Pan de Cuco, where everything looks delicious
A real gem. Pleasant surroundings, relaxed atmosphere, comforting flavors, and a bill they call 'friendly'. Pan de Cuco, in the Cantabrian town of Suesa, is the kind of restaurant that can please everyone.
Named after a wild herb that grows in cornfields, Pan de Cuco is the personal project of thirty-something Alex Ortiz Cayón. Trained alongside icons of the national scene such as Casa Marcial in Asturias, Ricard Camarena in Valencia, and his neighbors at Cenador de Amós, Alex had spent years running one of the emblems of the region's traditional cuisine, La Bodega del Riojano, when he embarked with the same partners – Carlos Crespo, an expert in building successful businesses – on the task of setting up a restaurant tailored to his own vision.
Ortiz could have opted to plaster his signature on the facade and dedicate himself to serving a pretentious tasting menu—he certainly has the skills—but instead, he decided to apply his creativity to updating some of the flavors of his childhood and paying homage to a larder that ranks among the richest in the country. The aces up the sleeve of this chef, born in the Pasiegos Valleys, are the free-range chickens his parents raise in Castillo Pedroso, the Catalina anchovies from Santoña, the tomatoes from the La Cachona farm, and the peppers from Isla.
From this enviable array of well-known products, he builds a straightforward, simple, and appealing menu that makes you want to order absolutely everything. But there are a handful of must-try dishes that you simply can't leave without trying. The Russian salad (8/15 euros) was a finalist in the Spanish championship held annually at San Sebastián Gastronomika. Based on the traditional mix of potato, carrot, hard-boiled egg, tuna, and pickles, he adds toppings like piquillo peppers, trout roe, gherkins, pickled peppers, croutons, and anchovies. A true feast.
The croquettes are outstanding: smooth, creamy, coated in thick breadcrumbs, and with just the right amount of flavor. Perfect for sharing (€1.80 each). The fried squid (€16), a must-have for Cantabrian tapas, also doesn't disappoint. From there, take their recommendations, but the chicken and rice dish (€40 for two people) is one of the house specialties, and you absolutely must save room for the flan.
