92 replies to this topic

[BryanZ]

Nice work so far. 

I have a question.  It looks like most of your "Michelin" meals were lunches.  Did you go this way because it is less expensive than the dinner menu?  I am planning a Paris trip for May, thinking about restaurants.  The idea of a formal multi-course tasting menu in the middle of the afternoon is the not the way we usually eat, whether at home or travelling.  Normally I would rather eat this way in the evening.  Were the lunches a deliberate choice, or is it more common in Paris to eat this way?

That's a great question. It was a very deliberate choice. I'm extremely type-A and research and plan and research more to the extreme. My budget for this trip was predicated on not walking into some restaurant and blowing $300 for one meal when I could rationally get two meals of similar quality for the same price. Therefore I had a host of American Express conceirges attempt to get me completely accurate lunch prices, as I knew at some places they would be half, or even less, the price of dinner. The success of this plan was limited but I think it shows the type of time you have to invest if you're looking to truly maximize your dining budget. I had also considered more expensive locations like Guy Savoy, l'Ambrosie, Ducasse but found that the prices remained prohibitively expensive for an experience that was not guaranteed to be that much better. In addition, my tastes slant toward the modern, that's why Gagnaire and l'Astrance were relatively easy choices. There are cheaper options like at Taillevent or Le Cinq, and I'm sure that they are wonderful restaurants in their own right. When I heard they were losing a star each, however, that further locked in my determination to get in at Gagnaire and Astrance. Obviously, my dinners represented cheaper and more "value-driven" options.

Indeed taking 3 hours out of the day can be tough if you plan to sightsee. I didn't so much care about that stuff, so my days were built around meals with walking around to famous sites as completely secodary. Also, I consider myself a very prolific eater so I can put away multiple tasting menus in a day, only a few hours apart. For some that just spells death. This would become a very real threat in the Spain portion of this trip. Well, perhaps not death, but discomfort.

Finally, if you're really anal you can actually plan your sightseeing around great meals, something even I didn't proactively attempt. Want to experience the Les Halles experience? Make an early reservation at a bistro in the area and see Notre Dame before. Book lunch at l'Astrance and spend the afternoon by the Eiffel Tower, as you'll be right there. Most people do it the other way around, but that's not nearly as cool.

Edited by BryanZ, 28 March 2007 - 11:34 AM.

[Rebecca263]

Wow. OhMyHolyOats. How did you manage to eat all of that in such a short time? Are you and your lovely g/f bulimic? I'm quite able to binge eat, yet even I feel sick, just imagining the timing and size of these meals! The food is just relentless, one course after another, one meal after another. Kudos to you, for managing it all, so far, without any serious problems. I'm noticing that a lot of the dishes seem VERY highly decorated and garnished. Did you feel this way when you were experiencing them?

[ludja]

...
Foie gras and mushroom terrine

A realy cool dish combining a luxury ingredient, foie gras, and a basic one, white mushrooms.  What made this dish excellent was, again, the fact that the sum was greater than its parts.  Fundamentally it was very simple, just foie and mushrooms but the mushrooms almost blended with foie giving the whole dish an uncommon toothsome quality not ususally associated with foie.  The nut oil and lemon sorbet played opposite sides of the flavor spectrum as fitting accompaniments.
...

This sounds and looks very interesting--the main construction and the garnishes.

Can you remember any more details of the dish?

Was the foie gras and mushrooms at room temperature? It almost looks like the mushrooms are simply thinly sliced and not cooked in anyway. Was there any other spicing or saucing with the foie or mushrooms?

Thanks for anything else you can add!

[BryanZ]

3/16/07 part 1

Now the story of the Amex conceirges from hell.

The previous afternoon I had received a friendly letter from one of my Amex Conceirges informing that my reservation at Alkimia, a modern one-star restaurant in Barcelona, could not be found at the restaurant. Of course, they chose not to call me to inform me of this change. I wrote an email asking them to call ASAP. Of course, this did not happen either.

Needless to say I was not pleased. Later that evening, after a series of international cell phone conversations that depleted upwards £20+ from the g/f's pay-as-you-go international phone, it seemed all was well. I had just finished up putting in alternative reseravtion requests at Sauc, Abac, and Hisop and was hoping for the best. Just as I was saying my goodbyes her prepaid minutes were depleted thanks to Vodaphone's exorbitant int'l rates. Aweseome. Amex would have no means to reach me, unless of course they were smart enough to look up my cell phone number that they had on file. Of course, they were not.

Not knowing the conceirges name I wasted several minutes on my phone trying to get any information as to whether a reservation had been made. The individual I spoke to had no idea and would try to call me back. Of course, she did not.

More phone calls ensue over the next day. Finally, many many many international cell phone minutes later I am informed that I have a reservation at Abac. To my parents who are likely reading this, this month's cell phone bill could be a little, ummm, high.

Let's just say that if I was choosing a personal conceirge service, Amex would not be at the top of my list.

End rant.

Anywho, before leaving Paris we grabbed the aforementioned banana-Nutella crepe. After an Easy Jet flight from Orly, I was able to share a cab from Barcelona Airport to Plaza Catalunya with a Duke classmate in my freshman year dorm who happened to be on the same flight. Small world. After dropping our bags off at the Antic Espai, an equally parts creepy yet quirky yet cute hotel/hostal, we headed off to eat.

