Sta. Coloma, would always ask my Tio Angel if he can 
cook paella since the council members would request his paella during their meetings and occasions.

When we arrived back in Manila, a lot of my friends requested that I cook Paella for them since I (told) them that the only thing that I did in Spain was learn how to cook. =)

Paella de Andaluz

Paella de Andaluz
Small – good for 4 – 6 (P1,300)
Medium – good for 15 – 20 (P3,300)
Large – good for 25-30 (P4,300)

Foodies’ Comments:

• good but very small servings
• lacks seasoning, salt? 
• too watery
• yummy!
• love the seafood flavor, rice is nicely cooked
• yummy. a bit hot
• typical paella
•  flavorful, good!
• best paella ever!!!
• miss my mom’s paella! reminds me so much of this…
• loved the taste! so delicious chicken full of flavor
• it’s so delicious!
• lovely paella
• paella is great
• perfectly spicy & rice is soft
• good tasty food:)
• it’s ok
• it lacked taste, doesn’t come off like andaluz
• quality
• starchy
• good
• paging saffron!
• a bit too spicy
• the owner (chef) is very arrogant!!!
• plain
• yummy paella!
• vendor could be more polite.
• rice is a bit soggy & too spicy
• tastes much better when it’s hot
• too small serving
• good flavor, YUM!
• sarap!
• too sticky
• rice too soft
• it’d be better with lemon juice
• nothing great
• flavorful, best paella
• spicy
• rice is soggy
• it was ok. would’ve like it a bit more moist
• too spicy for me
• rice was tasty even without meat
• may be a bit spicy
• a bit dry. need flavor
• good taste. right sourness, spiciness
• hotness & saltiness!
• paella was good
• love that it’s spicy and has everything!
• good
• it is wonderful
• could use a seafood taste
• the paella is great!
• best paella!? good!
• lacks the paella taste
• i think it’s good. more saffron!
• love!
• i love the seafood w paella
• flavorful
• verygood!
• they gave such a small serving i couldn’t taste anything but rice
• nothing special
• it was cold & meats were dry
• lacks flavor
• sorry. hard to appreciate when serving is too small
• nothing new
• very flavorful. rice was very moist!
• best paella!
• yum!
• spice level is OK
• liked the taste of paella. very tasty!
• very tasty & moist!? good paella. spanish style & not cheap kind
• finally a paella that isn’t dry 🙂 
• overcooked
• okay paella
• yummy! 
• wasn’t too fresh
• delicious!
• flavorful & worth recommending 🙂 
• very tasty
• very good! it’s very flavorful!
• must have been the best paella i’ve ever tasted
• i love how flavorful the paella is!
• not accommodating
• missed the shrimp but it is tasty
• innovative flavors but lacks creaminess
• not a fan of paella. sorry
• always a mercato fave!
• the best paella i’ve ever tasted!
• it’s okay. nothing that special
• like a risotto but good
• powerful taste but really good
• okay. just okay
• perfect recipefor paella!
• great!
• just the right spice but lacks the flavor
• super good balanced flavors
• not authentic and kinda oily
• oily 
• paella –  love it!
• yummy!
• very good!
• tuna was a bit overcooked
• super yummy!
• very tasty
• i want more!
• improve rice pls! but taste is excellent!
• nice & spicy w bits of my fave tapa
• OKAY
• just your usual paella
• best tasting paella i’ve tried
• i’m not really a paella fan
• could eat the whole pan
• it didn’t taste like paella, too wet
• sana may tutong
• love it! more please!
• what’s to love?
• tastes good-bitin serving size
• rice is too soft
• rice a bit overcooked
• perfect amount of heat
• the best paella i’ve ever had
• i want to eat this everyday
• oily and not authentic flavors
• the flavor is awesome! wish it was hot!
•  tasty & flavorful! love the spice!
• tasty!
• nice flavor
• tastes like afritada
• nice flavor!
• liked the subtle spiciness & nice presentation
• it’s good but rice is burnt
• ok yum
• i’m not really a fan of paella but this is good!
• needs more saffron
• too common
• lacks saffron taste
• too dry
• not unique
• could be better!
• unique taste
• nice paella but a bit cold
• yum!
• flavorful, moist, love!
• rice is a little too wet
• love paella
• lacks flavor
• best paella, moist
• too much spice!
• excellent paella
• rice too soft
• sticky. not much flavor
• tastes perfect!
• very tasty!
• nothing special
• okay
• it is prepared very well
• great. strong flavor
• sarap ng aftertaste
• paella was ordinary
• overcooked rice
• tastes starchy. burnt:(
•  tasty
• a nice kick!
• like consistency of rice
• too wet & too spicy for me
• it’s so flavorful!:)
• Great Paella!
• Liked it! Love the flavor
• Love that it’s spicy!
• sarap ng tahong!

 

 

 

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