It’s a shame that the comunidad autónoma of Cantabria is largely overlooked by travelers to Spain despite bordering the world-famous food destination Basque Country.
Perhaps it’s this geographical conundrum that has left the lush Cantabrian landscape on the sidelines of its more Michelin-starred neighbor. Which is a shame, really.
While data shows that tourist arrivals in Cantabria were only around 434,000 last year—a far cry from the Basque Country’s more than two million tourist movements and even more so when compared with Cataluña, Balearic Islands, the Canaries, Valencia, and Madrid—the region is rife with intense flavors and fascinating seafood that’s worth losing yourself into.
On my last trip to Spain in December 2023, I found myself navigating Cantabria with Cartes as my base—a quaint village that housed the tallest Christmas tree in Spain last year and is actually right next to Gonzalez’s home city of Torrelavega—to sample even more of the region’s gleaming cuisine.
On my last trip to Spain in December 2023, I found myself navigating Cantabria with Cartes as my base—a quaint village that housed the tallest Christmas tree in Spain last year and is actually right next to Gonzalez’s home city of Torrelavega—to sample even more of the region’s gleaming cuisine.
From a slow-cooked solomillo swimming in a thick savory sauce and a hearty bacalao stew for Christmas to milk-soaked torrijas and creamy quesadas (a Cantabrian cake), and even chocolate con churros from Chocolatería Áliva in Santander, the northern autonomous community pieces together unique experiences for those willing to explore beyond the Spanish norm.
Cantabria is Chele Gonzalez’s ode to his community
But I’m also convinced that Chele Gonzalez, whose resumé involves wildly successful restaurants in the Philippines and numerous collaborations and speaking stints that include a presentation at Madrid Fusion 2024, is certainly, consistently bringing Cantabrian gastronomy into the limelight.
In his latest venture simply called Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez atop The Westin Manila, Gonzalez, whether intentional or not, poses a question upon entering the space: Why would you want to miss out on this different side of Spanish cuisine?
The answers, it feels, are found everywhere, too.
Within the beautiful space that references Spanish colors and textures; in the decoration that pays tribute to Gonzalez’s origins; in the portraits of Potes, Comillas, Picos de Europa, and all of the region’s tierra infinita (infinite landscapes); on the vast menu awash in pride and nostalgia; in the bountiful productos del mar (sea produce), and in the core memories of Gonzalez’s childhood.
‘A lot of love, care, and thoughts’
One year in the making, Cantabria is a restaurant that goes through all stages of Gonzalez’s life and all aspects that make the community an underrated destination in a location that echoes the peaks of Cantabria.
“A Spanish restaurant has always been in the plans for our hotel,” says The Westin Manila general manager Alexander Dietzsch. “We wanted to collaborate with a chef who can bring an authentic experience to the table. We searched far and wide and we didn’t find anyone in Manila who is as dedicated to the concept as Chele.”
“In this particular concept, I wanted to create something different from the other restaurants I have. So this personality is about my region and where I grew up,” says Gonzalez.
Cantabria is an endless source of gastronomic joy
Together with friend and chef de cuisine Ivan Saiz Sordo, Gonzalez gets right down to business with an opening salvo that slips and slides into Cantabria’s seafood strengths—“beautiful and high-level ingredients like caviar, anchovies, and oysters” that are cooked lightly to let the natural flavors speak for themselves.
The experience then spirals into all the produce that make this Spanish region a unique one, like the grilled rodaballo (turbot), which is regarded as “one of the treasures from our waters” according to Gonzalez, thanks to its exceptional nutrient and collagen content as well as fished-out-of-the-sea flavor.
There’s also the tosta de anchoa y berenjena (Cantabrian premium anchovies, baguette toast, and charred eggplant) that hits you with a salty and luxurious punch. It’s the freshest taste of the sea, after all.
“They say that the best anchovies in the world are from Santoña, a fishing town in Cantabria,” mentions Gonzalez.
Elsewhere, the tapas toggle between the East and West—seen in a caviar-topped solomillo Ibérico “sando” and chili crab croquetas that are as perfect as crossover cuisines can get—and, unsurprisingly, Gonzalez’s childhood.
“Every Saturday my mom used to make canelón/ravioli for lunch at home,” he says of his ravioli de carne guisado. But while his version still feels like a love letter to his youth, the hefty and elevated Cantabria ravioli features an espuma made with Parmesan bechamel and finished with basil oil. The meats are divine and so are the desserts (particularly the sobao pasiego that’s given a fresh berry and cheesy spin).
Just like the panoramic panels of San Vicente de la Barquera at the far end of the dining space where the sky and the mountains meet the sea, Cantabria’s lofty emergence signals that, yes, you can look up into the heavens and find the bounty of the ocean.
In the end, however, the sea remains central to Cantabria’s story.
Just like the panoramic panels of San Vicente de la Barquera at the far end of the dining space where the sky and the mountains meet the sea, Cantabria’s lofty emergence signals that, yes, you can look up into the heavens and find the bounty of the ocean.
Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez serves dinner from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. For reservations and inquiries, email cantabria.manila@westin.com or contact +63 962 533 7957