Sant Pau

[robert brown]

I am trying to put together my itinerary for short visit to the Costa Brava next month. I haven't found a lot on the site about the restaurant Sant Pau, a two-star Michelin establishment on the coast not far north of Barcelona. Has anyone been who cares to share some first-hand wisdom?

[lizziee]

Robert,

I haven't eaten there but it is a relais et chateau. The site is at: http://www.relaischateaux.com/site/us/Fich...?RcCode=santpau

[robert brown]

Lizziee, thanks for the link. It's a woman chef who gives the impression (based only on a few pictures) of a fussy, somewhat contrived approach. But I could be wrong. Right now I am thinking in terms of a restaurant serving down-home Catalan cuisine to contrast with Adria and Can Fabes. Does anyone know of a real funky, friendly regional-cuisine place between Barcelona and Figueras?

[lizziee]

Robert,

I know this is not what you are looking for but Ca Isidre in Barcelona is absolutely wonderful. Do NOT go to Mas de Torrent, another relais et chateau. We ended up calling it Mas de Torment.

[Bux]

The most French in feel to the reception and style. For better or worse, it is a Relais Gourmand. Actually, I found the waiter's uniforms a bit over designed and old fashioned and that's the worst of what is a very pleasant place. I never wrote about our meal there, but I have included mention in some post from time to time. Recently I recall mentioning the rice with gambas, a traditional dish, but prepared here with a sauce of memorable intensity.

I have a souvenir copy of the Menú Degustació which we didn't have and which is in Catalan, so we'll not mention it again, but I trust it will prove useful in someway to me in the future. Fortuantely I have some notes.

Rather than the menu degustació with four savory courses, we decided to choose four à la carte courses and have them split between us.

Las tres tapetes servides d'appritiu

- On a skewer, cube of John Dory liver, with olive coulis and chopped capers.

- Serrano ham with savory ice cream, beets and greens.

- Mini pizza - 3" pastry square with sauteed onions, fresh anchovy and a peeled cherry tomato stuffed with a parmesan emulsion.

Espardenyes over crushed and sliced potatoes and macademia nuts. The nuts gave it a nice crunch without inflicting too much flavor. The plate was streaked with mint and red pepper emulsions.

Sliced pulpo, fresh almonds (again, nuts as much for texture as taste) potatoes, string beans, with a creamy garlic and octopus soup added at the table by the waiter.

Gambas in an intensely shrimp flavored soupy rice. .

Mosaico de cerdo - pigs feet and meat all choped up and rolled, then sliced in a big chunk it was served with tempura zuchinni and its flower, on a base of vinegared chopped onions and red cherries to give some acidity and cut the gelatinousness of the pork.

I had the five cheeses and accompanyments chosen for the month of June. It was also accompanied by a lovely drawing of the dish, but I'm sorry to say that I order these creative cheese courses from chefs, but almost always find them less satisfying that a good cheese tray or dessert. High marks for presentation, but I was jealous.

Mrs. B. had the special dessert - a filo dough envelope deep fried and filled with vanilla cream, chocolate ganache, hazel nuts, orange jam, frais des bois, raspberries, and lingonberries.

It was an extremely hot day and we noticed the waiter kept the bottled water in the ice bucket with our wine. Also, as if was lunch and we had to drive back some distance to our hotel, we were not drinking the wine very quickly so he kept putting the wine in and out of the ice bucket so it would not get too cold.

The main dining room looks out and down, through a wall of glass, to a shaded garden swith four plane trees and lots of potted herbs and plants. Beyond the garden is the platform for the electric trains that go north from Barcelona. The trains are not a distraction. They are silent and lend a kind of time scale to the afternoon. The garden may possibly be a lovely spot for an aperatif later in the evening or earlier in the spring, but the air even by the sea was too oppressively hot at two in the afternoon in June. Beyond the train tracks is a narrow beach and the Mediterranean Sea. From the train platform one can see the restaurant and the kitchen at the garden level below the dining room. I don't know the train schedule, but this is a restaurant that can easily be reached by train.

