Foamenting a Culinary Revolution

[robert brown]

Since beginning my annual prolonged stay in Nice 10 days ago, I have been giving some thought to the concept of new dining versus old dining. That I have been doing this came about largely through circumstances derived from dining at four restaurants, two of which are indicative of the New Dining and two of the Old Dining. These restaurants are, respectively, Le Chanteclair in Nice and L’Astrance in Paris; and La Regalade, also in Paris, and Hostellerie Jerome in La Turbie, not far from Monaco. In the latter two restaurants I found the relative freedom of choice (although there is not a lot at the Jerome, but at least some) and the lack of an “attitude” a refreshing change from Le Chanteclair and L’Astrance. I also preferred the two "Old Dining" cuisines for their succulence, the opportunity to savor them in meaningful portions, the relevance they had to other dishes I have eaten, and the broad sweep of prior culinary achievements and history. No wonder then that I arrived at Restaurant El Bulli on June 27 with a great deal of skepticism and a decided “show-me” attitude since by every indication, it is the citadel of the New Dining.

Blessed with the gift of a table for two in this most-difficult-of-all restaurants to obtain a reservation, my wife and I set out from Nice at 10 a.m. with two small suitcases and two sandwiches to eat during a stop for gasoline. We arrived shortly after 3 p.m. at the Hotel Vistabella in Roses, the best hotel in a decidedly middle-class seaside resort town about 25 miles down the coast from the French-Spanish border. Forewarned by friends not to attempt the drive from the hotel to El Bulli, we went by taxi along the tortuous one and a half lane road that divides the mountainous promontory between the seafronts of the hotel and the restaurant. Arriving at dusk to El Bulli at an highly-propitious time as it was observing its 20th year with a retrospective of dishes from prior years, we were able to see what may be the most dramatic and beautiful setting of any great restaurant in Europe; a bay of its own that still receives the full force and sounds of the sea on one side and beautiful woodlands on the other. The building itself is a restrained modernist stucco, wood and stone house of large proportions that looks as if it dates from the 1950s, and which is ingeniously landscaped with stones and rocks and black slate which mimicked the course of a stream. Upon entering a rustic, yet spare, interior with three dining rooms and a common area for before-and-after dinner drinks, a maitre d’hotel immediately offered to take us into the restaurant kitchen. This very large (35 square meters or about 1000 square feet) gleaming, spotless facility had 35 people, many of whom were an international array of students and apprentices, working in virtual absolute silence.

As any informed gastronome about to be seated for dinner for the first time at El Bulli, my wife and I had a rather abstract notion of El Bulli and the

Adria Brothers’ influence on today’s better chefs; this despite my having dined four months ago at the Madrid restaurant of a chef who had worked for Adria for six years, and the meal five days before at Le Chanticler where Alain Llorca has decidedly fallen under the Adria spell. Every now and then at the odd restaurant we had also come upon a dish or two that we surmised was based on some Adria technique or approach; usually foam or a glass of layered flavors that someone told you to eat by pushing your spoon down to the bottom. Of course we read the media blitz of two years ago when it seemed that every food writer had been to El Bulli at the same time. Then, of course, we learned a fair amount from the detailed accounts of the meals right here on eGullet by the fortunate few who had already been to the restaurant, or the technique both Adrias use as described by Steve Klc. Also we found on the Web an informative, if somewhat foamy, long article on Ferran Adria that appeared in Esquire Magazine a year ago.

Of course under the dictates of the New Dining, we did not have to worry about ordering dishes and trying to figure out what goes best with what or what creations might take the measure of a great chef. The name of each dish of the entire 25-course dinner was revealed to us on a small greeting card- like menu, which also included the date, the price (115 Euros) and the year that each dish was created. (Our notes follow the name of each dish as it appeared on the menu.) According to our waiter, the “tapas” section changes every day.

What Bux aptly referred to as the “El Bulli ride” began with what Adria calls “snacks”; 10 small dishes, some served separately and the rest placed on the table at the same time. These dishes fall into the realm of tidbits served with aperitifs and “amuses-gueles. They are:

1. Pastilla Helada de Sangria (2001): This is a purple ice, the size and shape of a large sugar cube, flavored with sangria. It was a refreshing start to the meal, although it was not much more than a sophisticated Popsicle in conception. (The next five dishes were put out together for the sake of serious snacking):

2. Magdalenas de Olivas Negras (1997): Adria’s first dish of the meal in which he combines sweet and savory. There were two small black muffins infused with a strong and true taste of olives that still retained the texture and sweetness of a conventional muffin. Both clever and tasty.

