Barcelona and Mallorca recommendations

[bmdaniel]

So almost exactly 1 year ago, I proposed to my then girlfriend in Paris, with the help of some amazing eGulleters. (You can see the thread here)

We are finally tying the knot in Napa on June 12th and then flying to Europe for the honeymoon. Thus, I come begging back to you guys for suggestions on the best places to celebrate our marriage.

A little background on the trip; originally I was thinking we'd go to Asia because it'd be something completely different than what we'd ever done before. However, we were amazingly lucky enough to get a reservation at El Bulli for June 16th!!, and so ended up planning the trip (at least to some extent) around that.

So - we will be arriving in Barcelona on June 15th and probably more or less immediately driving up to Roses. Our flight gets into Barcelona at 14:45 and then we have to pick up the car and drive, so we'll probably be getting in around dinner time. I had thought about trying to hit Can Roca that night, but we'll probably be too tired/jet-lagged to really appreciate it. Any suggestions for something low-key in Roses would be greatly appreciated.

The real meat of the request starts when we drive back into Barcelona on the 17th (after dining at El Bulli the night before). We'll have three nights there and then leave at 20:50 on the 20th. I'd love suggestions across a range of dining types while in Barcelona (High-end, catalonian, tapas, other). We'll be staying in the LeMeridien (thank you Starwood points) which says it's in the Las Ramblas area, although I have no idea what that means, but we are willing to travel for places that are worth it (we'll have a car).

Our next stop is Palma De Mallorca for three nights - the main idea is to relax and enjoy the beach, but also any suggestions for dining would be greatly appreciated. We won't have a car here, so we are less mobile. We're staying at the Mardavall hotel (thank you Starwood points again) which looks like it's about 17 miles out of downtown Palma. After Mallorca we are headed to Piedmont, but I will leave that for the Italy board.

I've tried to go through the threads and compile rough lists of places that jumped out from multiple threads - obviously, there's a lot more on Barcelona than Mallorca, but hopefully someone is knowledgeable down there as well.

In terms of how much - we are happy in general to do a fancy lunch and a more low-key dinner, or vice versa, but two high-end places in one day is usually too much to be able to enjoy anything else. Obviously we will be splurging quite a bit at El Bulli, so probably no more than one or two more very high end meals across both places (300 euro+)

Thank you so much in advance!

Barcelona

High End

Can Roca

Abac

Cinc Sentits

Comerc24

Hisop

Moo

Tapas

Bar Mut

Quimet i Quimet

Tapac 24

Catalonian

Fonda Gaig

Other??

Other Dining

Gresca

Sauc

Rais de Galica

Other things to try

Cacao Sampaka

Streetfood??

Mallorca

Restaurant Tristan

Asador Tierra Aranda

Bens D'avall (A bit of a trek to Soller)

Es Raco des Taix (likewise)

[smashz]

Congratulations, and it looks like a great trip! The place you want to go in Roses is Rafa's, Adria's favorite seafood restaurant. It is a small, simple place with excellent food, but you should get your hotel to make a reservation for you ahead of time.

We went to Rafa's on our second trip to El Bulli, and found it to be wonderful.

El Bulli visit #1.

If you have time, I'd suggest a trip over to Cadaques, and to Dali's house there, with a perfect honeymoon vibe. The Teatro Dali in Figueres is great, but can be really crowded. If you don't have a car, you can probably find a tour.

In Barcelona, your list looks great. I'd also suggest that you eat at one of the counters in the Mercado de la Boquería. We really enjoyed breakfast at the one in the left corner as you enter from Las Ramblas.

[pedro]

My main advice would be to make reservations for an early lunch at Can Roca on your way back to Barcelona. You won't regret it and probably end up enjoying it as much as elBulli, perhaps even more.

Rafa's in Roses is a no brainer, but it's as casual as it gets. No fancy anything but the seafood and his skill with the grill. Roses is not the prettiest town in the Costa Brava, check the Hotel Almadraba if you haven't booked anything yet.