I trust you are also considereing Can Fabes in Sant Celoni, a true three star restaurant and Can Roca in Girona, which I liked as least as much as Sant Pau. Girona is a pleasant city that offers an interesting day's sightseeing. How long are you staying in the area and where do you plan on staying?

[Bux]

It's a woman chef who gives the impression (based only on a few pictures) of a fussy, somewhat contrived approach. But I could be wrong. Right now I am thinking in terms of a restaurant serving down-home Catalan cuisine to contrast with Adria and Can Fabes. Does anyone know of a real funky, friendly regional-cuisine place between Barcelona and Figueras?

The only contrived course in our menu was the cheese course, but it's haute cuisine and in that sense, not a real contrast with either El Bulli or Can Fabes. I'd be quick to add my support for Ca l'Isidre in Barcelona. Traditional food, but finely done.

Closer to funky--I recall having to shell shrimp that were cooked in olive oil, tomatoes and onions to eat a dish recommended by the waiter at Can Majo. It was food well worth getting into tomato sauce up to your elbows to eat. Excellent very fresh shrimp. Good rice dishes here. I'd recommend some simple seafood a la plancha perhaps and then a grand rice and seafood dish. This restaurant is on a corner of the Barcelonetta area and across the street from the beach. It's a great lunch spot. In fact one of the best one two culinary punches I've ever had is lunch here the day after a meal at El Bulli.

If you're looking for someplace north of Barcelona and south of Roses (south of Sant Celoni perhaps as well) you probably want Restaurant Hispania in Arenys del Mar. It is, I suppose, the quintessential Catalan restaurant. We had lunch there and the restaurant was full of locals--couples and many businessmen, but more white collar workers enjoying a collegial lunch than what appeared to be business lunches. The menu is too large for a stranger to easily figure out what to order and the owner/hostess was quick to help us. No tourists here and it helps to speak Spanish, but I have a menu from last year and can get you a copy some way. Be very careful of the turnoff from the road here. Make too tight a turn at a point that's poorly marked and you will be on the wrong side of the road and the railroad tracks on a dirt road that leads to abandoned factories and a nude beach. To add to my frustration the beach was all male when we tried to find Hispanya.

All of these places should be reserved in advance to guaranty a table.

[robert brown]

Bux, you have been a great help. I'll take your advice and hit Gerona for dinner the first night. The next two nights we are in Roses to return to Rafa's (talking about basic, imeccable seafood a la plancha) and Adria. The problem then becomes fitting in Can Fabes and Hispania in one day of eating starting out from Roses. (We would spend that night near the airport and get the morning flight back to NYC the next day). How would you do it?

[Bux]

How are you traveling and where are you coming from when you arrive in Girona? I am assumming you will be driving. Plan as much time as possible for sightseeing during the day in Girona, you may want to spend the next moring there before heading for Roses. We spent two nights in Girona and most of the day between those nights sightseeing and walking around the old part of the city. We're not well organized and got tired from our ambling walks before seeing everything. You will want to see the cathedral and the restored are of the old Jewish quarters, that were only fairly recently discovered in the old town. Much of that are has evidently been under rubble for centuries. Can Roca is out of town in a suburban area and the five or six euros for a cab was well worth it for us not to have to drive.

Can Fabes and Hispania in one day may be a bit much if you intend to take the gastronomic menu at Can Fabes and do justice to the variety of dishes at Hispanya. I'd certainly focus on Can Fabes rather than Hispanya. Now are you saying you will have lunch at Hispania, then dinner at Can Fabes (or the other way around) and then proceed to a hotel near the airport that night? It's not that far, but it will be very late and I don't know what's near the airport which is south of Barcelona. You have to drive through Barcelona to get to the airport. I certainly might consider having lunch at Can Fabes and maybe staying in Barcelona for the night and having a lighter dinner there rather than at Hispania. We personally find that after a lunch at a three star restaurant, tapas is all we want in the evening.