3. Falsa Palomita de Palomitas (2002): Flaky white “sawdust” shavings were served in a spoon. The dish (if one could call it that) burst into the flavor of caramel popcorn as it dissolved in the mouth.

4. “Pistachulines" de Yogur (2001): Adrai transformed yogurt into a crispy packet that resembled a crescent-shaped dumpling. This, too, dissolved and released or “revealed” a whole pistachio nut.

5. “Pescaito Frito” (1999): Long ribbons of fish-flavored “chips”. A bit frivolous, but on the mark in terms of the taste.

6. “Philopizza” (2000): A long, narrow rectangle of herb-infused phylo dough that was topped with shredded cheese-flavored flakes and intensely flavored powder of tomato. The cheese aspect of it brought to my mind Eli Zabar’s Parmesan toast; but there the resemblance ended to anything we had ever eaten except, of course, to the taste of pizza that Adria had captured in his unique way.

7. Chips de Patata al Pimenton con nube de Vinegra (2001): These were potato chips sprinkled with powdered red pepper into which one dipped them into a bowl of vinegar foam. The vinegar tasted malty. A curiosity most of all.

8. Huevo de Oro (2001). The “golden egg” has quickly become one of the most famous dishes of the restaurant. Here a runny-yet-warm yoke of a quail egg is encrusted in a caramel shell measurable only in microns and covered with gold leaf. It evokes a cacophony of hot and cold and soft and crunchy sensations. The dish is miraculous.

9. Corte Helado de Parmesano (1997): This Adria creation reminded me of the Cheese-Wiches of my youth. It also had aspects of an ice cream sandwich in which a long rectangular portion of Parmesan ice cream is sandwiched between two rectangular thin, orange wafers. The taste was not unlike a Cheeze-Doodle. The Parmesan flavor overwhelmed the taste of the wafers.

10. Tempura de Huevas de Trucha Caliente/Fria (2000): Trout eggs that were miraculously held together by a translucent, deep-fried tempura batter. The fish eggs were of a quality I had never encountered; they gave way most reluctantly, and when they finally did so, they exploded into an intense briny flavor.

The next eight dishes were what Adria calls “tapas” that roughly coincides with warm appetizers in a “normal” restaurant.

11. Frapuccino de Leche de Oveja (2000). This fairly recent variation of the infamous layered drinks you eat with a spoon (or in this instance drink through a straw) was to both our minds one that missed the mark. The bottom half of the glass had warm liquid black truffle and the top half cold sheep’s milk. The earthiness of the truffle juice and the milky, salty taste of the sheep’s milk together were dissonant. Our waiter instructed us to sip from the bottom of the glass.

12. Sorbete Esponjoso de Pina con Raviolis de Pina al Campari (2000): A mound of pineapple sorbet with tiny pieces of pineapple underneath with a cube of jellied Campari wrapped in a supple piece of pineapple. The taste was tart, bitter, and slightly sweet. Very refreshing.

13. Tagliatelle de Consome a la Carbonara (1999): Consomme that was re-formed into long jellied strands about the size of fettuccini. It was served like a Carbonara. It had an egg and butter liquid sauce with tiny cubes of cheese (possibly Gruyere) and ham. We found this to be better in conception than in taste.

14. Couscous de Califlor con Salsa Solida de Aromaticos (2000): Adria has found a way to infuse herbs and vegetables to impart a granular-like texture as a "croustillant". Here he uses coriander, cumin, and apple in just that way along with cauliflower in the midst of couscous grains. There is also a bitter, dark brown sauce of Gentiane ringing the outside of the creation. Our waiter instructed us to eat the dish from the middle outwards. One of the highlights of the meal.

15. Caricoles al Natural (2000): Snails out of the shell and put in slightly jelled and crumbled aspic of broth. There were two rectangles of fennel jelly on the left, while on the right was a small pat of butter that had been encased in a translucent skin-Adria’s version of ravioli. Our waiter told us to take a snail, then add a bit of fennel jelly and finish the taste with the butter ravioli. Another magical dish.

