L'Escapada Wins Top Prize at Revived Codfish Days in Andorra la Vella

L'Escapada restaurant claimed top honours in the tasting competition at Andorra la Vella's revived Codfish Days, held Friday at the Congress Centre, with its 'Horta i calma' dish of cod over leek cream, vegetable textures and aromatic crunch impressing the jury most.

Some 22 restaurants from the capital parish entered the contest, according to multiple reports, with Can Manel taking second for a brandada de bacallà with Irish coffee and samfaina, and Japomex third for low-temperature cod with miso, black garlic musselina and chipotle. The panel, which included first consul major Sergi González, assessed dishes on organoleptic quality, technique, presentation and innovation.

González hailed the event's comeback after more than a decade, tying it to the 'Cuinem el futur d'Andorra la Vella' initiative aimed at boosting the parish's dining sector through stronger professional ties. He noted high excitement among participants, with "lots of nerves in the kitchens" beforehand, and praised local restaurants as "very potent." The revival stemmed from collaboration with restaurateurs to build gastronomic networks.

Historically, cod sustained Andorran diets when transport links were scarce, its salted form allowing long storage as the go-to fish option, González said. Two decades back, four specialist cod shops thrived in Andorra la Vella, and it featured in daily meals. The original Codfish Days, with weekend stalls in Plaça del Poble and Plaça de les Arcades where eateries served cod specials, ended in 2013.

"We're very pleased to revive this cod tradition, a staple in Andorra la Vella," González stated. He expects the event to gain momentum, potentially attracting more entries next year to "get buzzing again."

Rostx chef Rodrigo Martínez, making his debut, welcomed the push. His entry featured low-temperature confit cod with chickpea-spinach stew and a low-temperature egg, designed to "contribute our grain of sand." "It's our first time in these days; we see it as positive because it helps the parish's cuisine advance and improve," he said.

Though cod looms large in Portuguese cuisine amid a declining local community, González clarified the event was not targeted at them but could reconnect the group through shared food traditions.