In BCN, depends on how you feel. More seafood, Rías de Galicia. Refined Catalonian cooking, Fonda Gaig or even Gaig. If you still have a car, Hispania at Arenys de Mar, a unique experience. Quimet i Quimet should be a must, be there early.

Majorca without a car is a mistake, I'd say. The island is wonderful and not crowded when you plan to be there, consider renting a car.

And, of course, congratulations and enjoy it!!

[docsconz]

My main advice would be to make reservations for an early lunch at Can Roca on your way back to Barcelona. You won't regret it and probably end up enjoying it as much as elBulli, perhaps even more.

Rafa's in Roses is a no brainer, but it's as casual as it gets. No fancy anything but the seafood and his skill with the grill. Roses is not the prettiest town in the Costa Brava, check the Hotel Almadraba if you haven't booked anything yet.

In BCN, depends on how you feel. More seafood, Rías de Galicia. Refined Catalonian cooking, Fonda Gaig or even Gaig. If you still have a car, Hispania at Arenys de Mar, a unique experience. Quimet i Quimet should be a must, be there early.

Majorca without a car is a mistake, I'd say. The island is wonderful and not crowded when you plan to be there, consider renting a car.

And, of course, congratulations and enjoy it!!

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The only thing that I would add is that Inopia should be on your tapas list for Barcelona, especially now that Albert Adria will be concentrating his work there.

[Rogelio]

Mallorca

Tristán

Asador Tierra Aranda

Bens D'avall (A bit of a trek to Soller)

Es Raco des Taix (likewise)

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Tristán might be the most expensive restaurant in Spain. I guess that you'd better know that in advance.

Asador Tierra Aranda is not in Mallorca but in Madrid.

Other highlights in Mallorca -but you'll need a car, as Pedro points- are:

-Es Racó dés Teix. 07179 Deià. Sa Vinya Vella, 6. 971639501.

-Celler Ca'n Amer 07300 Inca. Pau, 39. 971501261.

-Celler Sa Sinia 07200 Felanitx. Puerto Colón, a 12 kms. de Felanitx. Pescadores, s/n. 971824323.

- Club Naútico Cala Gamba. P°- Cala Gamba s/n. Palma de Mallorca. Tel. 971 261 045.

- Ses Rotges. Rafael Blanes 21. Cala Ratjada. Tel. 971 563 108.

- Xoriguer. Fábrica 60. Palma de Mallorca. Tel. 971 288 332

- El Raco de Randa in Randa.

[The Viking]

Tristan will be just a leisurely stroll down the road from your hotel, and is both expensive (Especially the markups on wine!) and to me provides an impersonal Michelin *style. I would think that many of the other restaurants along the same waterfront will provide better value/experience.

Whatever you do: Do NOT eat dinner at The Mardavall! Poorly executed, bland, overdone, you name it... The breakfast spread is fairly good though, with eggs/omelettes made to order.

Otherwise I concur:

1. Do hire a car.

2. Go to Bens D'Avall or El Raco D'en Teix.

And I do believe there actually is an Asador Tierra de Aranda in Palma, just of Jaume III.

As to Costa Brava: I have a sweet spot for Sant Pau as a lunch destination after el bulli.

[Rogelio]

And I do believe there actually is an Asador Tierra de Aranda in Palma, just of Jaume III.

←

You're right, this seems to be a very common name among castillian asadores.

My mistake.

[bmdaniel]

Thanks to everybody for the help so far. Here's what I'm currently thinking for Madrid (critiques welcome).

Monday Dinner: Rafa's

Tuesday Lunch: Something low key around Roses

Tuesday Dinner: El Bulli

Wednesday Lunch: Something low key in Cadaques?