16. Royal de Pollo con Ceps y Ravioli a las Herbas Aromaticas (1997): Liquified chicken with cepes and a ravioli filled with herbs. This course was served in a convoluted dish of oval shapes with an open pedestal base, indicating that the dish was placed in warm water to keep the chicken liquid. This dish is more about texture than lively, interesting taste.

17. “Arroz” al Azafran con Mejillones de Roca (2000): Saffron “rice”, which was actually soybean sprouts cut to look like grains of rice, was served with tiny mussels out of the shell. Visually engaging and a challenge to figure out what the "rice" was made from.

18. Sepia a la Brutesca (2001): Squid with its ink and brains. The ink was a black puddle sauce and the brains a brown one. It was the most arresting and beautiful of all the dishes to look at: Three puddles of each color. It was reminiscent of an Agnes Martin abstract painting. The dish tasted sweet and of the sea. We liked this very much.

The following four dishes, called Platos, were roughly equivalent to main dishes:

19. Ensalada de Almejas con Ceps (1988): The only :”vintage” dish of the night as it was the only one that Adria created before 1998. Threads of raw onions marinated in vinegar ( a reinterpratation of a “mignionette” sauce) in the middle with a “Busby Berkeley chorus line” of tiny steamed clams ringing the dish. Served with cepes.

20. Raya con Enokis y Salsa de Huevas de Trucha (2000): A small piece of skate with a bouquet of enoki mushrooms laid atop. The sauce was foam of trout eggs. A rather bland affair with the trout egg foam more quixotic than delicious.

21. Civet de Conejo con Gelatina Caliente de Manzona (2000): A de-boned piece of rabbit breast with aromatic vinegar and the aromatic “crunchies” Adria likes to use. A warm apple jelly was separate on the plate. A small branch of an herb was used as a brochette for the liver. Another favorite of the meal.

22. Sopa de Levadura con Helado de Limon y Huevo de Codorniz (2000): A rather incredible, complex dish and a transition between the main courses and the desserts. A "reverse engineering" of a brioche. In a bowl was a quail egg yolk, melted butter and lemon ice cream in the bottom of a bowl. The waiter poured hot juice from yeast and some unnamed ingredient that gave it crunch. The taste brought together the elements of a brioche without actually being one.

Dessert was two dishes served at the table and an assortment of mostly chocolate confections that we had in the large sitting room facing the sea

23. Gelatina de Mascabado con sorbeta de Yogur y Fruta de la Pasion 1998). A gelatin of burnished cane sugar with a scoop of yogurt sorbet in the center. In the gelatin were suspended small beads of intensely flavored passion fruit that formed a necklace around a centered scoop of yogurt sorbet. Most intriguing and delicious was an incredibly thin chocolate-flavored wafer with “bar-code” separations that was a real tour-de-force of death-defying pastry making.

24. Albaricoques en su Jugo con Cuajada (1999): Some jellied apricots in their juice with a fresh white cheese.

25. Pequenas Locuras. The assorted mainly- chocolate desserts. The waiter told us to eat first the mini-cone of dark chocolate ice cream. Then we attacked small silver holders and dishes of these confections: chocolate covered corn puffs with cocoa powder; Szechwan pepper raspberry jelly on top of a bite-size pastry; translucent disks of lemon and orange caramel on a lollipop stick; fruit on a stick wrapped with a strip of fruit jelly; white chocolate with truffle oil; thin sheets of white chocolate imbedded with black olives; and yogurt “candy” on a pastry base; As a sucker for chocolate, I found every confection to my liking, feeling that nothing was cloying or overly rich, not to mention the unusual juxtaposition of taste sensation and clear innovation. My wife was more discriminating. She liked the ice cream cone (extraordinarily creamy and smooth) the dark chocolate corn puffs and the Szechwan pepper raspberry jelly pastry.

At El Bulli, service was the kind that has all but been forgotten. The incredible coordination required getting these fragile and complicated dishes from the kitchen to the table in the intended condition was at a level of competence I have rarely seen in the past ten years. The sommelier chose a “cave” (pronounced “Cavay”, which is a Catalan sparkling wine similar to a Champagne) as what would go well with all the twists and turns of Adria’s cuisine. The restaurant manager, perhaps part-owner, Julio (“Julie”) Solter has been at El Bulli longer than Adria, and since he has the restaurant humming with efficiency, not to mention our similarity of experiences and opinions along the gastronomic trails since the 1970s, he obviously earned my respect.