But first, Hostal l'Antic Espai



A highly unique but entirely enjoyable lodging experience. The bed, the terrace, the excess of ceiling molding and chandelier-age, and that's just in our room. Also, the entire staff seemed to be young homosexual men, or maybe they were just European. My gaydar is usually right on in distinguising between the two camps, much more so than most of my peers. Here, however, I really wasn't sure. Really nice guys though. The location was great too, just a couple blocks off of Passeig de Gracia and Plaza Catalunya.

Pretty much every single chef or foodie I respect has sung the virtues of jamon Iberico, a special type of Spanish ham made from pigs who forage for acorns during the last months of their lives. This ham is expensive, very expensive.

We headed to Jamonisimo, a highly recommended ham shop in Barcelona.


All hams here are hand sliced. Iberico, again, is soo expensive. Like €165/kg.

Here, we would encounter the most significant language barrier of the whole trip. The staff didn't speak a work of English. And even after years of private schooling in Spanish and Latin, my practical command of foreign language leaves something to be desired. The woman who I intereacted with was incredibly sweet and patient. The whole experience was among the most memorable of the trip.

I knew there were three regions that Iberico comes from. I also knew there were three sections of the ham that I wanted to try. My usage of the word "lugares" was apparently too vague. I'm also quite slow on picking up the difference between the verbs "comer" and "probar." I wish I could retell the full story here; it was amazingly comical.

In the end, however, we received just what we wanted. A tasting plate of the "tres lugares en una pierna" and "un poquito plato de jamon de otro region" in my bootleg Spanish. In other words, three cuts of from one ham and a smaller plate of ham from a different region.

My first exposure to pa amb tomaquet/pan con tomate/toast with tomato and olive oil. This stuff is addictive. I think we had like four full plates. We gratefully learned that it was complimentary with our large ham purhcase.


Three textures of ham from Extremadura

Each part of the ham had a clearly different texture and slightly different flavor. Those with more experience with this product can remind me and others as to the three sections we ate. We also ordered two "copas de cava." "Copas" not "vasos" as I was subtly instructed. We had already eaten a couple pieces by the time this photo was taken.

A smaller plate of ham from Salamanca

This was silkier and saltier than the ham from Extremadura. I may have preferred this one slightly, as it was perhaps closer to hams that I had had in the past.

Overall this was a great cultural and culinary experience. It was not at all cheap, however, as I think everything came to just shy of €50. The ham really did have a certain luscious nutty fattiness uncommon in other hams I've had in the past.

Feeling more confident in my Spanish abilities I reflected to our new friend that "El jamon de Extremadura es mas como carne pero el jamon de Salamanca es mas como sal." She laughed and vaguely understood what the hell I was saying: the former was meatier while the latter smooher and saltier. I also purchased a small packet of choirzo Iberico that is extremely delicious. The nuttiness still comes through after the addition of the pimenton.

Travelers should finally note that Jamonisimo is not where it "should" be. According to Google Maps and street numbers you will find yourself at an apartment building. Face the apartment building, turn left, and walk a couple blocks and you'll see it on the corner.

Edited by BryanZ, 28 March 2007 - 03:58 PM.

[alanamoana]

and just to enlighten us uncultured 'mericans, was tip or service charge ever brought up at any of your meals? i'm assuming it is all factored into the cost of the meal which makes budgeting for a trip like that much easier?

great report and thank you bryan!

[Silly Disciple]

Travelers should finally note that Jamonisimo is not where it "should" be.  According to Google Maps and street numbers you will find yourself at an apartment builing.  Face the apartment building, turn left, and walk a couple blocks and you'll see it on the corner.

This google map seems to be right. The address is Provença 85, corner with Viladomat.

[mukki]

This is a great trip report. You're lucky that you can put so much food away; I just got back from Paris & London in February, and at one big meal a day + bakery goods, I was never hungry, always full. I think the time I had lunch at Pierre Gagnaire was one of the most stuffed moments I've ever experienced. So much so that I felt slightly panicked -- I had to get out of there and start walking it off! (The other "most stuffed" time would have to be post-spotted dick pudding at St. John's -- that stuff is lethal. It has an amazing ability to keep expanding in your stomach. Tasty, though.)

[robert40]

...
Foie gras and mushroom terrine

A realy cool dish combining a luxury ingredient, foie gras, and a basic one, white mushrooms.  What made this dish excellent was, again, the fact that the sum was greater than its parts.  Fundamentally it was very simple, just foie and mushrooms but the mushrooms almost blended with foie giving the whole dish an uncommon toothsome quality not ususally associated with foie.  The nut oil and lemon sorbet played opposite sides of the flavor spectrum as fitting accompaniments.
...

This sounds and looks very interesting--the main construction and the garnishes.

Can you remember any more details of the dish?

Was the foie gras and mushrooms at room temperature? It almost looks like the mushrooms are simply thinly sliced and not cooked in anyway. Was there any other spicing or saucing with the foie or mushrooms?

Thanks for anything else you can add!

Here is a recipe I found on starchefs that may provide some information.
http://www.starchefs...bot/index.shtml

[BryanZ]

I'm noticing that a lot of the dishes seem VERY highly decorated and garnished. Did you feel this way when you were experiencing them?

