Mugaritz and Drolma promoted

[vserna]

The Campsa restaurant guide, by far the best seller in Spain, will have two new restaurants in its top 'three suns' category in its 2007 edition, which was presented today in Madrid: Mugaritz, in Renteria near San Sebastian, and Drolma at Barcelona's Majestic Hotel.

They join the other 13 top-rated restaurants in Spain (none of which was demoted to 'two stars' this year): El Bulli, Sant Pau, Celler de Can Roca and Can Fabes in Catalonia; Arzak, Akelarre, Martín Berasategui and Zuberoa in the Basque Country; Santceloni and Horcher in Madrid; Atrio in Cáceres (Extremadura); Las Rejas in Las Pedroñeras (Cuenca), and Ca Sento in Valencia.

[docsconz]

I'm not surprised that Mugaritz made the jump given all the attention that it has received. I am a little surprised by Drolma though. Is it really that good?

[Lenski]

I'm not surprised that Mugaritz made the jump given all the attention that it has received. I am a little surprised by Drolma though. Is it really that good?

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Ironically, I am writing this from the "Majestic Hotel" in Barcelona. I went to "Drolma" for the last time a year and a half ago. Is it worth it? Not for me, but I know a lot of people that really enjoy it. It is as classic (meaning French School) as it can get. I would compare it to "Daniel" or "Jean Georges" in NYC. Impeccable service. It is the kind of restaurant that, if it were in the middle of Paris, it would have received three stars a long time ago.

From my recollection, it was very, very expensive. At half the price,as an industry insider told me, "Drolma" might be fine, but not at those prices. I remember my bill for two people being, by far, the most expensive in Barcelona. Around $150 more expensive than the rest.

In terms of cuisine, leaving aside the rest, it is very far away from its Catalan "3 suns" colleagues.

[kerriar]

Also very surprised at Drolma's upgrading.

I had a meal there a few weeks ago where the food was difficult to fault but the price/value ratio was way off any scale and the whole setting was a bit sterile. "Difficult to fault" is really not saying a lot in a part of the world where there are so many great restaurants.

The wine list was expensive and it was hard to find interesting bottles with two figure prices (i.e., under €100). In mitigation, most of the prices were commensurate with other high-end lists elsewhere but they simply gave no concern to the fact that many people do not want to pay so much even at the top of the market.

By way of comparison, Patrick Guilbaud in Dublin has an imaginative, trustworthy and pleasurable choice below €100 which can be checked out on-line.

I can't comment on New York but the level of service was really a long way off what would be expected in a Parisien starred restaurant. At times it even came close to surly - this was especially the case with the wines, champagne was pushed aggressively as an apertif, opinions sought on the list were given in an off-hand fashion (perhaps because we made it clear we did not want to break €100?) and when we said that we would like some more wine with the cheese (very good) another bottle of the (also very good) red Bierzo simply appeared on the table, something which would be just about ok in mid-price bistro.

The service and overall athmosphere simply does not compare with recent meals in Pré Catalan and Prunier in Paris, in both of which the staff are charm personified and totally professional to the last detail.

I wasn't going to post anything on what was really just another overpriced meal in a run-of -the-mill up market restaurant until I saw this thread. Now I've got it off my chest - it was not a bad meal but none of us will go back there.

[vmilor]

What does the Campsa guide give to Ibai and Etxebarri?

Are they anonymous or known to the restaurant? Do they pay their bill?

[docsconz]

What does the Campsa guide give to Ibai and Etxebarri?

Are they anonymous or known to the restaurant? Do they pay their bill?

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I can't answer your last questions, but here is the online Campsa for Etxebarri and for Ibai. I do not know if they represent a change in rating.

[pedro]

That's another Ibai, John. I guess vmilor is referring to the Ibai located at Donostia, which is not rated by Campsa and with good reason: it's a restaurant which doesn't accept reservations and rejects the most part of walk-ins. It works more in the way a club does than a restaurant.

Glad to know that Etxebarri got two soles from Campsa.