(To be continued)

[cabrales]

robert -- What a ravishing meal. The golden egg dish sounds fascinating....

[Bux]

Robert, I'm really glad to hear you made it to El Bulli. It's great to hear from you and great to have your report. Sorry we could't take our meals together. You've scooped my report and I'm glad for it as I've been busy. We had many of the same dishes and I'm enjoying reading your reaction. It's not always the same as ours. For instance, I think Esilda disliked the Caracoles al Natural most of all our dishes. Such is the way of dinner at El Bulli that reaction to many dishes is visceral and yet dinner comes off as an evening of intellectual experience. I suspect it is because the level of creativity and the nature of the dishes is so often far beyond our previous experience that we must experience those dishes with a palate untrained in the cusine from which these dishes spring and then begin to evaluate them in our mind.

I'm also eager to discuss the relative merits of new and old dining as well as haute cuisine and good traditional food as served by talented chefs without names, or at least ones content to cook the old foods in a rich and satisfying way. I'm beginning to understand the need for both in my diet. We ate so well at traditional Catalan restaurants now that I'm getting clues as to what to order as well as where to eat. Michelin has served us well in that regard too.

[lizziee]

Robert,

Your reaction mirrors mine as to our first two meals at El Bulli. It was and is two of the most extraordinary dining memories of my life. Never have I experienced a staff as good, as genuine, and as committed. Their pride and the pleasure they derive from serving you is unequal. I am thrilled that my poor experience last year can be erased as a bitter memory and that I can eagerly return to again have the "El Bulli Experience." Juli genuinely loves to talk food and share his experiences and I am sure he had as much respect for your knowledge as you had for his.

We had some of the same dishes you mentioned ---- the Couscous de Califlor, the Civet de Conejo and the Sopa de Levadura were definite highlights for us as well. I agree with you that other chefs are adopting some of Adria's techniques, but they are poor imitations of the real thing. You have aptly described a unique experience and I am so glad that you were able to go and let us vicariously "dine" with you.

I look forward to your observations on new dining vs old. Thank you again for a wonderful report.

[robert brown]

Liz, Cabrales, Bux. Thank you so much for your replies and the expression of your appreciation. It was hard traveling and hard writing. Bux, I am anxious to compare notes as to what you had. I certainly agree with you as to how Adria and the restaurant get the intellect working. We were not more than a few dishes into the meal when we began discussing and speculating all kinds of matters art and cuisine. I can feel a great discussion coming on. I am still collecting my thoughts. Cabrales, the place has your name on it I am sure. Liz, I am glad we helped you get your confidence back. More later.

[Robert Schonfeld]

Many thanks for the fine dispatch, Robert. Where else but here could we get such reliable, intensive, evocative reporting? I'm looking forward to your next installment.

[Jon Tseng]

good gig

what's the booking situation for EB? how/how far in advance &tc?

j

[Jinmyo]

Robert, an extraordinary report.

As well as the Golden Egg, the trout roe in tempura sound fascinating.

[Bux]

Dinner at El Bulli in June of 2002 was just about as intersting and exciting and as our lunch in May of 2000. This was some relief as we've had some indication that perhaps Adria had finally gone over the top creatively and lost all connection with the traditional restaurant concept of providing satisfying food. On the other hand, as the restaurant was celebrating it's 20th anniversary, our menu consisted of a retrospective of dishes created during the past two decades. In 2000, there was an a la carte menu in addition to the obvious choice of the multicoursed degustacion. This year, diners are only offered the tasting menu. In 2000 one had a choice of lunch or dinner at the late hours traditional in Spain. In 2002, lunch was no longer an option and dinner which should take about four hours is served much earlier. Steve Klc had introduced us to Alberto Adria last fall in Paris at the Salon du Chocolate and he had mentioned the toll taken on the kitchen in attempting to serve two such long and labor intensive meals every day. I'm sorry to say that I found lunch the better experience in that it seemed more liesurely and offered the opportunity take coffee outside on the veranda. It may also be that by midnight I was flagging, or just that we are particularly disposed to enjoy a liesurely and luxurious lunch. Like going to the movies in the middle of the afternoon, it just seems so much more indulgent.