There's a train to the airport that you can get at the Placa de Cataluya or it's a short taxi ride from downtown Barcelona, but if you have a car, you may pay as much to park it as you would for the taxi.

[robert brown]

Bux, the inevitable rejiggering. Now it's get a car at the Barcelona airport; drive to Roses for two nights; drive to Barcelona with a stop for a lunch at Can Fabes; and stay three nights in Barcelona, taking our two lunches at Hispania and Ca' Isidre. I imagine with the late dining hour, one's stomach can rally in time for a full dinner. What do you like, then, in terms of restaurants for dinner and simply grazing and drinking? Anyone else chiming in, I will much appreciate.

Edited March 7, 2003 by robert brown (log)

[lizziee]

Robert,

I had posted these notes some time ago on the Spanish board, but thought it would be easiest to reproduce them here.

We liked Jean Luc Figueras very much. The cuisine is very contemporary and the decor stark. We found the service exceptional. Our waiter, Mikial, had worked at Guy Savoy. The sommelier is a young woman, Helene, who selected wonderful, inexpensive Catalonian wines. It is difficult to describe the food. There are separate flavors on the plate that need to be mixed as you eat it. It is not the 20 ingredient syndrome of some American chefs, but the chef focuses on a number of ingredients and wants the mixing at the moment. We had the tasting menu - 2 amuse were served beforehand. Memorable dishes were: Rare ducks chunks, iced tomato with shrimp, gazpacho soup with apple puree, snails with a red pepper mousse and baby pork with peach honey and hot goat cheese.

One surprising highlight was at a restaurant in Barcelona called Ca L'Isidre. The owner is Isidre Girones. We got there around 1:45 and the place was empty. By 3:00 every table was filled, no tourists, mostly affluent businessmen. Our waiter, Joseph, spoke perfect English and with his help we orchestrated a perfect lunch. We started with tiny whitebait deep fried. Every time they fry up a batch, they use fresh oil. Next an incredible gazpacho with clams and shrimp with a slight dollop of oil floating on the top. Next quickly sauteed squid in olive oil that were so tender they melted in your mouth. Then their specialty - roast baby goat with small onions and white wine. The owner's daughter, Naria, is the pastry chef. She did a wonderful dessert - in an egg shell she placed sabayon which represented egg yolk, white chocolate was the white of the egg and underneath all liquid dark chocolate.

[lizziee]

From Departures magazine, Arthur Lubow does a long piece on the new up and coming chefs of Barcelona. I haven't eaten at any of them but below is what he suggests with his recommendations of what to order: The full article can be found at: http://www.departures.com/ep/ep_0103_barcelona.html

• ALKIMIA "Fried egg" appetizer, with cauliflower cream, unsweetened egg-yolk ice cream, and sevruga caviar; terrine of guinea fowl with pistachio-and-green-apple "guacamole" and trumpet-of-death mushrooms; squid with creamed rice and squid ink. $95; tasting menu, $30; At 79 Carrer Indústria; 207-61-15.

• CATA 181 Pig's trotters with figs, walnuts, and honey ice cream; three squares of rare tuna, each topped with a different mustard; sugared cruixents of cheese and tomato. $25; tasting menu, $20. At 181 Carrer València; 323-68-18.

• COMERÇ 24 Asparagus with mayonnaise foam; sardines marinated in balsamic vinegar or fried in Parmesan cheese; onions tempura with a soy-foam dip. $40; "festival menu" of tapas, $40. At 24 Carrer Comerç; 319-21-02. (In the case of this particular restaurant, this is the only restaurant in Barcelona that Adria recommends unconditionally. The chef is Carles Abellán, 38, a veteran of El Bulli.)

