bcnchef

Does anybody know where Chef Hakon Orvarsson is working now? He used to be the Executive Chef of Vox Restaurant in the Hilton Nordica. J.

Great post, glad to see you didn't censor yourself -- some powerful images here.

I highly recommend Casa Maera. Simple, traditional food cooked by the charming wife of the owner. They feature fish and shellfish from Isla Cristina. The restaurant is closed on Sunday nights and on Mondays. I am not sure if they are open in August, I suggest calling ahead. Let the owner guide you through the menu (which is "sung", there was no printed menu when we were there). They basically offer whatever is fresh, and whatever his wife happened to cook that day (incredibly, she is alone in the kitchen). When we went we had several fantastic dishes including: - Revuelto de Bacalao (bacalao omelette with crisp potatoes) - Albóndigas de Choco (cuttlefish "meatballs" -- incredible) - Garbanzos con Langostinos (the star of the night -- chickpeas with langoustines) The owner was a taxi driver for many years and, if the mood strikes him, will entertain you with corny jokes and hilarious stories all night long. We laughed for hours and ate like Kings. Casa Maera Regla León, 23A +34 93 434 3605

At Can Roca -- pretty much everything is excellent. Particular standouts on my recent visit included the "Gelat de Ceps", "Fideua sense Fideus" and the Apple and Foie Gras Savarin (which is justifiably famous). The Rocas are some of the best chefs in Spain right now in my opinion. You may need to call ahead and ask them to include the Gelat de Ceps the day before you go. They don't always serve it as it requires some pre-preparation and they can sometimes run out. At Can Fabes -- you can see my previous post on this, which was mixed. The one dish which definitely did stand out, and to which I still think about fondly, was the Pops (baby octopus) with Miniature Gnocchi. Outstanding. If Santi has them on the current menu I would definitely order them, or ask them to include it on the tasting menu if you aren't doing the a la carte. Enjoy your meals! J.

A little out of the way, but *highly* recommended. In my opinion, the Roca brothers are some of the most talented chefs in Spain. J.

José Andres uses hot isomalt to make the bulb. They place a blinking (usually blue) LED inside. J.

This photograph is priceless John. As much as I love your food photos (and must confess a similar obsession when I eat out myself), this is a GREAT photo that really captures the end of service in a high-end restaurant kitchen. The expression you captured of Santi is priceless, and the scrubbed down stove in the foreground is perfect juxtaposition... Chapeau! J.

A very eloquent and well-written perspective Victor. I for one completely agree with you and also hope that the alleged payments were not made. If they were, I don't see how they will be able to dig out easily from the mountain of bad publicity and public backlash they will certainly face. It's a very messy and disturbing situation to say the least. We had a heated discussion tonight during staff meal where one point of view was that they had no choice (if it is true) but to pay. I made the same argument as you, which is who else would be better able to resist a payment demand than these well-known Basque "superstars" who are revered not only in the Pais Vasco, but throughout Spain. J.

David -- How could we refuse an offer like that ?! Email me when your travel dates get closer and we can nail things down. J.

The sweet-savoury discussion is one that I am following with interest -- docsconz, it might even merit a thread on its own as it seems to be a trend that both bux and robert brown commented on in their dining travels. In our own case, we made a conscious decision when working on the summer menu to highlight sweet-savoury combinations in several dishes, particularly with fruit, which is something I feel works well during that season. The classic combination of melon and proscuitto comes to mind. For example, the langoustine tail with melon “ajoblanco” that we served in summer has no added sugar, just the natural sweetness of the melon to play off the inherent “sweetness” of the langoustine tail. That particular dish is very refreshing in summer, but just would not work in fall or winter. Now that we are into the fall menu, our focus has turned from sweet to “umami”. Warm, savoury dishes featuring wild mushrooms, braised and shredded oxtails, crisp quail breasts, creamy lentils and braised and pan-seared pork belly... J.

Had lunch here last week and was dissapointed. I had the halibut and while the batter was superlative, the fish was dry and the chips were ... well, let's just say that I agree with the other comments regarding the chips...

I am heading up to London for a few days later this month and am on the prowl for a good shop or professional kitchen outfitter where I can find utensils, tools, etc. I would prefer a restaurant supply shop, but if anyone knows of a home kitchen shop, I would happily browse through the aisles there too. I am looking for stuff that I might not necessarily find here in Barcelona. For example, I am in dire need of a professional "egg topper" such as this one, or this one. Any suggestions? J.