I mean three of the four Paris meals were at Michelin starred establishments. I think a certain level of garnish and decoration was exepected. Nothing was all that groundbreaking in plating, save for the Anarchy 2007 at Can Roca which I will be posting shortly.

...
Foie gras and mushroom terrine

A realy cool dish combining a luxury ingredient, foie gras, and a basic one, white mushrooms.  What made this dish excellent was, again, the fact that the sum was greater than its parts.  Fundamentally it was very simple, just foie and mushrooms but the mushrooms almost blended with foie giving the whole dish an uncommon toothsome quality not ususally associated with foie.  The nut oil and lemon sorbet played opposite sides of the flavor spectrum as fitting accompaniments.
...

Can you remember any more details of the dish?

Was the foie gras and mushrooms at room temperature? It almost looks like the mushrooms are simply thinly sliced and not cooked in anyway. Was there any other spicing or saucing with the foie or mushrooms?

Thanks for anything else you can add!

The dish was actually quite simple. It was servted at room temperature and the mushrooms were not cooked. That helped give the dish its toothsome quality. If I recall there was a light dusting on the top but I wasn't told what it was. One garnish was a lemon sorbet. The other was a nut oil. The foie was probably cured (per the link above) but besides that there was no additional saucing.

and just to enlighten us uncultured 'mericans, was tip or service charge ever brought up at any of your meals?  i'm assuming it is all factored into the cost of the meal which makes budgeting for a trip like that much easier?

great report and thank you bryan!

Yeah, figuring out gratuities led to a couple awkward language situations. Gagnaire set us straight for France and they were relatively direct about it. I asked if gratuity was included, and gladly would've added it, but was told it was not necessary. I'm not sure if people usually tip more on top of that? In London I was told that 12% is pretty standard by acquaintances, so that's what I did. In Barcelona we assumed that gratuity was included, as in Paris and did not tip on our first meal at Abac. At Can Roca the next day we asked a runner whose English was not strong, "Is there gratuity on this?" pointing to the bill. Looking confused he said no, and we thought we'd stiffed our excellent captain from the night before. Then our captain came over and righted the situation, saying that gratuity was in fact included and that the runner had misunderstood us. Despite that minute or so of panic, all was otherwise well.

So in short, gratuity was included.

Edited by BryanZ, 28 March 2007 - 03:56 PM.

[BryanZ]

3/16/07 part 2

Immediately after our ham experience I decided tapas were in order. Our plane had been delayed in getting into Barcelona and our original plan was to have ham for brunch, tapas for an afternoon-evening snack, and a tasting menu for a late dinner. Because of the delay and getting slightly lost trying to find Jamonisimo, ham and tapas had to be stacked back to back. For me, this wasn't so much a problem. For the g/f, however, this is where things would take a turn for the worse.

Before we get to food comas, the inability to walk, and the occasional dry heave, there was Tapaç 24, a modern tapas bar right on Passeig de Gracia, a high-end commercial street with a couple Gaudi-esque buildings too.

Croquetas

These were good but not transporting.

Patatas bravas

A classic tapas dish, I think, where fried potatoes are topped with mayonnaise and a spicy sauce. This dish has international appeal.

Bikini 24

A sandiwch of jamon Iberico, mozzarella cheese, and black truffles. Like the best ham and cheese ever.

McFoie Burger

Rare ground beef mixed with foie gras. Beefy and unctuous. Lightly crisped on the on outside on the griddle.

I also had another glass of cava. Cava effectively became my water in Spain. A glass of cava to start the meal? Sure. In between meals? Sure. You haven't had your complimentary drink to welcome you to the hotel yet, should I send you a glass of cava? Why not.

The total for this mini-meal was like €26 or €28, I can't quite picture which.

At this point the g/f had hit something of a consumption wall. It seems there is such thing as too much of a good thing. A rest was in order before the meal that night.

[mizducky]

I'm totally loving the vicarious thrills of all the monetary and caloric splurges you're doumenting here. And I too am admiring that layered foie/mushroom dish (and am already plotting ways I can come up with a lower-impact version...)

Meanwhile, at the risk of careening way the hell off-topic, I can't resist commenting on the bit of your post about Hostal L'Antic Espai:

A highly unique but entirely enjoyable lodging experience.  The bed, the terrace, the excess of ceiling molding and chandelier-age, and that's just in our room.  Also, the entire staff seemed to be young homosexual men, or maybe they were just European.  My gaydar is usually right on in distinguising between the two camps, much more so than most of my peers.  Here, however, I really wasn't sure.  Really nice guys though.  The location was great too, just a couple blocks off of Passeig de Gracia and Plaza Catalunya.

Boy, does that place look totally Edward Gorey. And as to the mixed signals on your gaydar scope, I was inevitably reminded of the subversively funny (and highly politically incorrect) Gay or Eurotrash? game perpetrated by the ezine Blair awhile back.

[robert40]

Outstanding thread Bryan! Loving every moment of it.


For those interested in seeing photos of Gagnaires truffle menu see link.
http://chuckeats.com...value/#more-132

For the longest time Gagnaire refused photo taking in the dining room. Whatever his reasoning I'm glad he changed the policy.

[ludja]

Thanks for the additional info on the mushroom and foie gras galette, Bryan and for the recipe, Robert40!