[docsconz]

That's another Ibai, John. I guess vmilor is referring to the Ibai located at Donostia, which is not rated by Campsa and with good reason: it's a restaurant which doesn't accept reservations and rejects the most part of walk-ins. It works more in the way a club does than a restaurant.

Glad to know that Etxebarri got two soles from Campsa.

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I'm surprised that I cannot find L'Esguard in the online Campsa Guide.

[Rogelio]

I'm surprised that I cannot find L'Esguard in the online Campsa Guide.

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I guess that this is because Miguel Sanchez Romera doesn't want to appear on any guide and has asked to be deleted from all the guides.

[docsconz]

I'm surprised that I cannot find L'Esguard in the online Campsa Guide.

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I guess that this is because Miguel Sanchez Romera doesn't want to appear on any guide and has asked to be deleted from all the guides.

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Interesting that Michelin hasn't complied.

[SDyson]

That's another Ibai, John. I guess vmilor is referring to the Ibai located at Donostia, which is not rated by Campsa and with good reason: it's a restaurant which doesn't accept reservations and rejects the most part of walk-ins. It works more in the way a club does than a restaurant.

The Ibai in Donostia sounds interesting. Do you have its address?

[vmilor]

I'm surprised that I cannot find L'Esguard in the online Campsa Guide.

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I guess that this is because Miguel Sanchez Romera doesn't want to appear on any guide and has asked to be deleted from all the guides.

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Interesting that Michelin hasn't complied.

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Chances are that he asked to be deleted because nobody ranked him as high as what he thought he deserves.

On the other hand, one the Toula reviewers (am I pronouncing correctly?) think that he is the most creative chef in Spain and that his food does not just look beautiful but is also delicious.

I find it interesting that he did not partake in chef circles but is a kind of odd man. Apparently he was an avid eater like some of us and he was a very frequent traveller to Crissier when Girardet was cooking . Well, that shows good taste!

[pedro]

On the other hand, one the Toula reviewers (am I pronouncing correctly?) ...

I think you're referring to 5 à Taula, the collective firm in charge of restaurant reviewing at La Vanguardia, the Catalonian newspaper.

[vmilor]

On the other hand, one the Toula reviewers (am I pronouncing correctly?) ...

I think you're referring to 5 à Taula, the collective firm in charge of restaurant reviewing at La Vanguardia, the Catalonian newspaper.

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Exactly, thanks Pedro.

In the end, there is not a single restaurant in the world for which there would be a uniform opinion. I just wanted to point at that there are some Spanish food authorities (I don't like the term but can't find anything better) who think very highly of l'Esguard. I was personally told that other experts can not come to terms with this restaurant because it blows away all our preconceptions and acquired norms about what "food" is supposed to taste like. It was also mentioned that the chef is a very shy individual who is a genius but does not hobnob with celebrities and/or food writers.

[Judith Gebhart]

I'm surprised that I cannot find L'Esguard in the online Campsa Guide.

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I guess that this is because Miguel Sanchez Romera doesn't want to appear on any guide and has asked to be deleted from all the guides.

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I don't know about Miguels preferences at all. I know that we experienced his exceptional contribution to food about 3 years ago. We recognized he has created a unique culinary product derived from arrowroot; if my recollection serves me. His ingenuity is evident. His menu and contributions to the Catalan contemporary heritage is less than spectacular at least in our experience.

I do agree that this chef has a unique contribution to the cuisine of the Catalan countryside. I hope he could go beyond his past achievements. Judith Gebhart

[vserna]

His menu and contributions to the Catalan contemporary heritage is less than spectacular at least in our experience.

I do agree that this chef has a unique contribution to the cuisine of the Catalan countryside.

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So - unique but less tan spectacular? You've got me confused there.

And again - why should an Argentinian chef be expected to contribute to "the Catalan contemporary heritage"? Is Alain Ducasse supposed to contribute to "the American contemporary heritage"? Isn't it enough for him to cook well and with some personality?

Edited December 23, 2006 by vserna (log)