The Viking
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Old thread maybe, but would love some fresh input as I'm off to Stockholm next week. Any recent visits?
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Thanks, just came back frrom Vinoteca, definetely heavily loaded...
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Victor: Having his personal supervision will definetely do magic for Mas Passamaner; stayed there in May withthe family, and because of our baby girl we had all our dinners at the restaurant which tried hard but didn't quite make it, and not enough variety in presentation and dishes for three consecutive dinners... They were extremely good with teh kids, though..
Slightly OT:
Any rec's for best wine shops in Palma or where to find the best pata negra at a favourable price (Sanchez Romero de Caravajall)? Not Club de Gourmet at El Corte Ingles, but any other centrally located venue will be great!
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Thanks Victor:
Bens d'Avall is definetely on my short list, and we'll try to go there as a part of our day out this upcoming friday.
I've been to Tristan twice, and was not too impressed, a little bit to predictable Michelin* style for me, and the service was definetely very German; cold and distant.
I'll definetely look up Es Baluard, but might opt for tapas or similar on saturday night, any great options besides La Boveda?
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Next weekend Palma has the undistinguished pleasure of my presence, and this time we're not planning on any major excursions other than brunch on the sunday at Hotel Gran Son Net.
So far we've booked La Boveda for thursday night and Fabrica 23 for friday evening.
BUT:
Would love some recent updates on some of the above mentioned restaurants and reccomendations..
How was it?
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As a sidethought regarding some previous suggestions: Rumors have it that Hisop might be closing due to lack of turnover, anyone in the know?
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Well guys, I'm (unfortunately(!)) back, having landed in chilly Oslo late last night, and here are some of my impressions from the last two days with more to follow later...
After a small indulgence of Eggs Benedictine with fresh truffles for breakfast at Arts (does magic for your coronary arteries) lunch was of course on saturday at Cinc Sentits, opted for the small Omikase with wine pairings by the half-glass. Not dissapointed at least, in my opinion the only flaw was that I prefer my cochinillo slightly less deconstructed with the crispy crust intact (Done nicely at Moo), but please Jordi: NEVER take the foie gras off the menu! It's THE most perfectly cooked in my whole life, time and time again. The freshness of each dish and contrasting elements between its components is also ever so satisfying. The small cheese selection with accompagnying contrasting flavours of tomato marmalade, hazelnut brioche and slowly cooked dates was also ever so satisfying..
The service and individual attention from the multi-lingual staff rendering an atmosphere of being part of the family is actually quite unique.
The same night Cal Pep for dinner (seated in the back as usual) was actually fairly good. Then again, to me one has to take and accept this restaurant for what it is, with its boisterous atmosphere, slightly off-hand service, but actually waiters that are genuinely interested in your well being, particularly if you in Spanish show a knowledge of their specialities and the local wines..
The only let down was the navajas, rather overdone... But the almejas left my friend with glazed eyes and a question about doggiebagging a liter of its sauce, with the laconious reply: "Sure, but we'll have to cook 6kg of clams first..."
The bellota seemed rather haphazardly cut and not from a great piece, they were unfortunately out of espardenyes. But alas: The tuna tartare, deep fried artichokes, pa' amb tomaquet etc. made up for it.. Remelluri Bianco and Clos Mogador 2002 were a nice accompagnement..
Later:
San Pau, wow!
Shanghai almost revisited...
Gamvik: Defientely revisited..
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Thanks for all the replies!
A small update as I´m in BCN at the moment:
Went to Gamvik in Balmes 165 yesterday, and was impressed, but then my opinion could be biased since I´ve known Robert for a few years, and we´ve encountered eachother on his trip to northern Norway.
But: A modest local with small paintings on the walls giving impressions of the scenery around Gamvik.
Wine list: Top notch, very broad, good and sensible selection with moderate markups.
Menu: Some dishes do show his history at Isidre and Colibri, like the espalsa del cabrito, but apart from that very good when it comes to shellfish, had some lovely navajas with ceps done just right and meltingly tender in the mouth with a very intense flavour.
I also had a carpaccio of a local mushroom called "Amandis de Sarria"???, (Help me out anyone??), extremely fine nuances which were lightly enhanced by a lemony vinaigrette .
The cabrito was top notch, as the chocolate souffle and also a rather funny pre-dessert: Looks like a boiled egg with the top off, yolk and all, but when spooning it up the white is a lovely vanilla semi-pudding, the "yolk" a tangy citrus, and hidden in the bottom a small rich chocolate surprise...
Meursault-00 from Leroy and Pesus from Bodegas Vina Sastre-01 did the trick as supplements.
IMHO (even without the bias) it is definetely a place to seek out for straight forward cuisine without too much manipulation with clean flavours..