Interesting about the mayo with the patatas bravas. I've had it in a few US tapas places but never with the mayonnaise. Hmmm, but I like fries with mayonnaise and sambal....

[scamhi]

Interesting about the mayo with the patatas bravas.  I've had it in a few US tapas places but never with the mayonnaise.  Hmmm, but I like fries with mayonnaise and sambal....

Aioli is the "mayo" on the patatas bravas

[BryanZ]

3/16/07 part 3

Dinner that night would be at Abac, a chic one-star restaurant with an emphasis on modern Spanish cooking. Abac is also well-known for its suckling pig, another highlight of the trip.

We were presented with English menus, with prices for the ladies, unlike at Gaganire, Les M, and Astrance. We would find service in Barcelona to be more relaxed and younger than in Paris. Abac is located a simple room but it appealed to me. The tables are very well-spaced and the lighting is very pleasant. Small lamps on the two tops made for easy picture tasting.

Despite our collective fullness and the g/f's bordering on collapse we still had a tasting menu for, I believe, €82. We also opted to substitute in the suckling pig for the goat as our main. It was a small supplement but worth it I think. The dish was purposefully not complex but entirely delicious.

Before that, however.

Bread and snacks

Olives, pork puffs, tempura-battered herbs, a crisp wafer

Amuse 1

Rolled ham, spring greens, and a savory ice cream. A nice, clean start.

Amuse 2

A bit of soup in a glass jar. I can't recall what the soup was, however. It was the frothiest of the servings of soup were on the trip, perhaps fitting of Spain.

Winter "salads"

Lightly dressed greens on the left. On the right was a cool winter vegetable tart en gelee. Bits of squash and turnips and other things were pefectly brunoised, topped with a slice of truffle, and set in a light gelee. I think the crust was made with potato.

Razor clam

Unfortunately, this was the only razor clam I would eat on this trip. I would've like to eat more of them but for some reason opportunities did not present themselves. The razor clam was removed from the shell, crisped lightly and, I think, served with bits of squid. The addition of bitter greens and vinegar helped the balance our the creamy, slightly chewy clam.

Scallop, mozzarella-potato foam, saffron broth

This was definitely the low point of the night, as the foam was just wayyyy to heavy for the scallop. The scallop and creamy broth alone would've been good by themselves but the foam was too much. I admit to being quite full, but I feel like this dish was a failure on the fundamental level. It lacked the balance of contrasting flavors that the previous did; this was jsut too creamy and the sweet-salinity of the scallop got overpowered.

Tuna, red wine sauce, glazed vegetables

Although this dish included heavy ingredients like tuna and a red wine sauce, it was very good. The seasoning on the tuna was some type of special cumin that added a lot of depth to the dish. Each bite left me wanting the next.

Suckling pig, natural juices, roasted potatoes

Before I wax poetic on the merits of the wonderful foray into porkiness, an incident occured that made me appreciate the service of the restaurant. The g/f was obviously quite slow to finish her dishes, and our captain noticed this. After telling him about our eating escapades he seemed sympathetic and told the kitchen to slow things down and scale down her meat portion. While I certainly appreciated the service gesture, I was worried we would be getting less pork, the reason I came to Abac. My fears were for naught, as the half portion they took off the g/f's plate was placed on mine. Sweetness. I was pleased.

Nevertheless this dish had the crispest pork skin I've ever had. After savoring the skin and shearing the loin section of the ribs I was able to go at the bones with gusto thanks to a finger bowl also delivered with the course. I was so pleased with this dish, and it remains one of my favorites of the trip. My only complaint is that I wanted just a bit more jus to eat with the potatoes.

Cheese cart

Interestingly this would be the only place that we would encounter a full cheese cart. In fact, I was kind of disappointed we did not come across one in France, but this made up for it. Not only was I able to try a few ballsy French cheeses, I was able to try some Catalan cheeses too. The cheese cart was included in the price of the meal, making it an overall very good value.

French cheeses, Catalan cheeses

Besides the epoisses, which has been my favorite cheese for the past several months, I think I enjoyed the Catalan cheeses more. They were selected by our captain, and I really liked his choices.

Pre-dessert

Another one of my favorite images. An ice cream with a bit of fruits and herbs. Nice and light.

Poached pear

Poached pear filled with a light chocolate mousse. This was a really nice dessert and lighter than it looks.

Petits fours

One of the cooler serving platters I have seen. A bunch of different bites and chocolates.

Abac was a really great meal. The service here was probably the most personable we encountered on the whole trip. When we told him about our meal at Can Roca the following day, our captain looked surprised but sung its praises. He also asked if we were "cookers" (which I'm guessing meant "cooks" in the professional sense), to which I replied, "Yes, something like that..." and tried to explain to him what Z Kitchen was.

It had been a very, very long day of excessive eating. Only hours later I would be strolling through the Boqueria, trying to meet up with eG member Silly Disciple, and finally enjoying some nice morning platos.