More suggestions, this time from Jordi's girlfriend. She works for Turisme Catalunya in Lleida and spoke to some friends in La Seu who made the following suggestions: - Restaurant de l'hotel Andria (La Seu d'Urgell - 973.350300) - Restaurant del Parador Nacional (la Seu d'Urgell - 973.352000) - Restaurant La Masia (Montferrer - 973.352445) - Restaurant Taberna Noguers (Pont de Bar - 973.384020) - Restaurant Cal teixidor (Tamariu - 973.360121) In Lleida itself, she repeated the suggestion to dine at Malena. J.

I spoke to Jordi and he suggested two restaurants already mentioned by other members: - Gerry Dawe's suggestion of Can Boix - Victor's suggestion of Malena In his opinion, Malena is heads and shoulders above the others and merits any extra effort necessary to go there. He was less enthusiastic about Casa Irene. He felt that since it became known that the King dines there every so often, it has become more "commercial". I have not dined in any of these places myself, however I have 110% confidence in any restaurant Jordi recommends. Let us know how your meals go. (and take pix!!!) J.

My sous chef spent 3 years at a restaurant just outside Lleida and knows the area very well. I will ask him for suggestions and let you know. J.

Sorry to keep everyone waiting... Let's see... ah yes, tapas recommendations. Now, for those not in the know, the basic idea on a tapeo is that each place does a few things really well. The goal is not to go to one place and eat everything you want, but to just eat what they do well at that place, and then pick up and continue on to the next one. The four places we used to go are all in the Ciutat Vella: three grouped together along Carrer Merce and the other on Princesa in the Born (near the Picasso Museum). Sadly, the place we used to start our evenings has closed. It was a fantastic old dive called Bar La Jarra which specialized in Jamon Canario. A few years ago, to our horror, one night when we went it was closed. Figuring it was their night off or something we went back a few days later. The terror escalated when we got there and they were STILL closed. Close to panic, we returned the following weekend and when they were closed et again we started to ask in the bars nearby what happened. Turns out the owner had retired and his son no longer wanted to run the business. So he closed shop and put the place up for rent. We were (and remain) heart-broken. This place was CLASSIC. A sign on the wall said "signing is prohibited". The floors were old linoleum and the flickering lights in the ceiling were old flourescents that barely lit the place up. It was the kind of place where in the afternoon somebody would drop by with a guitar and start to play and sing (in spite of the sign) while catching up with friends and the old bar man. All they served was little slices of Jamon Canario on boiled potatoes drizzled with olive oil and some rock salt. These little jewels were pieces of heaven, let me tell you. Simple peasant food made with pristine ingredients by someone who had done it for 50 years and no longer had any room for improvement. They were simply perfect. Alas, Bar La Jarra is no more and I have yet to find a replacement. If anyone knows of a place that serves (good!) Jamon Canario, I impore you to spread the word! So after some Jamon Canario and Rioja, we would head across the street to Bar Celta. Once you walk inside you are practically in Galicia. What to order: - a bottle of Albariño (white wine) - pimientos del padron (flash fried small pepppers with rock salt. mmm.) - pulpo (octopus -- a must) - calamares (squid -- another must) - empanada (traditional meat or fish pie) - croquetas (several varieties of these, choose one you fancy) If you really must, you can also order some crab croquettes and some patatas bravas, which although good are not stellar here, but if you're hungry, hey, what are you going to do (the best bravas in Barcelona are at Bar Tomas, a story for another day). The wine is served in the traditional porcelain cups, the pulpo is divine (this is really the main reason for coming here, next to the calamares that is), and the pimientos are fun as a random number of them can be spicy, and you never know which. The next destination is just a few blocks away: Tasca el Corral. Look for the red light outside the door and the stuffed goat head on the wall inside smoking a cigarette (as well as the jamon ibérico hanging from the ceiling). Ask Salvador for: - Jamon Ibérico (de bellota) - Pan con Tomate - Chorizo al Diablo - Manchego - Cabrales - a bottle of Rioja (or Sangria if it is hot) The ham is something you would kill for. The Chorizo al Diablo is fun interactive food. The Cabrales will put hair on your chest (and if it doesn't, I guarantee you that Salvador's Sangria WILL). At this point we trek across to the Born to have dessert at Euskal Etxea. Your actual mileage may vary, depending how much Albariño and Rioja/Sangria you have already consumed. If we are hungry, we will make the trek and have some Basque Tapas before dessert. What you want to get for dessert is a slice of cheesecake. Yes, that's right, cheesecake. Actually, you may want to get two slices. This is like manna from heaven. First of all, they don't always have it. It is SO good that they tend to run out by the time us gluttons have finished stuffing tapas down our gullets at the two previous locations. However, if they do have it (you have to ask, it isn't set out), you are in for a treat. It might seem like the simplest thing, but this simple combination of a cookie crust, unbaked thin filling of cream cheese and sweet cream plus a topping of small blueberries is fantastic. We cornered the pastry chef one night and teased the recipe out of him. I made it for the next two weeks almost every night... :) If anybody heads out on this trek, send photos! Basic orientation information to get to these places -- from the Drassanes subway stop on the Ramblas, walk towards the sea. Take the last road on your left called Carrer Ample (which means Wide Street, in Catalan -- at the time the road was built WAY back in the day, it was the widest road in town I am told). Walk down Carrer Ample until you get to a big plaza with a church in front of you (Mercé church). Walk across the plaza diagonally to your right and continue down the next street. This is Merce street. About 1 block down to your right you will find Bar Celta. Another couple of blocks down on your left is Tasca el Corral. Euskal Etxea can be reached by walking to the end of Carrer Ample, crossing in front of the post office, continuing down the street, passing the Pla del Palau (where Estrella de Plata is located) continuing straight until you hit Cal Pep. Turn left at Cal Pep (or walk in if you can, and eat some more -- EXCELLENT shellfish tapas there). So keep walking, pass Santa Maria del Mar church and walk up Princesa street until you get to Euskal Etxea on your right. For a reference point, the Picasso museum is just up the street from here. Enjoy your tapas! Jordi.