Plans have changed though, was able to snag a table at San Pau tomorrow for lunch (Yes!), and going back to Cinc Sentits today for lunch.
Despite the warnings I´m sticking with Cal Pep tonight, and´ll let you know..
Any good suggestions for a sunday night dinner??
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Lovely!
This reminds me of a fishmonger/distributor in Gracia in BCN that once a week will open up the back of his shop, be it a wednesday or thursday night for a select few of his clients. There he'll serve food prepared very much in a similar manner, totally fresh, totally plain but stil bursting with flavour!
Tried to upload pictures, but no luck...
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I have been reading through the Barcelona/Catalunya threads until I am crosseyed. There are so many restaurants that are highly reciommended, but what if you had three or four nights and wanted a combination of traditional, and nouveau that don't break the bank? To narrow it down, I would like restaurants that are within commuter rail distance or within Barcelona. Pedro, Bux, VSerna, DocSconz? I pose this question on this thread as it seems to be the same general question. Gracias por sus repuestas!
10 things/places I wouldn't miss if visiting Barcelona:
1. El Celler de Can Roca.
2. Tapas at Quimet i Quimet.
3. Cinc Sentits.
4. hand cut Jamon Iberico de Bellota at Jamonisimo.
5. Hisop.
6. 70% chocolate rajoles from Enric Rovira.
7. Colibri.
8. Early morning visit to La Boqueria.
9. Montadito and Cava at La Champanyeria, where it not packed with tourists.
10. fresh ice cream at Cremeria Toscana
6 things/places I think are over-hyped:
1. Cal Pep
2. Comerç 24
3. Estrella de Plata
4. Cata 181
5. machine cut ham at La Boqueria
6. Cacao Sampaka
wanted to go all the way up to 10, but can't think of more right now.
Well, I definetely agree on many of your inputs:
Cinc Sentits: Been there thrice, love it, both for its cooking, the short but well matched wine list, and of course genuinely friendly service.
Colibri: Haven't been there since Robert Serna left to start Gamvik, anyone been there lately?
Jamonissimo: I'll never forget Eyvind Hellstrøm's face (2*chef from Bagatelle in Oslo) as he sampled the first piece of silky Andalucian jamon as we were sampling all the different jamons in the back of the shop.. Priceless!
Enric Rovira: Of course, especially since I've been instrumental in setting up imports in Norway.
Hisop: Might definetely be on the menu this weekend, but is unfortunately closed for sunday dinners...
La Champanyeria: Will try, where is it?
As for your don'ts:
Cal Pep is still to me more of a total experience; The atmosphere, well selected wine list, and always knowing what to expect.
La Estrella de Plata: Couldn't agree more! Over the last 6 years I've seen it decline steadily in all respects, but i thought they went bankrupt earlier this year??
BUT: What I still DO know (Leaving in 6 hours that is) is that I'll definetely be enjoying my 72 hours!!
BTW: Have anyone of you tried Ramon Y Montse, perched high up under the ceiling of the fruit and vegetable section of Mercabarna in Zona Franca?? Seek it out!!
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S.D.: I was actually thinking in general.
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Thanks for the advice so far; yes I've tried Comerc, but forgot to write it down...
I might not venture into the 972 (phone)area this time, that was saved for elbulli which didn't come through though..
There's one good restaurant up close by Montserrat though?
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On short notice I'm going back to BCN this weekend and will have plenty of time to try out some new and refreshing restaurants, both for lunch and dinner.
Tried to pull all the strings in my purse but came up blank at elbulli (Been there thrice, but this year's menu looks interesting), and so far I've got these on my list:
friday night: Restaurant Gamvik (Actually named after a county in Finnmark, Norway, met up with Robert the week after in Oslo and he told me about his idea for the name, and so we've also provided him with the county's weapon/seal, proudly presented on the wall). 1st time, and looking forward to it, anyone been there?
Saturday night: Cal Pep for the n'th time. Just have to come back to meet up with Pep and his marvellous voice, cooking and the atmosphere.
Sunday lunch: L'Esguard, a new one for me, and looking forward to it.
Tried to get into San Pau, but alas: Fully booked...
Looking for new, authentic places, but have already perused lots of places that you normally would recommend: Cinc Sentits, Gaig, Alkimia, Colibri, Cata 181, Gaig, Moo, REl Raco de Can Fabes, Can Roca, Ot, Shanghai, Via Veneto, Neichel, Can MAjo, Bestial, Drolma, Bilbao, Hoffman, etc.
So fellow e-gulleters: Any rec's? It DOES NOT necessarily have to be deeply experimental, rrather that the philosophy is there throughout the whole meal, and preferably with a superb wine list.