• HISOP Purée of green melon topped with spicy mâche; pigeon with sweet purées and arrays of different salts and peppers; chocolate madeleine soaked in rose syrup, with strawberry-pepper ice cream. $80; tasting menu, $35. At 9 Passatge Marimon; 241-32-33.

• ESPAI SUCRE Smoky tea cream made from Lapsang souchong, with yogurt, a black sesame wafer, grapes, a coffee-and-chocolate cake, and chocolate ice cream. Seatings at 9 and 11:30 p.m. Five-course menu, $30; simpler three-course menu, $20; savory dishes, $9-$11. At 53 Carrer Princesa; 268-16-30.

• OT Peanut "vichyssoise" with quail eggs, cabbage, and carrot; a deconstructed suquet (a fish, potato, and tomato stew); pigeon with shiitake mushrooms, baby corn, and popcorn. Prix fixe, $40. At 25 Carrer Torres; 284-77-52.

• SANTA MARIA Tiburon shark with carrots and okra in a red-pepper sauce; botifarra (pork sausage) with white beans and cèpe mushrooms; parfait of coffee foam, mango cream, and white chocolate; rice pudding with cinnamon ice cream. $30; tasting

menu, $30. At 17 Carrer Comerç; 315-12-27.

[Bux]

inevitable rejiggering

I wish I were in a position to criticize you for that. In fact, Esilda wishes I were in that position. I am the procratinator and rejiggerer of our family and see no reason not only why I shouldn't be allowed to replan my trip at the last minute, but why I shouldn't replan it in the abstract after it's over.

Ca L'Isidre could easily be a lunch or dinner. I have not eaten at the higher end in Barcelona and over the years have had mixed success at the low and middle ends. Worst luck was when taking pot luck at the low end. Go prepared with destinations even at lower middle range restaurants and Barcelona can be a major culinary joy. Let me repeat my recommendation for Can Majo on the beach for a lunch. Reserve an outdoor table!

Where are you staying? The old city has a great draw, but I prefer the area north of the Pl. de Catalunya. Good arguments could be made for either area as well as for others, perhaps. I'd like to recommend a restaurant that's simple and decidedly inexpensive, but rather upscale in terms of decor and interpretation of classic Catalan food. We discovered L'Olive on the night of a general strike in Spain. Most places were still closed and we set out from our hotel with a Michelin in hand and the hope that something would be open with an interesting menu at a reasonable price and, with luck, a listing in the Michelin. We had thought to just eat at our hotel, but they were honest in letting us know they were serving an abbreviated menu of steak or fish. Undoubtedly the fish was frozen and the kitchen was staffed by non cooks--probably management--attempting to serve those arriving or departing on cruise ships who are too clueless to find a restaurant even on a day when there isn't a strike. It was a pity as the regular menu was quite interesting looking and as NH Hotels have displayed such an interest in food by hiring Adria to consult on projects that I wanted to see what one of their chefs might turn out. I digress from what is already off topic from Sant Pau. We were quite ready to accept almost anything after passing one restaurant without a displayed menu. L'Olive had a really interesting Catalan menu, although we didn't expect either the contemporary urban decor or the quality of the food we we were served at that price. L'Olive, Balmes, 47, (corner of Consell de Cent) Good for lunch or dinner--far more sophisticated than Can Majo, but lacking the view of the beach and outdoor terrace. Inexpensive wines--Albret i Noya Chardonnay 20 euros. I've learned I'm not so much a fan of Spanish chardonnay, but Albret i Noya is a good Catalan producer in general. Once you leave the starred restaurants especially, wines have a low mark up in restaurants and prices of Spanish wines seem so much lower there than here. I have their menu in front of me and on the short list of recommended wines, (they also have a wine list) they offer Cavas at 12.63 and 20.05 euros and Tattinger Brut Réserve at 36.10 euros the bottle--2.55, 3.20 and 6.00 the "Copa," respectively. It was here that we had Amanida de peus de porc cruixent, which tasted like pork rinds. It looked as if they had taken the cooked pigs feet, boned it all, chopped it, combined it with onions then made a terrine out of it, froze it, sliced it thin and fried it like a big chip. It was served with thick home made potato chips and a salad. Their normal menu is in Catalan with Spanish subtitles. Perhaps not a starred place, but a find nonetheless if you're looking for local cuisine. For what it's worth, I see they're open from 1:00-4:00 for lunch and 8:30-midnight for dinner, if that gives you any clue as to dining times in Barcelona where I find dinner is later than in France, but earlier than in some parts of Spain perhaps.