Wednesday Dinner: Can Roca

Thursday Lunch: Something from the Boqueria/Pintoxo Bar

Thursday Dinner: Quimet y Quimet

Friday Lunch: Hisop

Friday Dinner: Fonda Gaig

Saturday Lunch: Inopia

Any suggestions? I'm thinking maybe it makes sense in terms of distributing the food load to switch Quimet y Quimet and Hisop, but I'm also trying to manage the geography of this whole thing and align with some sightseeing (it gets to be rather complicated!). I'd also really like to get Gresca in there, if possible.

Edited March 30, 2009 by bmdaniel (log)

[Rogelio]

Thanks to everybody for the help so far. Here's what I'm currently thinking for Madrid (critiques welcome).

Monday Dinner: Rafa's

Tuesday Lunch: Something low key around Roses

Tuesday Dinner: El Bulli

Wednesday Lunch: Something low key in Cadaques?

Wednesday Dinner: Can Roca

Thursday Lunch: Something from the Boqueria/Pintoxo Bar

Thursday Dinner: Quimet y Quimet

Friday Lunch: Hisop

Friday Dinner: Fonda Gaig

Saturday Lunch: Inopia

Any suggestions? I'm thinking maybe it makes sense in terms of distributing the food load to switch Quimet y Quimet and Hisop, but I'm also trying to manage the geography of this whole thing and align with some sightseeing (it gets to be rather complicated!). I'd also really like to get Gresca in there, if possible.

←

Madrid? These sounds like Cataluña to me

I'd have rafa's as an open option as it only opens according to the availability of seafood in the market and Monday's are not the best days. Check Cal Campaner too.

[bmdaniel]

Thanks to everybody for the help so far. Here's what I'm currently thinking for Madrid (critiques welcome).

Monday Dinner: Rafa's

Tuesday Lunch: Something low key around Roses

Tuesday Dinner: El Bulli

Wednesday Lunch: Something low key in Cadaques?

Wednesday Dinner: Can Roca

Thursday Lunch: Something from the Boqueria/Pintoxo Bar

Thursday Dinner: Quimet y Quimet

Friday Lunch: Hisop

Friday Dinner: Fonda Gaig

Saturday Lunch: Inopia

Any suggestions? I'm thinking maybe it makes sense in terms of distributing the food load to switch Quimet y Quimet and Hisop, but I'm also trying to manage the geography of this whole thing and align with some sightseeing (it gets to be rather complicated!). I'd also really like to get Gresca in there, if possible.

←

Madrid? These sounds like Cataluña to me

I'd have rafa's as an open option as it only opens according to the availability of seafood in the market and Monday's are not the best days. Check Cal Campaner too.

←

Oops - that's what I get for reading the Madrid post right before writing!

I'll only be staying in Roses monday and tuesday night, so maybe I'll try for Rafa's with Cal Campaner as a back-up plan?

[PhilD]

And I do believe there actually is an Asador Tierra de Aranda in Palma, just of Jaume III.

←

You're right, this seems to be a very common name among castillian asadores.

My mistake.

←

Yes there is one in Palma and I have eaten there. It is very traditional, with lots of dark wood. The cooking is really old fashioned, we went for a long Easter Sunday lunch and were surrounded by multi-generational families enjoying a true feast. Don't expect culinary fireworks but do go if you want real food.

We didn't eat in Tristan - we looked and thought it looked but is seemed very expensive. Follow Vikings advice

1. Do hire a car

2. Go to El Raco D'en Teix in Deia

Deia is a really pretty (a far bettter place to stay as well) and El Raco is (IMO) the best on the island. We had a really fantastic meal there last year - it is small, but great food.

[Harters]

Couple of recommendations for Mallorca:

Good lunch spot for "tipico" cuisine - Es Celler at Petra.

And surely overdue a Michelin star - Restaurant Jardin at Port d'Alcudia. We went for a 55 Euro "surprise" tasting menu (and there was also a mor extensive one at, I think 80 Euros). Just great.

http://www.restaurantejardin.com/es/index.html

The asador mentioned upthread is a pretty good example of its type.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Harters (log)