AWARD-WINNING ‘SOAP BURGER’ IN VALENCIA! PASSION, BALANCE AND PRIDE... • 24/7 Valencia

The business founded by brothers Vicente and Iván Trinidad begins a new adventure on Gran Vía Marqués del Turia after becoming protagonists in the latest BestBurger competition. Soap Burger has made its landing in the city of Valencia after years of hard work, during which they have built a reputation starting from Villar del Arzobispo, their hometown in the heart of the Serranía. In fact, Soap achieved national recognition just a few months ago when its Umami Queen burger won third prize in the Best Burger Spain competition—a boost that put them on the map of the best burger joints in the country, despite being located exclusively in a small village in the interior of the province of Valencia. But there is a story behind everything at Soap. Nothing is a coincidence. Neither is their name. In any village, families have nicknames and reputations. The same goes for brothers Vicente and Iván Trinidad, known as los jaboneros (the soap makers). Why? Because their great-great-grandmother was already making soap over a century ago in Villar del Arzobispo. The nickname passed down from generation to generation until the Trinidad brothers decided to turn it into their raison d’être: applying tradition to a new language associated with hospitality.

Hence their motto: “With the same care our great-great-grandmother used to make soap, we make burgers.” It is a full-fledged statement of intent. Burgers are a product to be perfected, not merely a passing fad. “We don’t want to be just another burger joint. We don’t like the fads, trends, or gimmicks being applied to our sector. We want to make the best burgers we can and know how to make. And that is our motivation,” explains Vicente Trinidad.

Carefully selected meat from Galicia, meticulously crafted bread, and homemade sauces are their calling card as they arrive at Valencia’s Gran Vía Marqués del Turia with a venue created around their new brand, where their history and past are always prominently present.

Not without reason, the “Fake Soap” dessert is a tribute that represents their family origins. It is a trompe-l’œil, designed by master chocolatier Mario Padial, consisting of a natural vanilla cream, an edible soap bar with Pink Panther flavor, and a lime-lemon air. All served inside a bathtub.

Johnny Madge of ‘24/7 Valencia’ visited ‘Soap Burger’ for our readers: “The name and the colours – a lot of pink with spherical ‘soap bubble’ lights – doesn’t make you think ‘burger’ straight away but, if you meet the brothers who run this place, everything becomes clear and you discover that the story behind the name is charming and even touching. Their great grandmother in the tiny village of Vilar de Arzobispo that they come from made soap and they are clearly proud of her and their origins. This place is dedicated to her.

Their intention is that the name attracts attention and it certainly does. But in the end it’s the food that matters and it certainly does not disappoint. In fact, with their extraordinary Umami Queen, they won Third Best Burger in Spain. More of the burger later.

The menù is clear and attractive with a detailed description of each burger. The starters are, to some extent, what you would expect from a burger bar (in their case I would, considering the level, call it a burger restaurant) but there is something extra, something pleasantly different. The chicken wings have the classic touch of sweetness but a nice tang of vinegar with a sprinkling of black and white sesame seeds and chives. The use of black garlic adds to the unctuous sticky deliciousness of these wings.

A dish of excellent pulled pork and nachos is subtle and although spiced-up by the slices of pickled jalapeño is perfectly balanced which, you soon realise, is the hallmark of this place. A lot of thought has gone into creating complex flavours where nothing dominates so you feel satisfied and full of admiration for the chef. An interesting detail in this dish is that they haven’t simply bough a packet of Doritos and thrown them onto the plate. The nachos are homemade, made with wheat flour rather than maize, and are delicious, if somewhat different..

I was struck by the gentle passion that these two brothers express when they talk about their project and there is a refreshing sincerity in the way they explain their food. The croquetas, for example, are brought in from another artisan food producer. But they have been chose with care and I found them excellent. The aubergine and gorgonzola ones could have been overly cheesy but were soft and comforting with a delicate use of gorgonzola.

The beef cheek, potato and truffle croquetas had me worried for a moment because often I find people overdo the truffle but in this case texture, meatiness and the great scent of truffle all worked together perfectly.

Regarding the tequeños, for those who don’t know them they are pastry twizzle sticks stuffed with cheese. They are accompanied by little dipping bowls with something that made me think of honey but turned out to be nothing more complex than panela (dark brown sugar) and water which worked surprisingly well.

While I waited for them to prepare my Umami Queen burger I studied the menù with its ingredients while occasionally glancing at the impressive photo of the famous prize-winning burger which has been taken at an angle that makes it look positively atomic. The caramelised onions are cooked in a little Pedro Jimenez to give added sweetness and depth. Their are two gossamer thin veils of papada ibérica curada which sounds a lot better than the English translation which is cured pork jowl. This is a brilliant addition rather than the normal prosaic bacon which can be too dominant. Again there is black garlic which adds to the incredibly savoury impact of the whole dish. Whole grain mustard is a nice touch which cuts through the smoked cheese perfectly. I had asked for medium rare and it was perfectly cooked. While you could definitely appreciate the quality of the meat you never felt it was over meaty.

This is a very different, prize-winning burger which is so completely satisfying because the choice of the ingredients and they way they put them together is the fruit of careful thought and experiment. Looking around at other tables I saw pleasure on the faces. I wasn’t the only one enjoying this. Most striking were two lads in baseball caps who were clearly professional burger eaters with jaws that could open wide enough to get the whole height of the bun in. But what really struck me was their serious studying and pondering of the 3 burgers they had ordered. Firstly they would stare with great concentration at the bread, the burger itself and the accompanying ingredients. Then the chomp and then more serious contemplation of what was left in their hands. In the end, what they felt, just like me, was a deep satisfaction. You could read it in their eyes…”

“We are very aware of the competition that exists in the burger scene, but it doesn’t worry us. We have been making burgers for years; we aren’t new despite our youth. We know what we want, and we have seen that our creations are as well-liked by the public as they are by experts, which gives us great peace of mind,” says Vicente Trinidad.

“Our new location in Valencia reinforces a strategy that began years ago and has allowed us to turn one of our burgers into the best in the Valencian Community and the third best in Spain. Something unthinkable. Now it’s time to enjoy the journey and our landing in the city,” adds the company’s co-founder.

Report by Johnny Madge

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’

📍 Full address

SOAP Burgers & Shakes
Gran Via del Marqués del Túria, 58
L’Eixample
46005 València, Valencia, Spain