The menu changes frequently--I believe it's weekly. A disproportionate number of our dishes came from 2000. That may be interesting in light of posts here speaking of the success of meals that year. On the other hand the menu changes frequently and Ferran and Alberto Adria are, if anything, hard to second guess in terms of what's next.

Once again we dined with a friend who is allergic to all things from the sea and once again we made mention of this when reserving our table. As before, alternate meat or vegetable courses were served to him when our menu called for fish or seafood. In fact, individual souvenir menus listing the dishes we were to be served were presented as we sat down.

The previous appearance of an a la carte menu may have been an idication that one might once have been able to get a traditional meal here, but the processional of tastes and small dishes--many no more than what you might expect as an amuse bouche--that has been the draw, is not a direct relation to the degustation menus you might find in most other multi starred French or Spanish restaurants.

snacks

gin fizz "frozen caliente" (00)

Food at El Bulli is about the experience of sensations often neglected in western cuisine. Hot and cold is a combination Adria likes to use. Here the cold gin fizz was sipped through a hot froth that topped the glass--tricky, a bit technical, but an interesting and refreshing start.

cortezas de cerdo garapiñadas (99)

Litterally sugar coated pork skin. The caramelized sugar makes them crunchier, but for me this is too close to packaged snack food, although they were rather airy and inspite of my prejudice, I'd note their finesse.

magdelena de olivas negras (97)

The black olive madeleines were intensely olive tasting and oddly successful although more dense than a typical sweet madeleine. I didn't recall them as sweet. They were more likely to stir thinking about the creative use of ingredients than memories of things past.

polenta inflada al café (00)

Puffed polenta somewhat reminiscent of pop corn or breakfast cereal, but with the hint of coffee flavor.

témpura de pistachos (90)

Deep fried pistachios with a light delicate batter were again about being unexpected and more about delicacy than about a revolution in cooking

"philopizza" (00)

A refined and delicate wafer made of phyllo leaves with tomato and parmesan flavors. Yet again nothing creative behind the idea of a crisp with the flavors of pizza, but it succeeds on the presentation and craft. I believe we had this, or a variation, in 2000 when it was called Palito de pizza or pizza stick.

terrina de foie-gras de pato con maiz frito (97)

I only remember small cubes of foie gras and deep fried corn kernels and another teaser of a dish. My regret of dining socially is that it tends to keep us from taking notes.

tarteleta de crocant de alcachofas con sorbete de alcachofas (96)

I remember liking this dish very much, but not the details. Why is it that we often remember the ones that displease us more than the ones we like? Do we dine with too critical an eye at El Bulli?

huevo de oro (01)

A tour de force from the 2001 vintage and an eye opener--if such delicacy can be described as a tour de force. I can't improve on Robert's praise or discription. I'd emphasize the fact that the egg yolk is not raw but at a unctuous consistency I don't ever recall in a cooked egg. I"m normally disposed to think of gold leaf on food as rather conspicuous consumption, but here it seemed almost like a gold star on a job superbly done. Esilda said the dish reminded her of yemas, a dessert of her childhood, made from egg yolks whipped with hot sugar syrup, allowed to cool and then formed into balls and dusted with powdered sugar.

If I have a personal problem with Adria's food, it's the inclusion of sugar--or caramel--in the savory part of the meal. I find it jarring at times and I find it doesn't support most wines I like. It does make cava a good choice and perhaps an Alsatian wine might be even better. We had a Gewurtztraminer that proved interesting with Miguel Sanchez Romera's food at l'Eguard.. At El Bulli, the four of us shared a bottle of cava, two bottles of white wines, a bottle of red and two very small glasses of dessert wines with our dessert. The best single pairing of the evening was with the second dessert wine. For the rest of the meal, I often felt we were drinking wine between bites rather than as part of any dish we were eating. I'll say this about Blumenthal's food at the Fat Duck in England and to a lesser extent at some of the other starred restaurants in Catalunya.

croqueta liquida de pollo (98)

The joy of most successful croquettes is a molten almost liquid center. At El Bulli we were warned to pop the entire croquette in our mouth. The filling here was pure broth and those with tiny mouths were at a disadvantage.

I'm exhausted describing each dish and fear I'm being pedantic and boring as well. Let us continue with highlights of the rest of our meal in another post.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Oh gee I just read this for the first time. How terrific for you Robert.