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Judith: I'm sorry to say that my two last visits to Moo in February and April 2005 duplicated your visit. On the latter occasion I was hosting a group of colleagues and friends and the service was totally off any pitch. The waiters, maitre d' and bartenders have the unique ability to act busy whilst achieving and doing absolutely nothing... After 1,5 hours we had received our first appetizer, had been proposed the wrong wine 3 times and had to beg for some bread...
This promoted me to pull the maitre d' aside and politely in Spanish suggest to him that both service and attitude left rather much to be desired, at the same time pointing out the flaws I had experienced on this and former occasions...
The maitre took our point and from there on in the service improved to such an extent that my colleagues whispered whether I had any connections with the mafia..:-)
Alas: The food: Less than inspired, and as mentioned before, its sibling further north provides a far better experience.
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Refreshing the topic a bit since I'm on my way to Mallorca this upcoming weekend.
Alas: We're going to the ah so touristy area of Cala Millor, and are looking for good rec's in this area. So far I've tried with success Pula Restaurant, Son Floriana and Sa Punta, the latter being quite a pleasant surprise despite its location in the middle of Totally commercialised tourism.
We do have a car for the entire period so wer're not entirely location dependent, but bear in mind that the two kids are coming with us, so any 8-course 4-hour dinner is out of the question (although the children are very wellbehaved).
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as a small sidenote: The new hotel at M.de Riscal will be administered and profiled as part of the STARWOOD programme, which (unfortunately or fortunately??) might result in an influx of American visitors?
Opening scheduled for early 2006, and the property will have very few rooms and probably be branded within the gorup's "Luxury Collection".
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My two cents worth:
Restaurant Kaia in Getaria, november 2003; Wild turbot from the grill located on the pavement outside below the restaurant's entrance; succulent and doused with the freshest DAURO Empordà olive oil directly from the press, and in the excellent company of Sr Santolaya..
I realize that this is a one-off experience in exceptional circumstances, but reports from friends sent to Kaia concur with my opinion. Enjoy!
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Can you specify what area you'll be visiting? Lisbon, Algarve, Oporto, etc... ?
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Vel min venn, nå har du virkelig tråkket i salaten! Calella ligger midt i det området hvor du definitivt finner noen av Spanias beste restauranter, nevner i fleng: Sant Pau, Hispania, El Raco de Can Fabes, og 12 mil lenger nord El Celler de Can Roca og El Bulli...
Gjør du et søk på disse i dette forumet vil du ha mer enn nok hygge deg med...
The short version translated from Norwegian:
My fellow countryman, you've really put your foot in it, listing the above mentioned restaurants and recommending the "search" button...
But in all fairness: The original poster is a young promising chef from Bergen, Norway who will be awed at the culinary experiences that the Costa Brava has to offer.
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Thanks for all your advice so far, unfortunately Joan Gatell is closed during our stay (W¨'re in the region from 2nd-9th of May). But the village of Gratallops looks very picturesque, and I also came across a promising restaurant called Irreductibles, mighr check that one out as well! www.irreductibles.org
On a sidetrack from the gastronomic route: I know I have to go to Port Aventura with the kids for a day or two
, any decent restaurants around there or tips/hints? -
Well, The Vikings including one 8- and one 10 year old are going to Spain the 1st week of May..
For three nights we'll be staying in/on top of Barcelona at the Gran Hotel La Florida, and most of our dinners/lunches are more or less set/decided, including Cal Pep and Cinc Sentits (unless someone has any fab. suggestions for restaurants that will appeal to both adults and kids palatewise).
Even though we would be able to get reservations at El Bulli, we're actually not (!)going this time on account of the kids...
So, after that we're headed to Reus, staying at the Mas Passamaner www.maspassamaner.com for four nights, and obviously, two days will be dedicated to Port Aventura, but we're also looking for a gastronomic angle both during the day and the early evening..
The hotel's restaurant; La Gigantea seems more than adequate, but does anyone have any other suggestions in the Tarragona/Reus/Cambrisl/Salou area?
The kids are in general well behaved, and especially the eldest has shown a fondness for the Iberian cuisine (Including Pimientos de Cristal, ventresca, Llomo embuchado iberico ++), but I don't think a fully formal event lasting lots of hours will be that a good idea.
Thanks in advance!
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Having been to BCN twice this last month, and both times (the second time against better knowledge) visitede Moo. Both times the "Roca" menu was identical, slightly adventurous, but at the same time to me the food seemed churned out along the same mold without any particular soul, and IMHO more representative of the "food industry" rather than any gastronomical experience. One stand out to me was their version of suckling pig, excellent crunch and almost molten interior, but still a far cry from the traditional lechonas that Spain has to offer.
BUT: THE main flaw was: Lack of service, snotty attitude, total discoordination regarding bread/wine serving (The 1st time we had the wine/food pairing). Moo must have the best waiter/guest ratio of any restaurant short of numerous 3* establishments outside of France, and they completely succeed at being able to do nothing while pretending to be extremely busy/occupied.