Oido! :) I will start a new thread this weekend and list a few recommendations. J.

We are closing for 9 days in August: from the 16th until the 25th. We re-open on the 26th... We will also be closing for dinner on the 31st as I (somehow, and rather luckily) managed to snag reservations for El Bulli and I am taking my guys to check it out... Your travel dates are unfortunately right smack in the middle.... You might try Hisop. If I remember correctly, they did not close last August. Guillem and Oriol are the two excellent chefs behind the stoves there. Interesting Catalan food with a twist. They also have an excellent wine list. Additionally, I recently ate at Moo, which is in the Hotel Omm. Since they are in a hotel, the restaurant will likely remain open throughout August. The Roca brothers of Can Roca in Girona are directing the kitchen at Moo and many of the dishes from Can Roca are on the menu. Our meal there was interesting with some excellent wine pairings. If you want some "non fancy" recommendations, IM or email me and I can fill you in on the tapas route I recommend to friends who come into town, and what to order in each place. Quite the opposite of the two meals I suggest above, but equally enjoyable in their own way. Enjoy your trip to Barcelona! J.

Thanks for the positive comments Mariano! We're happy that you enjoyed the restaurant, it makes all our efforts worthwhile when we hear that people had a good time. Summer menu coming in about 2-3 weeks, once our farmer in Lleida delivers his first batch of perfect, juicy red tomatoes and cherries are at their peak! J.

