Duende Brings New Spanish Tapera to the Upper Valley
Head to Duende. Fill your table with beautifully plated tapas (or larger plates if you must), peruse a book by Spanish poet Federico García Lorca, sip the house-made sangria. It was the perfect Saturday lunch to celebrate one of the few sunny days in the Upper Valley, though it could offer comfort on a gray winter’s day as well.
Tucked into the space formerly occupied by Candelas Tapas at 15 Lebanon Street in downtown Hanover, NH, Duende got off to a slow start, hanging its sign over a year ago—leaving us all to wonder about it—before finally opening last May.
It describes itself as a “traditional Spanish tapería.” My husband and I ordered five tapas and a dessert to share. The kitchen thoughtfully divided the first, salmorejo cordobés, or cold tomato soup, into two separate bowls garnished with hard-boiled egg, olive oil, and bits of Serrano ham. We chose also buñuelos de bacalao (cod fritters), magra (pork) in tomato sauce, and croquetas variadas (traditional Spanish croquettes.) All were beautifully presented and tasty. Service was friendly and helpful.
The standout dish, though, was berenjena con sirope, an unlikely (at first) pairing of eggplant and maple syrup. Reminiscent of outsized potato chips but softer. Paper-thin slices lightly dusted and fried, with—instead of the traditional honey—a drizzle of maple syrup as a nod to the restaurant’s New England locale.
Dessert? Pan de calatrava, something between flan and bread pudding with soft, fresh whipped cream. Two forks, per usual.
In Spanish, duende translates to “a quality of passion and inspiration.” If a performer gives you goosebumps, you might say he has duende. —GreaterUpperValley.com
Menu is here. Additional information and hours are here. How and why did Duende find its way to Hanover? Learn more here.
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