[lizziee]

Robert, Bux,

I notice that there were not that many similar dishes on both of your menus. Robert you mentioned that only the tapas were changed nightly and Bux you suggested that the menu was changed weekly. If he was doing a retrospective this year, he must have in mind re-creating more than a hundred different creations. Quite a feat.

[Bux]

Lizzee,

I just finished reading Michael Ruhlman's account in The Soul of a Chef of the night The French Laundry had fifty-six different dishes listed on the menu. That didin't include VIP canpés and other dishes the kitchen may have been prepared to send out that night. 100 dishes over a season doesn't sound so formidable after that.

The couple with whom we had dined managed to get to El Bulli the week before as well. They were concerned about possible duplication of courses and were assured the menu changes every week--or it might have been that they were assured there'd be a completely different menu by the time they returned in a week. Nuances get lost as messages get repeated.

I guess we shared three out of the ten "snacks" with the Browns. I only spot a single repeat among the eight tapas and another duplication of a "plato." Our two desserts were different from theirs. Nevertheless one finds duplication of technique and perhaps of concept. The fish flavored chips Robert had, call to mind our fried pork skins. Robert used the word "frivolous." I implied a family resemblance to snack food. Of corse that's the resemblance Bernachon's Palets d'Or bonbons have to candy bars.

I was sorry to hear that Robert found the concept behind Tagliatelle de Consome a la Carbonara better than the actual taste. I found the idea of tagliatelle of aspic just fantastic and the execution was stunning to the eye and mind. My friend with the fish allergies had this as a substitute dish in 2000 and although I begged for a taste and loved the bite I got, I didn't have enough to offer an informed opinion. How one takes to this dish may depend on how one regards aspic. At the time, I thought the tiny cheese cubes were cut from young parmegiano, but it's possible that my memory is based on what I expected from a la Carbonara.

[lizziee]

Lizzee,

I just finished reading Michael Ruhlman's account in The Soul of a Chef of the night The French Laundry had fifty-six different dishes listed on the menu. That didin't include VIP canpés and other dishes the kitchen may have been prepared to send out that night. 100 dishes over a season doesn't sound so formidable after that.

The couple with whom we had dined managed to get to El Bulli the week before as well. They were concerned about possible duplication of courses and were assured the menu changes every week--or it might have been that they were assured there'd be a completely different menu by the time they returned in a week. Nuances get lost as messages get repeated.

I guess we shared three out of the ten "snacks" with the Browns. I only spot a single repeat among the eight tapas and another duplication of a "plato." Our two desserts were different from theirs. Nevertheless one finds duplication of technique and perhaps of concept. The fish flavored chips Robert had, call to mind our fried pork skins. Robert used the word "frivolous." I implied a family resemblance to snack food. Of corse that's the resemblance Bernachon's Palets d'Or bonbons have to candy bars.

I was sorry to hear that Robert found the concept behind Tagliatelle de Consome a la Carbonara better than the actual taste. I found the idea of tagliatelle of aspic just fantastic and the execution was stunning to the eye and mind. My friend with the fish allergies had this as a substitute dish in 2000 and although I begged for a taste and loved the bite I got, I didn't have enough to offer an informed opinion. How one takes to this dish may depend on how one regards aspic. At the time, I thought the tiny cheese cubes were cut from young parmegiano, but it's possible that my memory is based on what I expected from a la Carbonara.

"I just finished reading Michael Ruhlman's account in The Soul of a Chef of the night The French Laundry had fifty-six different dishes listed on the menu. That didin't include VIP canpés and other dishes the kitchen may have been prepared to send out that night. 100 dishes over a season doesn't sound so formidable after that."

Bux, you are correct. It doesn't sound so formidable at all and given the fact that Adria has a huge brigarde of chefs in the kitchen.

"I implied a family resemblance to snack food."

I also noticed that many of our tapas had a resemblance to "snack food." For example, the quinoa that was roasted and presented in a paper cone that reminded me of popcorn or the candied pistachios that resembled in looks green chilis.

]Tagliatelle de Consome a la Carbonara - This is another dish that I have had. Unfortunately, my notes are sketchy and I don't have a clear recollection of the dish. I think you are correct that Adria tweaks your memory with his food serving the unexpected in form, but keeping the substance. I found eating at El Bulli an intellectually demanding experience as much as a sensory and culinary experience.

