Starters from Coque restaurant

In 2003, Coque received the award for the Best Restaurant in Spain from Spain's Ministry of Agriculture. A year later, it received its first Michelin star. From then on, Mario began to seek his own philosophy, and ended up focusing on the "archaeology of flavor," with an emphasis on authentic local produce, working as a family, and what he learned on his travels. In his "archaeology of flavor," Mario Sandoval is concerned—just as his parents were—with the origins of every ingredient, and the authenticity of each dish.

In conjunction with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Mario has also developed various techniques and technologies than can be applied to gastronomy. Areas of interest include supercritical liquid extraction, hydrolyzed egg, ecological fighting-bull beef cooked at high pressure, polyphenols in red wine, and fibers. These have all been used in Coque's dishes over the years.