Península Casa Española

The restaurant Península Casa Española is located right in midtown Antwerp, very close to the Boerentoren, the city's first skyscraper, excepting the illustrious cathedral. The Boerentoren could be a good reference point to locate this Spanish restaurant, which is not far from the Place Verte (Groenplaats) and Meir Alley, a very chic shopping area. The restaurant is located amidst other establishments on a pedestrian-only street, a real microcosm of international gastronomy. The small window full of odds and ends, and a Spanish flag hanging outside, proudly remind one of the establishments style: a real casa española. The restaurant's dining room, a small, vaulted corridor, was in the Middle Ages and in later years a warehouse for goods from faraway places, brought in by ships. We must not forget that Antwerp was and still is a great cargo port, the real hub of Belgian maritime commerce. The parents of the owner, Rafael Dobon, imported Spanish food products. They managed a small empire of various stores scattered around town. This specific place was called the Península because when his parents separated, his mother was left with this store: the minuscule peninsula of their empire. She opened a Spanish wine business. Her son Rafael, born in Spain, in Linares, Jaén, arrived in Belgium with his parents at the age of three. Therefore his education was marked by two traditions, those of his Spanish roots and those of a large city. As an adolescent, he returned to live with his grandmother in Madrid. A real "bon vivant," he went to study at the university. But instead of attending classes, he skipped courses and instead discovered the habits and way of life of his ancestors. After a few years that were poor in formal studies but rich in gastronomic experiences, he returned to Belgium where he opened, with some help from his parents, his first restaurant: El Maya (in honor of his daughter). The difficult events surrounding his parents' separation led him to pick up his pilgrim's staff once more. This time, he decides he wants to see the world. He visits Australia, eastern Asia, and Japan, where he meets Hisa, who will become his lifelong companion. At age 24, he takes over his mother's business, but as soon as the supermarkets begin selling Spanish wines, he can no longer compete with them. The wine store is converted into a restaurant. The house specialty is paella, widely demanded by the city's residents. Slowly but surely, his customers become more international. It becomes as easy to find there the city mayor, traders from the port, members of the liberal professions, as it is to find tourists who are visiting Antwerp and are looking for a good meal at a reasonable price. Once, when part of the U.S. Navy fleet docked in town, the ranking admiral honored the Península with a visit. The welcome offered by Hisa, who ten years after they met became his wife and collaborator, might lead a visitor astray. Her rising sun smile seems to belong in the neighboring Vietnamese restaurant, but she will greet you in Spanish with a charming Oriental accents. The small dining room has six tables and can accommodate some twenty customers. The menu choices are somewhat limited, but regulars are charmed by the new dishes they find each month.

The sopa de ajo, a bouillon with eggs and garlic, and the riñones al jerez are perennial Rafael dishes, but his specialty is still paella. He makes it either with fish or with meat. His atún con salsa de pimiento verde is a tasty and amusing variant of a pepper steak. Sometimes, one can detect in the finishing touches of the dishes that Rafael offers his customers, an oriental touch- a nod and a wink to the fusion of his artistry with the country of origin of his partner. For dessert, the pijama, a cream with seasonal fruits and whipped cream, fulfills the dreams of all sweet lovers. The carajillo is a variation on the traditional Irish coffee, but you will never find out the ingredients, since Rafael keeps them very secret. In the wine list there are only some fifteen wines, but those who insist get to choose from the large choice available in the Península's private cellar. All grape-growing regions can be found there, each of them represented by several vintages. The daily wine list only includes table wines, but at interesting prices.

The Península is an inevitable stop in this beautiful town called Antwerp for all those who love Spanish cuisine.

Harry De Schepper is a freelance journalist specializing in gastronomy and wine. He teaches both subjects at the COOVI in Brussels.