The one dish that I have not tasted the heuvo de oro sounds like for both of you the highlight. Obviously, I will have to return for just that one dish.

[robert brown]

Bux and Lizziee, do you think the fish-flavored chips may also be inspired by the old Spanish stand-by of stockfish or dried cod? Thanks for the engaging further discussion, as I have gotten a bit obsessed with Adria and doing some studying that is delaying fulfilling my promise of a second part to my original post.

Oh yes, does anyone know if all of Adria's new dishes during the year are worked out ahead of time in his laboratory in Barcelona? Where is Steve K. when we need him?

[Bux]

I don't see any special connection between dried cod/bacalao/bacallà and the fish chips.

[Steve Plotnicki]

How about with Chinese shrimp chips?

[robert brown]

Steve, I had a Chinese shrimp chip at the Mandarin in Nice the other night. I didn't think about Adria, but you may be on to something. I wish I could have another go at Adria's dish and at least try to compare the two in my head. Those Chinese invent everything, or is it the Russians? Regardless, that was good insight.

[Bux]

I can't contribute much to the fish chips, but the sugar coated pork skins (cortezas de cerdo garapiñadas) have a cousin in Super Grab Brand Baken-ets Traditional Fried Pork Skins, although the latter lack the sugar coating. Those of us who have ever thought we could improve upon a easily purchased conveniently ready-to-eat food product without practical concerns of efficiency, expense should not see this family resemblance comment as a criticism, nor should anyone who regularly pays twice as much for a better potato chip. I think El Bulli also has to be approached as a place where you will be expected to think about what you are eating as much as you will be expected to enjoy your meal. Adria goes beyond challenging your taste buds. Any preconception you may have about dinner is fair game for his menu. This is an approach that most certainly offends many diners and the reason I limit my recommendation to dine here to those who are likely to be ready for the challenge and likely to enjoy it.

I think any great creative artist (and let's not get hung up on "fine art") needs to be able push the envelope of his medium without fear. In other threads on eGullet, I've seen relatively intelligent members put down conceptual art and dismiss those who appreciate or have explained it. It's not unusual for casual museum goers to allow themselves to consider Picasso as an artist, let alone a great artist, until they discovered he could paint successfully in a classical style as a youth. Leaning on analogies puts me on thin ice here, I realize, but bear with me. The point I will make is that for me, the reason to stay with Adria is not based on any knowledge I have about his ability to produce a classic Spanish or international dish of haute cuisine, but how often during his meal he is convincingly successful with the dishes he delivers to the table and how persuasive I find his overall sensibilities. It's a ride I find both interesting and pleasurable--sure I get pleasure out of the interesting part and I find pleasure itself an interesting thing--the bumps in the road are an integral part of the experience.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Bux - I thought that was one of the best posts I've ever seen you write. Especially your comments about conceptual art and Picasso. But most importantly, it's the poster child in favor of the argument that food can be viewed objectively, and not through the lens of subjectivity that many here are quick to impose as a standard. Adria's cuisine makes it plain for all to see that a dish can be interesting while not necessarily tasting the greatest. Of course there's a balancing act there in that if it tastes so bad it can completely eliminate the value of the cerebral component. But in general, Adria has made the point that it is just as important to think about food and why it tastes the way it does as it is to enjoy its flavor.

Adria is not the first chef to have thought this way. I can point to Senderens and Robert would probably point to Chapel. But Adria is the first chef who applied technique this way. What can we call it, post modern? Whether this discipline continues will depend on the things that propelled French cuisine to its greatness. Disciples who want to cook that way and customers who view dining as an expanding aesthetic and eat for those reasons. And I am certain that if this style turned out to be substantive (not that I'm doubting it I just don't want to be accused of making predictions,) and not just a passing fad, then one day way down the road the Joel Robuchon etc. of that cooking style will appear and then every dish will be cerebral, creative and delicious all at the same time. But right now, Adria and all the other students of the style are fidgeting trying to create the right balance between thought provoking and flavorful, ultimately in their quest to blend the two.

[lizziee]

Steve and Bux,

"Adria's cuisine makes it plain for all to see that a dish can be interesting while not necessarily tasting the greatest. Of course there's a balancing act there in that if it tastes so bad it can completely eliminate the value of the cerebral component."