ETA an anecdote: At another table just across from us at Abac an older gentleman, his much younger female companion, and what appeared to be their young toddler were dining across from us. I'm all for letting kids come to nice restaurants if they're well-behaved and this one was not necessarily all that disruptive. The couple also made an early reservation so I don't have a lot negative to say. Nevertheless, the kid was bouncing off the walls, albeit quietly, for the first 30 or so minutes we were there. Playing with an action figure, a Gameboy, reaching across/around/under the table; it was amusing. Then out of nowhere he pretty much passes out in his seat. It was almost as if his parents drugged him. The staff, seeing this brought over a second chair and laid him across it. This kid was literally sprawled out and did not move a muscle for the next hour or so. When the couple left, the kid was pretty much tossed like a rag doll up on his father's shoulder and taken out, still sleeping. I wish we had taken a picture; it was very funny.

Edited by BryanZ, 29 March 2007 - 08:36 PM.

[ludja]

Interesting about the mayo with the patatas bravas.  I've had it in a few US tapas places but never with the mayonnaise.  Hmmm, but I like fries with mayonnaise and sambal....

Aioli is the "mayo" on the patatas bravas

Sounds great and more Spanish. I have made patatas bravas at home also. Next time I'll whip up some nice garlicky aioli to serve alongside.

[Kent D]

Food-Travel blogs are MURDER on my work productivity! This is all great stuff, but I can't imagine eating all that stuff -- I'm just not that dedicated/committed. I'd be calling for soup and crackers midway through day 2. Great reading, though!

[Pan]

That meal at Abac looks really interesting!

Bryan, thanks so much for sharing this with us. I'm really enjoying it.

Did you fit in much "normal" sightseeing in between meals?

[docsconz]

I'm noticing that a lot of the dishes seem VERY highly decorated and garnished. Did you feel this way when you were experiencing them?

I mean three of the four Paris meals were at Michelin starred establishments. I think a certain level of garnish and decoration was exepected. Nothing was all that groundbreaking in plating, save for the Anarchy 2007 at Can Roca which I will be posting shortly.

...
Foie gras and mushroom terrine

A realy cool dish combining a luxury ingredient, foie gras, and a basic one, white mushrooms.  What made this dish excellent was, again, the fact that the sum was greater than its parts.  Fundamentally it was very simple, just foie and mushrooms but the mushrooms almost blended with foie giving the whole dish an uncommon toothsome quality not ususally associated with foie.  The nut oil and lemon sorbet played opposite sides of the flavor spectrum as fitting accompaniments.
...

Can you remember any more details of the dish?

Was the foie gras and mushrooms at room temperature? It almost looks like the mushrooms are simply thinly sliced and not cooked in anyway. Was there any other spicing or saucing with the foie or mushrooms?

Thanks for anything else you can add!

The dish was actually quite simple. It was servted at room temperature and the mushrooms were not cooked. That helped give the dish its toothsome quality. If I recall there was a light dusting on the top but I wasn't told what it was. One garnish was a lemon sorbet. The other was a nut oil. The foie was probably cured (per the link above) but besides that there was no additional saucing.

and just to enlighten us uncultured 'mericans, was tip or service charge ever brought up at any of your meals?  i'm assuming it is all factored into the cost of the meal which makes budgeting for a trip like that much easier?

great report and thank you bryan!

Yeah, figuring out gratuities led to a couple awkward language situations. Gagnaire set us straight for France and they were relatively direct about it. I asked if gratuity was included, and gladly would've added it, but was told it was not necessary. I'm not sure if people usually tip more on top of that? In London I was told that 12% is pretty standard by acquaintances, so that's what I did. In Barcelona we assumed that gratuity was included, as in Paris and did not tip on our first meal at Abac. At Can Roca the next day we asked a runner whose English was not strong, "Is there gratuity on this?" pointing to the bill. Looking confused he said no, and we thought we'd stiffed our excellent captain from the night before. Then our captain came over and righted the situation, saying that gratuity was in fact included and that the runner had misunderstood us. Despite that minute or so of panic, all was otherwise well.

So in short, gratuity was included.

Here is a post with photos from the Starchefs International Chef's Congress in NYC this past September showing Barbot preparing this dish.

Nice report, Bryan! I agree that the suckling pig at Abac is to die for. Did you have it anywhere else?

[BryanZ]

That meal at Abac looks really interesting!

Bryan, thanks so much for sharing this with us. I'm really enjoying it.

Did you fit in much "normal" sightseeing in between meals?

You're welcome. Since that was the first day in Barcelona, no. It was all traveling and eating. Working backwards, I think I mentioned all the stuff I saw in Paris. Mainly we just walked around and when we saw interesting things we'd check the map and like, "Oh, that's..." Paris was very pretty overall but there was no explicit sightseeing planned beyond where our feet took us. In London we did take a day to see Big Ben (which I actually thought was really cool), Houses of Parliament, National Gallery, and all that stuff in that area. My sightseeing is literally just "seeing" with my eyes the "sight." I'm not one for lengthy tours or the like. In Barcelona we would see Sagrada Familia (also very cool, espec when on the inside and looking up), Barcelona Cathedral (but only because we were just walking through the Gothic Quarter).

Nice report, Bryan! I agree that the suckling pig at Abac is to die for. Did you have it anywhere else?

I would have it again at Cinc Sentits, whose time here will come, and while it was good it was not nearly at the same level.

