JesusBarquin

Very fast, if I may: Monosabios and ox-tail in Casa Pepe. Salmorejo and Mazamorra, interesting but not great. In Bodegas Campos, ajoblanco and ox-tail, as well as carrilleras of ibérico pork, but also other dishes that I cannot recall now. Desserts not particularly good. Enjoy your trip!

Choco is a little restaurant which is not in the old town center: Compositor Serrano Lucena 14, Tel. 957 264 863 Family running, but not at all traditional. Also out of the usual tourist paths, Astoria Casa Matías (El Nogal 16, Tel. 957 277 653), interesting for their rices and other guisos In the town center, apart from Bodegas Campos, I like Casa Pepe de la Judería (Romero 1, Tel. 957 200 744), but prefer to stay in the lower part, where you can eat through 'raciones', than going upwards and having a formal meal. Their traditional dishes are, IMO, more interesting than their more sophisticated ones.

Talking about unforgettable meals and about a really primitive foodie (me) who does not care a couple of dimes about intellectual cooking, I must mention a very recent meal at L'Esguard. Should I be asked to rate the restaurant according to this meal, I would not doubt to give it 3 stars (Metropoli Guide, of course).

For instance? Not meaning to catch you, José Andrés, just really interested in knowing your ideas about this matter. Let me, BTW, send you my most sincere congratulations for your success, no doubt as a result of very hard work.

Maybe because daemon was "looking for something simplier than starred restaurant, something more rafa's like"? At around 30/40 km from Girona, another favorite of mine in the field of real traditional cooking from the Empordà is Bonay, at Peratallada. But then you should think also about the possibility of driving 15 min. further, to La Xicra, in Palafrugell.

I would not say 'wrong', but just that I found the whole below my expectations, and below the standards one would suppose for the prestige and prices. The service was, in general, somewhat stiff for my liking. Found only a couple of dishes really outstanding (sicilian beets, cows tongue, maybe pork feet stuffed with cigalas too), while others were correct and others even showed flaws to my palate (in the product: a too salty cod, or in the conception: snails overwhelmed by sauce). The place is very nice, but flies and wasps are not necessarily welcomed, nor by countryhearted people as we are. And, even for a lover of german baroque music, hearing Pachelbel's Canon dozens of times may be too much... Well, maybe it just was not the day.

Two separate points: - If you want a simple, cheap and country-tasting restaurant near to Girona, my rec would be Can Quel at Foixà. Do not expect anything sophisticated, but lots of rustic authenticity. IMO, the perfect counterpoint to your other targets in the area. I only doubt whether they will reopen the doors in time (they get holidays during september). - I must humbly point out that my recent visits to L'Aliança (past january) and Mas Pau (several weeks ago) have not been particularly enjoyable. Mainly because of the man supposed to be the maître at Anglès (the main dishes weren't at a high level either) and because of a variety of little details in the case of Mas Pau. None of them has produced me the willing to come back soon. But all of you know that every place can have a bad day. So, take my criticism of the latter with a pinch of salt. Instead, I have eaten repeatedly along several years at Can Quel. This is a sure bet in my book, given that one has the proper expectations.

May I ask all of you about the beverages you choosed/were recommended to pair your '06 El Bulli's menus? Any opinions about the wine list and the wine service? About water, beer, coffee, tea, spirits? Thanks in advance for any report or comment.

In fact, more than one, Rogelio. A couple of days ago I ate Zeus faber in El Puerto de Santa María and my friend at the table reminded me that the popular name in the coast of Cádiz and Huelva for that fish (and its near parent the rarer Zenopsis conchifer) is, simply, Gallo, the same as for Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis and boscii. In Sevilla, at least when I was younger, these are called Gallo and the former, Pez de San Pedro, but the fine and delicious Citharus linguatula is called Gallito or Gallo de Isla, instead of Solleta o Tapaculo, as in other areas. I see, this is a real mess for almost everybody... Conclusion: Latin rules!

Not only called in Spain Pez de San Pedro or plainly Sampedro), but also Gallo de San Pedro or (particularly in Almería) Gallopedro.

By the way, and just to state a link between the table and my previous post: an Antonio Picasso was an outstanding builder of Bodegas in the Barrio Alto of Sanlúcar in the second half of 19th Century... One of them, close to the absolute Cathedral of Sherry Wines: La Arboledilla, currently owned by Barbadillo. A overwhelming place to which a pilgrimage should be made at least once in a lifetime by any food geek...

I am sorry to be so late in this thread, but I have no doubt that 'Bar FM' in Granada should be in it as a real star, as well as Ca' Sento, Elkano, Kaia, Casa Balbino (Sanlúcar de Barrameda) and some others.

Thanks for the lesson, Pontormo, but I already knew all of it. FWIW and in spite of any other art critic's statement, I still think that Duchamp's production as a supposed artist is nearer to bullshit than to greatness. Imagine what I should say of his contribution to the advance of professional kitchen... Just my opinion. May I add that we are in the beginning of 21st century? To my mind, Duchamp seems way too less 'modern' than Piero, Velázquez or Goya... But I would not say the same of other XXth century artists like Julian Schnabel, Miguel Barceló, Luis Gordillo or José Mª Báez, among dozens and dozens, with the Historic figure of Pablo Ruiz Picasso leading all of them. Sorry for getting out of the theme... Put the blame on Luiz Horta!

Frankly, I would not agree that is a wise approach, generally speaking. I am not an art critic. My opinion is that Duchamp is, let's say... bad? Regarding Iñigo Lavado's restaurant in Irún, I second the recommendation. And regarding what to do about Michelin's stars when one writes an article on spanish restaurants: simply ignore them. I mean, not a single mention of the word 'Michelin'.

His name is Juan Mari Humada. Sorry for the misspelling.