daemon

Hi I was in Spain for 4 days late september, and had diner or lunch at El Bulli (wil post on the other topic) , Celler de can Roca, Rafas, and Mas Pau among others. I've uploaded the pix (all of them, including the blurry ones :-) athe the following address ( sorry no legend for the moment) sept 06' spanish restaurants pix Talking about Celler, it was my second lunch there (first was last year). To me the food was WOnderful and even better than the first time , but some constrution or deconstruction works going on in the building next door made quite a horrible noise, that kind of prevented us to completely enjoy the meal. However, some of my friends who were eating there for the first time were just amazed by their meal

well, thanks to everyboy for the help, i am flying to Girona tomorrow morning and be back w/ details next week thanks again

I would love to eat at Sant Pau, but it won't be this year. I also have to keep in mind that this is for saturday lunch, next week, and that there will be 6 of us, so lots of restaurants might already be fullbooked. In the "2006 ElBulli " thread, I also noticed Rob Simmon saying that Rafas and SnackMAr were closed, hope it won't be next week

I"ll second docsconz on this. It might be quite a good option :-) thanks Massana sounds great too. Silly Disciple, I am interested in SnackMar but starting my mini trip in Girona, than in Rosas and then next to Girona, I'd like to avoid another trip round :-)

Thanks for your help. BTW,this will be my 3rd time a Elbulli and 2nd at Celler, so I am a bit anxious : I had a wonderfull lunch at Celler last year, and hope not to be disappointed. My second visit to EB if still great, was less "magic" than the first one, but I can't figure to be in the area and not going there. abola, I won't be in Rosas anymore as I will dine and sleep as mas pau the day before. docsconz, Raco de Can Fabes, for some reason has never appealed to me, and for this meal, I'd like some place, little bit simplier , and let say it, a little bit cheaper

Hi, as the title says, i'll be in Spain at the end of the month, and have already secured reservations at El bulli, Celler de can roca, and Mas Pau. I'll try and get a table at Rafa's, so my first 4 days are quite well booked. I now need a last one for lunch on saturday. I am looking for something simplier than starred restaurant, something more rafa's like. as I'll take off from gerona in the evening, something not far from Gerona would be great...

I was next to Odeon yesterday around 4PM, looking for a snack before a movie, and finally did it to the Relais. About reservations, I was told they were full booked until the end of january and they wouldn't take any new res. before that time. on the other hand the lady told me that they regularly have cancellations especially regarding the outdoor tables ( despite are they heated ). As it has been said, lunch meal there is quite different from the eve. one ( which I gave a try last june-and was delicious). My friend & I shared a cheese plate & a "cochonailles" plate, that were more than good for a reasonnable price.

Corinna among the 100 000 or more requests, only a few of them ( but more than enough to fullfill the schedule) are received by - let say oct 20th-.they only have to check those ones. all the others coming later, invariably receiving a 'no".

here are some comments from a friend( I pretty trust in when it comes to restaurants) who had diner there on tuesday : awfull, expensive, total (bad) joke, with quite an impressive “NO-winelist”, the food is inconsistant, presenting no interest : -crab meat tartare ( from a can ?), with tomatoes not even well crushed; -”soupe de châtaigne et lait de coco truffé” (sweet chestnut soup with cocomilk and truffle) : still looking for the truffle. - grilled big sardine , citrus fruits juice : the sardine was over cooked, its “skin” not even crunchy - “aiguillette de poulet sur un risotto” (chicken & risotto) : totaly Un-memorable -Pana cotta with its strawberry sauce: it’s not even the strawberry season. - Wines :White Menetou Salon les Renardières 2002 : ok Red Menetou Salon les Renardières 2003 : sulfurated to the bone ! And the whole thing at 80euros/menu (without wines) . Never again !

Since 1990, this "culinary festival" takes place all around France, in restaurants and other places such as schools, librairies.... in restaurants, chiefs propose foodies special menus including wine, for a sweeter price than usual (and even less for students). In Paris places like Le Bristol, Le Ritz, La Régalade, Le Pré Catelan are part of it as is Le Square ( a small bistrot next to my office in the 18th, that is worth it ) : parisian restaurants list .

hi, you might try "Le temps au temps" ( 01 43 79 63 40) and " le paul bert" (01 43 72 24 01) on rue paul bert. both are 2 very good bistrots ( about 30€ for a 3 courses meal). other style but I recently dicsovered a very good senegalese restaurant "Waly-Fay"( 01 40 24 17 79) 6 rue godefroy cavaignac

Hello, thanks for the infos, i'll keep and try & use them properly. I'll give a feed back as I return next month

Hello, I'll be in Sri Lanka next month, and even if this is not the purpose of my journey, I would have liked to have recommendations about good places there ( from the street small restaurant to luxious places) If any one could help would be nice as I haven't found anything yet. thanks

I don't know aboutlunch but regarding the evening meal, there's a slate board w/ the 40euros eve. menu, that is hung on the outside left wall, next to the pancakes take away.

