31 replies to this topic

[tan319]

Have any of you folks been to this new shop or is it not open yet?
Any info would be greatly appreciated!
thank you

[Bux]

Where is it? Barcelona? Do you have any links?

Okay, I see it's in Barcelona. It appears to have opened in September 2002. Here are some links to mentions on the web.

asiancuisine.com

Ditto. Balaguer was doing an appearance at a Singapore "Word Gourmet Summit." Wonder what SARS did to attendance.

[tan319]

Where is it? Barcelona? Do you have any links?

Okay, I see it's in Barcelona. It appears to have opened in September 2002. Here are some links to mentions on the web.

asiancuisine.com

Ditto. Balaguer was doing an appearance at a Singapore "Word Gourmet Summit." Wonder what SARS did to attendance.

yes, Bux.
I saw the asiacuisine one and I'm surprised that they don't have a website yet.
have you seen this one that was posted in the pastry & baking section?

http://www.cacaosampaka.com/
P&B moderator Michael L. posted this

Barcelona, already home of Espai Sucre, perhaps the world's most progressive dessert-only dining experience, may also claim the vanguard of haute chocolate shops, Cacao Sampaka.
Discovering an article on the El Bulli press site, I've learned the shop has been open little over a year, and is under the direction of Alberto Adrià, Ramón Morató, Quim Capdevila, and Jaime von Arend (of Chocovic). In addition to offering a line of all things chocolate- bonbons, tablets, and a salon or bar degustación- Cacao Sampaka appears to be hosting classes and special tastings as well. And true to the current spirit of Spanish pastry, the selection ranges from the classical to the avant garde, or as The Guardian suggests, "Once you have tasted the anchovy, curry and blue cheese fillings, chocolate will never be the same again."
I will post more info as I read further; if anyone knows anything, please share! I knew absolutely nothing until now.

it's a pretty cool site.
If you find out more about the OB place, can you post?
Thanks.

[Bux]

as The Guardian suggests, "Once you have tasted the anchovy, curry and blue cheese fillings, chocolate will never be the same again."

That has to be the understatement of the year, but then I consider that I've had chocolate cheesecake and that blue cheese is great with a sweet wine, I've had curry, albeit used as a very mild flavor ingredient, with coconut in a chocolate dessert, and so I'll reserve judgement on the anchovy.

[tan319]

Where is it? Barcelona? Do you have any links?

Okay, I see it's in Barcelona. It appears to have opened in September 2002. Here are some links to mentions on the web.

asiancuisine.com

Ditto. Balaguer was doing an appearance at a Singapore "Word Gourmet Summit." Wonder what SARS did to attendance.

Hey bux.
A site just appeared today.
check it out.
http://oriolbalaguer.com/o

[Bux]

Hey bux.
A site just appeared today.
check it out.
http://oriolbalaguer.com/o

It works for me without the last "o."
http://oriolbalaguer.com/

I'm still adjusting to web sites that are more about the design of the site than they are about the information on the site.

[robert brown]

This past December I saw at Librairie Gourmand in Paris a cookbook he did. I am sorry I didn't try to find his shop in Barcelona a couple of weeks ago. Does anyone know the book?

[Matthew Grant]

That website is fantastic and I can't even read Spanish

[tan319]

This past December I saw at Librairie Gourmand in Paris a cookbook he did. I am sorry I didn't try to find his shop in Barcelona a couple of weeks ago. Does anyone know the book?

La cocina des postres?
It's a pretty famous book I think amongst pastry geeks:-)

[robert brown]

That may be it. It was an elaborate, lavish book. In fact I seem to recall it was a couple of years old, already. I'm kicking myself for not checking out the shop. I hope I can in a few months. If anyone is in Barcelona soon, would you please report on it?

[Bux]

Robert, how much time did you have in Barcelona? There's just so much to see and check out in terms of food there. To a smaller extent, I think there's much in Madrid that escapes our attention as well, but Barcelona just seems full of places that need to be checked out and as I learn more about the "local" or traditional food and where to get it, the more I think Barcelona is a better place to eat well off the cutting edge, than Paris. It may however be that Barcelona's greatest hold on gastronomy today is in desserts.

It appears that while you are kicking your self for missing what you missed, your enthusiasm for returning is based on what you got to see, eat, and do. Am I correct?

[sumac]

We were in Barcelona in March for only two nights and the first night we'd already eaten for the day, lunch at Can Fabes (Wow, our third time there and better than ever). So, we only had one dinner and chose Alkimia. It is definilely cutting edge and very exciting. Chef Jordi Vila's cooking is inspired by Adria, but it is truly his own take. Check out this website for more information on cutting edge places in Barcelona. All the restaurants listed there have also been recommended to me by other very reliable sources.

www.departures.com/ep/ep_0103_barcelona.html

[Matthew Grant]

I've only got 4 nights in Barcelona next month and I'm already thinking that we're going to have to return to try the places that we can't get to first time around. I will try and visit Oriol Balaguer and I've got a reservation at Comerc 24. Barcelona definitely seems to be 'where its at'.

[tan319]

That may be it. It was an elaborate, lavish book. In fact I seem to recall it was a couple of years old, already. I'm kicking myself for not checking out the shop. I hope I can in a few months. If anyone is in Barcelona soon, would you please report on it?

I'm sure it was 'la cocina des postres'.
it is a couple of years old and it is a lavish production.
if you want to know where to order it PM me and I'll direct you.

[nightscotsman]

That may be it. It was an elaborate, lavish book. In fact I seem to recall it was a couple of years old, already. I'm kicking myself for not checking out the shop. I hope I can in a few months. If anyone is in Barcelona soon, would you please report on it?