On the 1st occation I was there as a guest of another party and therefore did not intervene, however on the 2nd occasion I was the host: After 1h20min (We had preordered the tasting menu, so no wasting time on decisions)we had only received our 1st amuse, no bread, the wrong champagne (twice!)... This did not bode well, and I therefore confronted the Maitre d' (Albeit discreetly, far away from the rest of my now fuming, and knowledgeable guests) with the lack of service and coordination. I must commend his reaction, immediately seeking to give us the best service possible afterwards. As one of my colleagues said afterwards: "S**t, what happened?"
The only let down was wheb the restaurant manager at the end of our meal came over, trying to excuse the service in general in a rather self-righteous way...
I might be back, but that might be more due to a beautifully selected wine list rather than tha the total gastronomic experience. (Cinc Sentits does the slow cooked egg ten times better)
As for Gaig: I liked it better when they wee uptown, the restaurant itself much lighter, as was the ambience; to me the place now is somber, both regarding atmosphere and presentation, and did not really provice an exceptionally memorable experience..
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Last week I stumbled upon a new small restaurant in Oslo, only holding approx. 20-25 guest places. It's called "Restaurant Oscars gate", situated centrally and within walking/tram distance of most attractions/hotels.
This hole in the wall provides mainly a tasting menu (8 courses+ nidbits in the front and tail end) and with a style I'd describe as crossover between Cinc Sentits, Troisgros and El Raco de Can Fabes (If you have the imaginatison that is..)
Highlights for us were the leg of quail with powdered foie gras, the cheese dish which had a piece of deep fried cheese on top of melted Brillais Savarin, aubergine raviolis with chanterelles and seafood broth etc.. The Petit Fours were presented as miniature chess players on a chess board, elegant and plentyful!
Wine list to die for, more than 300 bins that were ranging from approx. Euro 34-2,000.- with the latter being La Tache 1990..
We paired our 8 course menu (Euro 100) with a wine menu (Euro 70-80), and it matched perfectly..
As would have it, we were there approx. at the same time as one of the major newspapers' critics, as we could identify each course we had in their report later the same weekend..
http://www.oslopuls.no/cityguides/nav/revi...urant&id=998486
Oslo kept its stars in this edition of Michelin guide, but IMHO this one could rival Bagatelle's 2* at least what's being presented on the plates.
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Thanks everyone for an updated input, reconfirming my faith in amongst others Chez Pierre and Gourmet de Seze, reservations have been made and I'm off tomorrow to the Salon and of course "Bocuse D'Or" where a good friend of mine is defending Norway's three titles in 6 attempts over the last ten years(!)
The atmosphere, nervousness on the arena, festiveness, the authenticity of cooking... Mmm... I'm going to absorb it all, feast, enjoy, and hopefully come back with a trip report..
Stockholm Restaurant Recommendations
in Elsewhere in Europe: Dining
Posted
Alas, just back last night from Stockholm and did:
1. Lux for lunch on wednesday; Great location on the southern outskirts of town in the old Electrolux factory building with great views across the canals.. Tried the Calyx roe with sour cream and blinis, a little bland although the roe/caviar was fresh without the metallic after taste. Potted foie gras with intertweened meat and pistachios with pickled onions was sublime.. Baked "røding" was definetely low temperature prepared, and moist, but tastewise a so-so...
Good selection of wine by the glass, albeit a bit pricey; the Ostertag Muenchberg 2002 was divine.
Had a look at the evening menu where the dishes (as with most restaurants it seems) is far more elaborate and ditto expensive.
2. Wednesday dinner; Bon Lloc, definitely a home run! ( www.bonlloc.se ). As pictured in a modified picture in the Swedish mag Gourmet www.gourmet.se of The Last Supper they're closing at the end of the year. The location brings back fond memories of Coq Blanc where I was able to acquire Grand Echezeaux 1978 for a mere SEK 1,100.- some years back and reluctantly left the empty glass at the end of the evening.
Great courses were the Caviar gel, totally black covering of the traditional trimmings; the seafood cocktail tha intertweened spice, acidity, tanginess together with succulent lobster and "lodde" (a small herring) roe.
The lamb in two servings was definetely also up to par, but visually definetely beaten by the entremese of red fuit sorbet with flower petals, all beautifully presented on the Spanis Ola porcelaine. Degustacion/Expresion + wine menu: SEK: 1,700 pp, or just below €200.
3. Lunch yesterday: GQ in Kommandørgatan. Italian influence, clean flavours, great but extremely pricey wine list. I might be back though!
Divino was recommended to me for dinner as well as numerous others, will try them on another occasion.