I think Wilfrid has some good suggestions for dining and certainly a better feel for bars in Barcelona than we have. A bar on the corner of the Rambla de Catalunya and the Gran Via (de las Corts Catalanes) served as a local for us for a few days. the tapas were above average, it had outdoor tables and was convenient. La Rambla de Catalunya should not be confused with La Rambla of which it is a norther extension and if you'll excuse my prejudice--classier.

There is also a highly recommended wine bar in the Gothic quarter. I'll have to find the address. It's not so geared to be helpful to tourists. It's not unfriendly, but you have to be forceful to get attention at the bar. It's always easier to get someone's attention when you understand the language well enough to know just when the conversation with the current patron is ending.

I am sorry you will not get to Girona, but there's only so much you can do in a visit. If you haven't been to Barcelona recently, three nights will be a treat, I think, but possibly frustratingly short. There are many restaurants in which I haven't eaten but of which I've heard. Scour the threads here and follow links.

[Bux]

I see Lizziee's posted some good recs. We've eaten at Jean Luc Figueras' restaurant and found it most interesting. I think I posted some impressions elsewhere on this board. I suspect Lizziee may have enjoyed it more than I did, but it's certainly a restaurant worth knowing. I suspect it slipped my mind mostly because it's rather more haute cuisine than Catalan. That's not a value judgment. I was just responding to what I thought was a request for contrast to haute cuisine, but on rereading your post, I see you've not stressed that.

As for the references to young chefs and new creative cooking in Barcelona, this is something that's missing from my education. I'd love to spend a week just following up on this--and another week recuperating with traditional Catalan food. Three days will indeed be a short time.

[lizziee]

Bux,

I enjoyed Figueras, but you are right, it is more haute cuisine than typical Catalan food. I also agree that 3 days is just too short to experience all aspects of Barcelona. Robert, you will just have to go again!

From the November 2001 issue of Saveur Magazine, Colman Andrews, who has written a book on the region of Catalonia, mentions the following restaurants. He cautions that this list is incomplete, but does include some of his longtime favorites.

Bar Pinotxo - real Catalan food such as shredded salt cod salad and white beans with baby squid. Counter service. Breakfast/lunch. Inexpensive.

Ca L'Isidre - Bux and I have both mentioned this. Colman Andrews says," Our vote for the best restaurant in Barcelona."

Cal Pep - A lively crowd at a brightly lit counter. Specializes in seafood: razor clams, sea snails, fried baby inkfish. Dinner, moderate.

Can Majo - Seafood based rice dishes such as black rice made with inkfish. Dinner, moderate.

He suggests that you visit the La Boqueria Market at Rambla de Sant Josep 101 which is open Monday through Saturday from approximately 8 AM to 8 PM.

[Bux]

Once again, Can Majo for lunch unless you're afraid the sight of scantily clad young women at the beach will cause a flow of blood from your digestive system. In which case you should have no trouble getting a less desirable indoor table at lunch. Seriously, it's the food that's the draw.

But of course the market. Of the three major markets I've been in in Barcelona, La Boqueria was the most exceptional, but it may have been a matter of hitting it during the right season. We were there in the fall one time and the array of game, particularly the wild plumage of the birds was incredible. Barcelona has several covered markets that compare favorably with the central market of Lyon. I'm still a fan of French cheeses, but for fish and meat and particularly cured meats and hams, there is nothing like Barcelona.