[BryanZ]

3/17/07 part 1

This would be my last full day in Barcelona and, therefore, on the European mainland. To start off the day I woke up early to check out the famous Boqueria market for breakfast. The g/f, still too full from the night before (Dare I say, cranky? No, impossible.) opted out of this early morning journey. After walking from the hotel to the Boqueria it was total sensory overload. Although Tsukiji, to which I have been at least a few times, is much larger and has more "weird" stuff, the offerings at the Boqueria were diverse and delicious-looking. Of particular note were the various types of live prawns and langoustines, items almost impossible to find in the States. I also enjoyed seeing all the local fish.

As I mentioned before in my initial post at Borough Market, I'm not a big fan of taking pictures in working markets, so I have none. I do have pictures, however, of some traditional Spanish dishes I enjoyed after being led through the market by eG member Silly Disciple. SD had helped me out in planning the trip via PM and was gracious enough to meet up with me that morning. He also paid for more than his fair share of our plates and ate less. For this I am thankful. SD, if you ever find yourself in NC or NYC or Chicago (this summer), I'm your man.

There are several tapas/plate bars in the Boqueria. Pinotxo is the most popular and located at the market's entrance. We opted for a less-crowded option, however.

Tripe stew

A nice and hearty way to start the morning. Tender tripe with just the faintest bit of texture. A dish I thoroughly enjoyed but not for everyone.

Cured tuna

Tuna, white beans, olive oil. Simple but so delicious.

Squid a la plancha

Although I did not get as many razor clams as I may have wanted, I did get my fill of squid and cuttlefish dishes. One of my favorite preparations is just like this, a la plancha with some olive oil, lemon, parslely, salt. Awesome.

After some nice conversation, I bid Mariano goodbye and rushed back to the Antic Espai. I had to reawaken the g/f after my excursion and quickly get ready for our trip to Girona and the two-starr El Celler de Can Roca. This would prove to be one of my favorite meals of the trip.

Edited by BryanZ, 29 March 2007 - 10:50 PM.

[Pat Churchill]

So have you started taken the cholesterol lowering medication yet?

It sounds fantastic.

How do you rate US restaurants now you've tried all these wonderful places?

[Rogelio]

You're my hero, having tripe for breakfast after six days of eating. I take my hat off.

[Milagai]

Sounds and looks like you all had a great time.

Much of this reminds me of a quote from
a Dorothy Sayers novel: "I do not envy the
head or the heart of youth, only its stomach"...

Milagai

[BryanZ]

My apologies for the lack of posts over the past couple days. I've been cooking for people for the past two nights and that takes up pretty much all of my time. Anyways, back to the action.

3/17/07 part 2

After a brisk walk back to the hotel and a quick change of clothes we were off to Girona to each at El Celler de Can Roca. After about a 1.5 hour ride we found ourseles in Girona and soon obtained a taxi to take us to our final destination. I should note, however, that the amount of graffiti in Spain is substantial. Not just the occasional tag on a bridge or overpass but entire train stations would be covered in it. Strange.

We arrived at the two-starred El Celler de Can Roca at shortly past 1, a bit early for our 1:30 lunch reservation. The cab ride is less than ten minutes and about €7 each way. Overall it was a very easy, if somewhat time-consuming, expedition from Barcelona. It was strange to find the entire restaurant empty of other guests, save for one older gentleman dining alone. In Paris, arriving at 1 PM was a late seating. In Barcelona, we found ourselves alone for about 30 minutes until the room began to fill up. By the time we left, there was not an empty seat in the restaurant.



There was some sort of gastronomic festival going on. All the better for me, more courses.

€100, or maybe €110. Silly Disciple told me this was a bit more than they usually charge because of the extra courses/special menu for the gastro week.

A glass of complimentary cava was served to start off the meal. A nice touch.

Snacks

I recall liking these more than those at Abac, though not by much. The lighting is weird in these pictures because we were seated right next to a window that bordered a small pool that lies in the restaurant's courtyard. Lots of overexposure and weird reflections in the images.

Amuses

Foie gras and chocolate, pigeon mousse, and something else tasty I can't quite recall.

I should note that bread service here was quite good. I wasn't all that impressed with their baguette-style rolls, but their softer breads, esepcially the tomato bread, was unique and delicious.

Oysters and cava

A really texturally interesting dish, if not as delicious as it could be. Lightly cooked, I believe, oysters are served in a vessel that was at one point half of a wine bottle. A server comes by and pours in some cava to act as a yeasty and astringent sauce. The cava is texturized (thickened and made more viscous is a "slippery" sense) with what I think is xanthan gum, since the texture is one I'm very familiar with. I tried to find out but technical names were easily lost in translation.

Sea urchin, seaweed gelee

A dish that encased the true essences of the sea. Not only did this have a ocean water like salinity running through it but also a deeper note thanks to the vegetal quality of the seaweed. I also love sea urchin so this was nice to eat.

Mussels, flavors of reisling

A totally excellent dish. Perfectly sweet and creamy mussels are topped with various purees and sauces incdluing apple, white truffle cream, and a few other delicious items. What totally blew my mind, and was probably the most memorable item of the entire trip was the mussel topped with distilled earth. Totally ridiculous. I believe Doc posted on this technique at the NYC Chef's Congress or some other conference but it was soooo cool. A perfectly clear water tastes just like earth in the best and most subtle way, literally linking suff and turf.