I'm sure it was 'la cocina des postres'.
it is a couple of years old and it is a lavish production.
if you want to know where to order it PM me and I'll direct you.

Is this the book you're refering to? Also available from JB Prince

[tan319]

That may be it. It was an elaborate, lavish book. In fact I seem to recall it was a couple of years old, already. I'm kicking myself for not checking out the shop. I hope I can in a few months. If anyone is in Barcelona soon, would you please report on it?

I'm sure it was 'la cocina des postres'.
it is a couple of years old and it is a lavish production.
if you want to know where to order it PM me and I'll direct you.

Is this the book you're refering to? Also available from JB Prince

just so you know, JBPrince is phasing out a lot of books.
I had recently ordered the Balaguer book from them and after waiting around for 2 friggin weeks for it was told they had "discontinued' it.
was NOT a happy camper!
They didn't seem to care when they were told it was till on their website either.

[Steve Klc]

Tan--when you called their toll-free number, they couldn't tell you immediately whether it was in stock? I usually receive impeccable customer service from them.

For the past few years, reading that Balaguer book has been the best way for English-speakers to learn Adria techniques and begin to understand the Adria message. Robert--internationally, it's been the most influential pastry book published in that time period as well.

[robert brown]

Does anyone have the address of Balaguer's operation? His website is from outer space and I have yet to see his coordinates on it.

Bux, thanks for your kind words on the thread I just started on Barcelona. I am working on a new hypothesis about the differences between Spain and France. I think you could be right about Barcelona vis a vis Paris

[Matthew Grant]

Front page of the website button furthest on the right

[tan319]

Tan--when you called their toll-free number, they couldn't tell you immediately whether it was in stock?  I usually receive impeccable customer service from them.

Steve,
Actually, a purveyor who does business thru JBPrince was trying to procure it for me, because they get a discount on things thru them. Even books, though it was a small one.
They had told him they were phasing out books,that they usaually ordered 50 at a time and when they were gone, that was it.
Communication wasn't amazing, but after the order that I had rather impatiently waited for for 2 weeks (JBP had also screwed up on the 3 day fed ex that was requested.decided to send it by ground instead) came with a few other things I had ordered and the book was labeled 'discontinued'.
That was on a Friday and the following Monday the purveyor spoke to the guy and he confirmed it.
I'm still pretty pissed about it.

[robert brown]

Matthew, you must be one of those computer whizzes. Thanks very much.

[robert brown]

Bux, I missed seeing your questions. We had a week including two nights in Roses. Barcelona is it for me. I think the only reason why Paris may be as interesting, or slightly more so, is simply the smaller size of Barcelona. I may also be a little presumptuous in that my sample of Barcelona eating is still small. Uet, you can tell a lot by visiting a market, seeing how the attitude and generosity of restaurants are, the integrity of the products, and even value for money. So far Barcelona is, in my small book, ahead in all those categories. I will be back in early July for a short visit and I'll see if anything changes my current sentiments. Right now France is fourth in my book:bheind, in alphabetical order, Italy, Japan and Spain. Attitude and integrity (or lack of) counts for a fair amount in addition to the amount of enjoyment of the meal. This is a lot more than chocolate, however.

[Bux]

Barcelona is hot and humid in the summer.

[robert brown]

Does that mean my chocolate will get all melted?

[Bux]

Along with your ice cream. It's been a while since I've been in Barcelona in the middle of summer. A visit in August was memorable for the number of bottles of cold water consumed and perspired back into the environment. As I recall, airconditioning is common enough indoors and, unless I'm mistaken, there's a breeze that comes off the sea in the evening that's welcome.

[bcnchef]

Along with your ice cream. It's been a while since I've been in Barcelona in the middle of summer. A visit in August was memorable for the number of bottles of cold water consumed and perspired back into the environment. As I recall, airconditioning is common enough indoors and, unless I'm mistaken, there's a breeze that comes off the sea in the evening that's welcome.

No doubt -- it is definitely hot and humid in August, and also at the end of July here in Barcelona. That said, this year has not been typical. In fact, we've had the hottest summer here in 50 years and it has been a scorcher. Count on spending 2:00-5:00 indoors in the comfort of air conditioning, or down at the beach cooling off. It does cool down a bit at night, but not tremendously.

The best times of year to visit in my mind are May-June and September-October. Particularly September-October because the worst of the tourist invasion has gone, the locals have returned from their vacations, all the shops and restaurants have opened, the fall produce is hitting the market and the weather is glorious.

Jordi.
http://www.foodlover.com

[Bux]

Somewhere, maybe in this thread even, I've suggested that a fall visit is worth making just to see the vivid plummage of the game birds in La Boqeria market.

Only slightly off-topic, is the news we've had from friends in the Languedoc, just a few hours drive north of Barcelona, -- the summer has been hot and dry. A drought means that the grass isn't growing the cows have little to eat. There's a shortage of milk and there is likely to be a shortage of cheese made in many areas.

[girlcook]

For cookbooks from spain a good website to check out is www.libreriagastronomia.com

[paulbrussel]

So, we only had one dinner and chose Alkimia.  It is definilely cutting edge and very exciting.  Chef Jordi Vila's cooking is inspired by Adria, but it is truly his own take.

I tried to book at Alkimia just now, but they told me that you had to book a table for 7 - 8 people - you can't dine there alone!? I was surprised... (They didn't speak English, so I spoke French.) Has anyone more information about this?

[Bux]

Could it be that they just don't take reservations for parties of less than seven diners? For your sake, I'm trying put a better spin on this, but the next time I get to Barcelona, I know I will be trying to reserve for no more than four, and two is more likely, so keep us informed.