Bux, I do totaly agree w/ you. in fact I had my2nd meal at el bulli 2 weeks ago and it still was amazing, and going to Dassa Bassa, I was not expecting a "bulli-like" meal, just a good modern spanish food. It reminds me of a LAfontaine's fable about a frog wanting to appear as big as a beef ( my english translation might not sounds great ;-) : I think it's great to offer a degustation menu at that price, but before that make sure you have qualified enough waiters and correct glasses. I also had lunch at cellar de can roca 2 weeks ago, and I'd say there is kind of a gap between those 2 restaurants.

thanks to you for your advices. As my trip has been shortened, I only had the chance to give a try to DASSA BASSA. as bunch of friends has told me great things about it. well, rather have been for a cerveza i bocadillos instead. the chief seems to be an ex elbulli-an. we were served sfericos de..... , marshamallow of...... but not a single dish was memorable, some of them were even not finished. ok 50 euros for a degustation menu is more than correct especially for me who live in Paris; but it's far too much for what I got, not to mention 3 glasses out 4 were notched or broken, and the waiters ( not sure about the term in english) succeded in beeing the noisiest I have ever seen ! I wasn't expecting anything in particular but a nice meal, and maybe I was there a wrong night, but it was not a good experience....too bad

Hi, I'll be in Madrid from tomorrow afternoon till sunday afternoon; tomorrow's diner is already booked, but I am looking for reco for my 3 other meals. I am considering DASSA BASSA, but am also looking for simple but great tapas bar, or anything else that is worthing it. thanks a lot

Hi Bux, I'll have lunch at can roca on next saturday ( and dinner at el bulli on sunday). I definitly go for the surprise menu; regarding the wine, could you give a price range for the pairing ? thanx

It is my understanding --but I could be very wrong-- that all first timers are considered VIPs and offered some extra dishes. That maybe accounts for the 42 dishes? Hopefully nathan will chime in and let us know when he gives more details about his great meal. As far as a kitchen table, well, I guess you have to be connected , since I did not even know they had one. Elie ← Well, I ate their last may and was served no more( which is great anyaway) than 25 dishes, so was my father last week. Going back next week, I might ask.

nathanm How did you manage to book the kitchen table ? and to get served 42 dishes ??? do you have sort of "connections" ?

Sounds great, but I can not find any information about this place on the net, even on the french yellow pages that don't mention any restaurant at this address. couold you tell me more ? thanks

Thanx Pedro for this interpretation, you might be right, and it doesn't bother me as long as I love this idea of mind blowing food served in an old fashionned house in the middle of nowhere Thanks. By the way, the reservation for this year is not under my name, so we haven't been asked. I'll let him know when confirming.

Browsing the web, I've found this menu , of what was served @ el bulli on april 2nd. looks good , but I am a bit "disapointed" as those marked with a "#" were served to me in may last year during my first meal there. I have a reservation for next month, and hope that It will have evolved ( even if these courses were wonderful, especialy the Ostras con panceta ibérica ahumada, sopa montada con su grasa ) One more thing, Ferran Adria talked about " a new avant-garde dining room", and my source says the dining room is quite "old fashionned". does anyone knows more ? El Bulli; 04-02-05 Marshmallow de parmegiano Olivas sféricas Piel de pescado planchada Palomita de queso Crunchy de quinoa #Leche eléctrica Ninfa de algodòn thai #Caviar sférico de melòn Trufa-nitro coulant de pistacho Ravioli de alga kombu y erizos Ravioli sférico de guisantes y ensalada de guisantes a la menta #Pan de queso #Sopa de aceite de olivia con naranja sanguina, aceituna verde y azahar Ñoquis sfericos de patata con consomé de piel de patata asada #Ostras con panceta ibérica ahumada, sopa montada con su grasa Quinoa helada de foie-gras de pato con consomé Huevo sférico de espàrragos blancos Nueces guisadas con salsa noisette y capullos de margarita Gambas al natural Panceta iberica confitada con buey de mar a la cantonesa Ventresca de cabrito al estilo marroqui con aire de leche Nitro-pâte de fruit de ramarillo Omelette surprise 2003 Helado thai con marshmallow de lima Morphings…

Hi Fodman, I had diner at El bulli in may, last year. As I am used to do in France, I wore a suit without a tie, and was quite surprised, discovering that 3 out of 4 guests there were wearing a sweater or a short-sleeved shirt; Regarding the wine, unfortunately they did not offer a wine tasting selection ( but as the prices are low, a t least far lower to France ***, you can taste some... ;-) btw, soomething that I think was very elegant, is that for the aperitif, we had a glass of cava, and they do refill your glass untill the end of the first 4 ir 5 starters but don't charge you for that _ it's like BK or taco bell :-) In Spain I think there's a 7% vta not included int the price shown on the menu, but you don't legally have to add a tip, but it is appreciated, and the guys there are so nice, that I wouldn't think not to give them a tip.

Thanks, can't wait ! ;-)