Hot asparagus mousse, smoke

Another cool dish, but not a souffle as the English-version of the menu called it. A hot asparagus foam was piped into a ring of thinly sliced white asparagus. What made this dish cool was how it was presented. Beneath a glass dome, a head of wood smoke enrobes the mousse as it travels from kitchen to table. When the servers remove the domes, a wonderful puff of fragrant smoke rises up into the diner's nose.

Cod, pumpkin

This was my least favorite dish of the meal. It was fine, just not all that compelling. I would've liked more passion fruit to cut through the rich fish and somewhat bland pumpkin.


Prawn bonbon

Much, much better than it sounds. A subtle chocolate shell encased a sweet-salty, almost creamy prawn filling. A very interesting but tasty way to end the seafood part of the meal.

Iberian pork "carpaccio"

The server described this to us as carpaccio of Iberico pork. If this was in fact a true carpaccio it marks the first time I've ever eaten an entire dish of raw pork. Sure I've had pork rare or even blue, but this would take it to a whole new level. Anyway, this was delicious and didn't taste cured as a ham would. It was creamy, faintly porky, and went extremely well with the egg custard and potato glass. Very unique in an almost rustic sense.

Piegon, berries, citrus

Seriously, we did our best to fight against Europe's pigeon over-population problem. This was a nice preparation with various types of acidic and sweet fruits to act as foils to the bird's gaminess. The type of dish I would come up with, only executed better.

Baby goat, truffle sauce

This was a very delicate preparation of goat, though it could've done without the light breading that surrounded it. The truffles and green vegetable puree kind of took center stage, but in a good way.

Rose foam, chocolate, pistachio ice cream

The rose foam was extremely delicate and subtle but just assertive enough so that you knew what you were eating. I also really liked the abstract sugar "ramekin" the foam was piped in to. The ice cream and chocolate gave the dish a bit more weight but surprisingly did not overpower the rose component.

At the meal's beginning we had asked them to substitute in one dessert that can highly recommended by Silly Disciple and several others. They graciously accomodated this request.

So I received:
Trip to Havana: Mojito ice, chocolate/tobacco "cigar"

This dish was sooo cool and I'm so glad I've ordered it. It seems modern pastry cooks love messing around with menthol, tobacco, and savory ingrdients in their desserts. While I think that each has its place in the pastry world, this dessert was the best tobacco application I've ever encountered. The tobacco is very assertive and lingers in the mouth, just like a real cigar, but is faintly whisked away by the cooling and refreshing mojito ice.

The g/f got:
Anarchy 2007: All sorts of crazy shit

The modern Spanish plate I was waiting to see. Total craziness on a plate with no real rhyme or reason. This is not a plating style that I would ever subscribe to, but I'm glad I finally got to try something in this vein. All kinds of fruits, gels, crumbles, cakes, sorbets, glasses. Anarchy.

Petits fours

A nice assortment with a cool serving tray, though not quite as cool as Abac's ladder. The offerings, while not all that unique seemed more tasty and easier to eat than others, perhaps because of the smaller (but more numerous) that preceeded it. The raspberry pate de fruit was actually just a raspberry covered in sugar, a nice but simple touch leaning toward the pure as opposed to the processed. The chocolate brittle thing was also really nice.

The g/f and I both agreed that this was our least "filling" meal beacuse of the smaller courses, although it was still one of our longer ones. In this way, the meal further reaffirmed my belief in super small portions, a la Alinea. I'm still at that point in my eating life where I'd rather eat 10+ very small things than 4 more substantial items, even if the four items are of marginally higher average quality that the selection of ten.

I can't quite decide if I liked this meal more than l'Astrance. There were certainly more fresh and "Ah-ha!" moments (the mussels, the pork, the cigar) here but it was not as technically refined and consistently fundamentally delicious. Both were excellent experiences, nevertheless.

With but one more significant meal left, my time in Europe would soon be drawing to a close. Coming up are Cinc Sentits and Sunday morning tapas at Cerveceria Catalana.

Edited by BryanZ, 01 April 2007 - 09:50 PM.

[docsconz]

Great report, Bryan! I will be dining there next month. It will be interesting to see how many of the same dishes we are served. The distilled earth was developed to accompany oysters. Interesting to see it served with mussels now. Roca demonstrated the technique at the Spain and the World Table Conference at CIA/Greystone in Califonia this past November.

[hathor]

Great write up! And fantastic pictures....thank you for sharing your trip with us!
I love 'haute barnyard', that is an excellent description. And yet again, Spain is calling me....the chefs there seem to have a handle on expertly blending traditional flavors with modern techniques.
Thanks again, Bryan!

P.S. I think my favorite plating may the the exuberant crazy Anarchy 2007 desert dish. After all those precise, stunning food arrangements, it was refreshing to just see some passion and freedom running riot.

Edited by hathor, 01 April 2007 - 08:29 AM.

[BryanZ]

3/17/07 part 3

The last significant meal of the trip would be Cinc Sentits, a highly approachable restaurant serving modern yet relatively simple Spanish food. Cinc Sentits provided an enjoyable meal with very polished service but, as others have noted, operates on a different level that the starred establishments we had been eating at. Cinc Sentits is a very well-run restaurant if not necessarily a great one. I mean that as no slight but as a reflection of the experience and complexity of the cuisine.

