I hope you all have eaten before you sit down and listen to this episode, because this week, I’m joined by Chef Javier Canteras! We’re talking about his restaurant, Urdaneta, on Alberta Street here in Portland.

Spanish Tapas in Portland:

Urdaneta is a Spanish restaurant with a strong influence of the Basque region of Spain, as well as Madrid. This is because Javier is originally from Spain. What they specialize in is tapas, Spanish wines, and other specialties from the Basque region.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

What tapas are, exactly. Javier says there is some contention of what makes a tapa, but as far as he’s concerned, tapas are simply “small plates”—which means they can be a lot of things! The ultimate goal is that you can eat tapas in about five bites but that you get a few different things so you can have a variety.

The different kinds of tapas that are offered at Urdaneta. They have tapas broken down into three categories: Pintxos, Tapas Primeros, and Tapas Segundos. Javier shares some of his favorite tapas from each category and explains each one is almost like you are going through the different courses of a meal.

How Javier got his start. He’s a trained chef who went to culinary school, but he got is REAL start as a kid. Between his father and his grandfather, cooking has been a part of his family for a long time.

The atmosphere of Urdaneta. He describes it was a “really big kitchen that has tables and chairs around it”. It’s laid back, fun, and high-end without the white tablecloths.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Urdaneta

Basque Supper Club

Monta Villa Market

Star Chefs

PDX Eater

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Javier and I touch on so much more than the show notes describe, such as the Basque Supper Club, so to find out even more awesome information about this incredible restaurant, be sure to listen to the full episode! In the end, the folks at Urdaneta want you to make friends, have fun, and share great food.