I will post a full review later this week, but wanted to give a little preview of our meal quickly now. This was our first trip to Can Fabes. Santi was not at the restaurant. We were told he was in Mexico for a banquet of some type. Simon, as he mentioned above, also had the day off. The restaurant is celebrating 10 years holding 3 Michelin stars, which is a tremendous achievement worthy a healthy measure of respect. There are three menu options -- a la carte, a spring tasting menu, and a surprise tasting menu. We chose the surprise tasting menu. I won't go into too many details here, but basically the food is, as you would expect, technically perfect. The quality of ingredients is beyond reproach, clearly no expense or effort has been spared with purveyors. Highlights included a small "tomato" filled with basil foam, a bowl of "pops" (tiny octopus) with miniature gnochhi (endless thanks to the poor stagier who has to make this), lobster with wild mushrooms, and a prawn royale with prawn broth and white asparagus. Desserts were uniformly dissapointing with the exception of a plate of 3 sorbets (pear, strawberry, pineapple) of which the strawberry was exceptional and the pineapple very good. We all felt, overall, that the food was lacking somewhat in "local content". Aside from the Pops and the Prawns, the menu would have been just at home in any countryside restaurant in France. The overall feel of the menu was very French. All the plates, while again, technically perfect and utilizing pristine produce, were quite "simple". I was not expecting El Bulli style creativity, nor would I have welcomed that at Can Fabes, but I did feel that many of the dishes were things that could be found in any of a number of restaurants. Obviously, this is the style of food that Santi wants to serve, but I personally had hoped to see some more sparks of life and vitality on the plates. Our main meat course was simply a pear poached in wine, a roasted duck breast and some sauce with a touch of cocoa in it. It was good, but I was left feeling that I could have eaten the same dish anywhere, or even perhaps made a close simily myself. Overall food summary -- high quality ingredients, perfect technique, but (for me) overly conservative preparations. On the service side, we had a number of issues. I am actually a little reluctant to highlight complaints like these because I know first-hand how difficult it is to maintain a high level of quality throughout an entire dining experience. On the other hand, Can Fabes has 3 Michelin stars and prices to match. Our meal came to over 210 euros per person. At this level, I am afraid that the expectation is one of perfection on all fronts and the service staff did not deliver, with the exception of our sommelier who was well versed, spoke Spanish well, was friendly, and had answers to all our questions. As others have noted, the menu listings for the food are very simple. When food was presented at the table, I had hoped for better explanations, but the server basically just repeated what the menu said. On a few occasions, we asked for details on how a dish was prepared or what it contained, and the server either declined to answer, did not know the answer, or said they would find out, only to repeat a vague response. If I specifically ask about the details of a dish, I should be able to get a clear concise answer. When it came time for dessert, the server brought out the petit fours FIRST, then dessert, and then the pre-dessert all within 60 seconds. When they placed the petit fours down, I thought to myself, this is it? We are already done the meal and are not getting any dessert (it was the surprise menu, so we were not sure at any given time how many courses were left). Then they brought out the dessert, and then the pre-dessert (which was simply a cup filled with whipped cream and caramel sauce). So there we were, sitting there surrounded by all 3 courses of dessert at the same time. I doubt this is how it is usually done, but at am a loss to explain why they served us like this. A few minutes after clearing the last of the desserts they brought the bill without us having asked for it. In Spain, this is a definite no-no. Customers always ask for the bill when they are ready for it. Lastly, they had kindly prepared a printed version of the menu for us to take home, but the menu was full of typos and spelling mistakes which I thought was very sloppy. All this may seem like petty complaints, but I feel strongly that at this level, a restaurant simply has no room to make any mistakes. By point of comparison, we have been lucky enough to dine a number of times at the French Laundry in Napa Valley. A meal there typically costs about the same as what we spent at Can Fabes. However, everything is impeccable. Service is perfect, so perfect that at times we have wondered if they have hidden microphones in the tables so that the wait staff can hear what guests want and then magically bring it without speaking to anyone. We did not get the same impression here. Overall service summary -- not up to 3* standards, at least not with the service staff that attended our table. Overall summary -- in spite of my nit-picking, we did enjoy our meal. The food is very good and the ambience was nice, particularly as we were seated near the kitchen with a clear view inside. However, everyone in my party shared the opinion that the restaurant did not meet our expectations, especially when factoring in the price point and 3* rating. I will post a separate review with food photographs this weekend. J.

Yep, our first time. So I won't be able to compare to previous years, but can certainly give my thoughts on how this year's menu looks. I'm looking forward to it! (and to El Bulli in August...) J.

We're going for lunch tomorrow. I will post a review, hopefully with a photo or two, on Monday. Jordi. -- www.cincsentits.com

I hate it when Bux is so much more eloquent than I will ever be. :) jayhawk0328, you have listed perhaps the best-known restaurants in your list. If you want a classic experience with excellent seafood, then Botafumeiro is the place to go, no doubt. In a similar "classic" vein is Ca L'Isidre, but less for seafood than other classic catalan cuisine. As Bux mentioned, Can Fabes is definitely worth the trip if you can get a reservation (and have a fat wallet). Comerç 24 is run by an Adria "expatriot". Small portions of inventive cuisine. Located in the blisteringly hip Born neighbourhood. Alkimia is headed by the very inventive Jordi Vila. Expect daring and off-beat combinations. One of the most-talked about new recent openings in town. Hisop is a charming place run by a small group of devoted foodies. Two young chef's from Neichel man the stoves. If you are interested in another place with "creative" cuisine, you should check out Ot. It is in the bohemian Gràcia neighbourhood and only has 6-tables, so you need to book ahead. Nerdgirl wrote a review here on eGullet recently which you should search for if you are interested. Another place that just opened is in the Hotel Omm and is called Moo (almost as unfortunate a name for english-speakers as the restaurant Muffins, which does not serve muffins). Moo is run by the Roca brothers who operate the Michelin-starred Can Roca in Girona, and the hotel itself is part of the ever-growing Tragaluz empire. They offer a short and a long tasting menu with wine pairings. Expensive, but the place is getting good buzz. If our own restaurant was open already, I would put in a shameless plug for it too, but we are still about 6-8 weeks away from opening day! Wish us luck! Enjoy your trip and let us know how your meal went. Jordi.

I was about to say the same thing -- this is how my own Dutch friends taught me to eat them. Failing a cup of tea, a blast in the microwave for 10 seconds is a good substitute. Mmmm... Jordi.

Just got back from today's demos, which were all really great. The demo that Chef Achatz and Martin Kastner gave focused on the high levels of creativity found in today's food and the lack of equivalent progress in the way that food is presented to the customer. A few photos to whet everyone's appetites. I will write a more complete Alimentaria 2004 post with additional photos tonight. Jordi.