Although we ordered the seasonal tasting menu, a slight miscommunication led us to be served what was effectively the chef's tasting menu of "signature dishes." At the end of the meal we noted the discrepancy and were more than willing to pay the €15 difference (€50 vs. €65 per person) but they graciously offered to change the bill to reflect what we were expecting. A very nice service recovery that embodies the smooth hospitality the restaurant embodies.

Amuse 1: Maldon salt, maple syrup, cava sabayon, something else foamy on top

By now a relatively famous dish in Barcelona that appears in a lot food blog and the like. I thought it was a bit sweet but a nice idea. You bet I'm going to riff off this dish.

Amuse 2: Romesco sauce, fried vegetable stick for dipping

The romesco was really good. They tried to clear it away, twice, but we held onto it to dip bread into.

Pea soup, squid

A nice light start to the meal. A chicken broth held fresh peas, herbs, and lightly caramelized onions. The g/f remarked that it tasted like something I would make. Light and clean but not necessarily all that life-changing; it's chicken stock, peas, and squid. The squid bit was nice, but seriously, how the hell do you eat this with just a spoon? The squid was too large to eat in one bite, and who would want to anyway. Squid is also not known for being the easiest thing to bite through easily or cut with a spoon.

Foie gras tart, sherry vinegar syrup, chives

An excellent dish, probably my favorite of the night. Nice combination of pastry, foie, astringent herbs and syrup. One of the few, if only, hot foie dishes we had all trip.

For the next dish, one of us opted for the fresh prawns, a €9 supplement.

The prawns were prepared simply

While the meat was sweet and tender, it was the head juices that made the dish, acting as a sauce of sorts. The heads were duly decimated and bread was used for wiping the plate clean. The €9 supplement for just two prawns seemed a bit high overall but I realize they are very expensive wholesale. After seeing them flapping around at the Boqueria in the morning I couldn't leave Barcelona without trying some

The normal dish at this point in the meal was seared scallops, crispy ham, and a sweet onion syrup

The onion syrup really made this dish, so thick and flavorful. I would've liked a slightly deeper crust on the scallop from an execution standpoint. If you're going to cook a scallop it better have a good crust.

Sea bass, cuttlefish noodles

A creative fish dish, but again slightly lacking in technical execution. I judge a dish's technical expertise against the quality of food I serve people. If I can regularly execute a fish like snapper or sea bass with crisp skin, I expect the same from a good restaurant. The edges of the skin were crisp but the center was not. The noodles were cool and tasted good in a sort of caramelized ragout but were perhaps slightly more chewy than I expected them to be.

Roasted Iberico pork, jus, apple

A good dish but it did not nearly reach the heights of the Abc pork dish. The skin, again, was crisp in some places but not all over; at Abac the skin was literally so crisp you could hit it with a knife and it would break with an audible crack.

Catalan cheeses

A surprisingly nice cheese course that featured rather clever accompaniments. These played well with the cheeses, though I must admit the offerings were tame compared to the full cart at Abac.

Four textures of lemon

So how funny is this? After the dozens of plated dishes consumed over the week, this was the ONE that we forgot to take a picture of. There was like lemon sorbet, foam, granita, and something else. It was nice if somewhat simple; another flavor would've been appreciated.

Peanut butter ice cream, milk chocolate ganache, cookie/cake thing

Like a Resee's peanut butter cup. While the flavors of the dish were nice, the plate was too sparse, even for my tastes. There was no garnish at all.

If I sound like I am being overly critical of this restaurant please do not take it that way. The meal was enjoyable, but I found myself more able to critique this meal than any other because it fit right in with my abilities and the style of food I serve. While the foie dish was superior to what I can pull off, I could probably execute aspects of a couple other courses better myself. Nevertheless, I would still recommend Cinc Sentits to someone looking for a simple modern meal in a chic but totally unintimidating atmosphere. Again, service was great throughout and pacing was spot on.

ETA: So in the few minutes since I made the original post, I've come to a realization of sorts. As I wrote this report and even now I still think of this as a "simple meal" Not counting the two small amuses to start the meal it was still eight courses. I'm pretty jaded.

Edited by BryanZ, 02 April 2007 - 09:03 AM.

[Lexma90]

Thanks so much for the wonderful trip report. We'll be visiting Barcelona for the first time, and Paris for the somethingth time later this spring, so your report is very timely for us. The pictures are incredible, as are your descriptions. So tell us, how did you eat the squid?

The husband and I will have with us our aspiring foodie 11-year-old son, who picked Cinq Sentits (with our concurrence) as one of the two high-end resturants we'll visit in Barcelona. Your description sounds like a good fit for him - he'll eat anything (except maybe broccoli), but obviously doesn't have the knowledge or sophistication of an adult foodie, so simple will be better for him. Lovely hubby, however, has said he doesn't want to be locked into a tasting menu, which is somewhat disappointing to me and the kid. Do you know if the entire table must order the tasting menu, as is usually (always?) the case in the U.S?

[Rogelio]

Nice report, thanks for sharing with us.

After reading all your reports my impression is that you have been more focused on the preparations than in the ingredients. I for myself think that preparations and technique are important but nothing without first quality products and have missed a wider description on the different quality of ingredients in the different restaurants an countries.