Steve, this is exactly correct. Dining at El Bulli is as much a cerebral experience as a gustatory one. As I stated earlier, in 2001, there were so few "good tastes" that the cerebral component was lost. It seems that this year, he was able to again achieve that "balancing act" and provide food that could be both enjoyed for both aspects - intellectual plus delicious.

"I think El Bulli also has to be approached as a place where you will be expected to think about what you are eating as much as you will be expected to enjoy your meal. Adria goes beyond challenging your taste buds. Any preconception you may have about dinner is fair game for his menu. This is an approach that most certainly offends many diners and the reason I limit my recommendation to dine here to those who are likely to be ready for the challenge and likely to enjoy it."

Bux, what I find interesting in my own experience is that the first two times we ate at El Bulli, I had no preconceived notions and no idea what to expect. I was so "blown away" by the whole experience, in the best sense of the word. I remember thinking that anyone serious about the culinary arts had to make the pilgrimage. Adria was doing so much more than experimentation, he was challenging us to see food in a different way, challenging our culinary education and experiences and challenging us to open our brains as well as taste buds. He was successful on all counts. When I returned, I had expected that same type of "epiphany" and that's why the sheer disappointment.

"how often during his meal he is convincingly successful with the dishes he delivers to the table and how persuasive I find his overall sensibilities. It's a ride I find both interesting and pleasurable--sure I get pleasure out of the interesting part and I find pleasure itself an interesting thing--the bumps in the road are an integral part of the experience."

We have made plans to return to El Bulli because what you and Robert have found this year seems to indicate that the balancing act is much more in balance. I expect the bumps - in fact that is part of the excitement and pleasure. I also agree that this is not a "ride" for everyone.

Thank you Steve, Robert and Bux for such thoughtful replies.

[robert brown]

I am more than willing to say that`Adria is more than a highly-gifted, if not a landmark, chef. Exactly how and to what degree is still something I am trying to determine (at least to myself), which is why I have not written more about him, as I implied that I would. ( I am doing some reading, which is why there is this delay). For the moment, I think it is way too soon to know how influential he will eventually be, which is what Steve says below. I think he has pointed chefs in a different direction in many ways. What gives me pause is that I am not sure how what he does translates in the hands of other chefs. So much of my thrilling experience at El Bulli had to do with having the meal there and Adria orchestrating the rhythm and the connecting links.

[jaybee]

Robert, Bux, Lizziee, I am indebted to you for bringing the experience of eating at EB to me in such a graphic and evocative manner. I don't know if I will make the effort to go there, but one never knows what opportunities life will toss in one's path. You have made me aware of an extraordinary place and given me sufficient idea of its essence to add it to my list of "if possible, make an effort to go there" places.

[cabrales]

I don't know if I will make the effort to go there, but one never knows what opportunities life will toss in one's path.

jaybee -- When you have a chance, could you consider discussing why you are uncertain you would make the effort to visit the restaurant, whether in the short- or long-run?

robert -- On the retrospective that El Bulli was furnishing, did you receive an indication as to how long that opportunity might be in place? Also, were you tempted to also visit nearby El Raco de Can Fabes (which I have never visited)?

[jordyn]

As long as we're asking questions--just how hard is it to get a reservation at El Bulli, and what's the best approach to securing one?

[Bux]

El Bulli is fully booked for the entire spring, summer and fall season. It's only open for about half the year or so. My understanding is that it was "sold out" well before it opened for the year. Nevertheless, people do get reservations. My assumption is that there are cancellations. I don't know if they follow the practice of keeping tables open until the last minute. They don't turn tables and they only serve dinner.

The best approach is to offer to take a cancellation at the last minute and convince them you are earnest and eager to dine there. That's difficult if you don't live in Roses. We've met with Alberto and had some other connections. I'm sure that didin't hurt. The willingness for us to remake our travel plans and change our reservations for more than a week of our proposed trip when the restaurant was able to confirm a date near the one we wanted was critical. I understand Robert was willing to drive from Nice on a day's notice. Of course, if you're a personal friend of someone like Alain Ducasse, I imagine you'd also go to the head of the list, but you wouldn't be asking here in that case.

Other than that, I can't offer much specific advice. I can tell you there are some other restaurants in Catalunya well worth going out of your way to eat in, and there's some really satisfying food in unstarred restaurants as well. These were easier to reserve. The starred ones were reserved maybe a month in advance but most were not full at lunch on a weekday.