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The Guardian
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘My grandmother never used yuzu': global gastronomy is out as Catalan chefs celebrate tradition
They revolutionised cooking worldwide with radical techniques and a highly technical cuisine of playful trompe l'oeil – but now many disciples of Catalonia's iconoclastic chef Ferran Adrià believe it's time to get back to their roots. Catalonia has been named World Region of Gastronomy 2025 by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism and later this month 60 Michelin-starred chefs will launch a campaign to position Catalonia as a unique and exceptional gastronomic destination. While not rejecting the techniques of so-called molecular gastronomy introduced by Adrià at his restaurant El Bulli, with its foams, spherification and liquid nitrogen, the emphasis will be on local produce and the region's gastronomic culture. El Bulli closed in 2011. 'Copying El Bulli is over. Now it's become a huge repertoire of techniques that each person can apply to their cooking,' said Jordi Artal, chef at the two-starred Cinc Sentits in Barcelona. 'I wouldn't say there's a backlash; it's part of the natural ebb and flow. We use modern techniques but in ways that hark back to Catalan gastronomic history. That's the ideal.' Artal said there had always been a schism between those who believe you should only cook what's in season and Adrià saying: 'I'm an artist, find me the world's best cherry in January so I can make my dish.' Carme Ruscalleda said: 'The concept may have changed but my cooking has always been based in the Mediterranean and its produce.' The chef was speaking in her home town of Sant Pol de Mar, next door to the restaurant where she won the first of seven Michelin stars. 'We must embrace new ideas without losing sight of who we are. Catalan cuisine has Roman and Greek and medieval roots. We make many dishes that are basically medieval but with modern techniques.' This year chefs such as the Roca brothers in Girona and Jordi Vilà in Barcelona have opened – running alongside their flagship restaurants – more modest establishments where they offer more traditional dishes. 'We are taking a broad but not a simplified view of Catalan cuisine,' said Joan Roca about Fontané, the brothers' latest venture, where prices are well below those of El Celler de Can Roca, twice voted the best restaurant in the world. Vilà, chef at one-starred Alkimia and the more homespun Al Kostat del Mar, said: 'Joan Roca and Carme Ruscalleda have always cooked Catalan food but what happened was that what became important was what we call cocina vanguardista [avant-garde cuisine], when what really matters is to use local produce and express yourself in your cooking. 'Many young chefs don't aspire to be Joan Roca or Ferran Adrià but want to cook the dishes their mothers or grandmothers made.' Tradition doesn't always come cheap, however. The tasting menus at high-end restaurants such as El Celler de Can Roca cost upwards of €200 (£170), without wine. Oriol Castro, one of three chefs – all ex-El Bulli – behind Disfrutar, voted best restaurant in the world last year, said no one expected people to pay those sorts of prices for basic Catalan dishes. 'In Disfrutar we offer many dishes based on traditional recipes, with new techniques but traditional flavours, such as a suquet de peix [fish and potato stew] or mar i muntanya [seafood and rabbit or chicken casserole],' said Castro, who insists there is no backlash against the El Bulli school of cooking. 'People come here to eat modern, creative versions of traditional dishes. What's important is the combination of creativity and tradition. There isn't a war. All of us want to preserve this tradition.' Artal said that while he was no purist, in keeping with his principles there were only Catalan and Spanish wines on his wine list. 'I can't explain to a customer that a dish was inspired by my great-grandmother and that we're using locally sourced ingredients and then serve a wine from Bordeaux,' he said. 'I love yuzu but there's no yuzu on the menu because I couldn't say my grandmother used yuzu.' Everyday Catalan cuisine may be in good health outside Barcelona but in the capital it's far easier to find ramen, sushi, hamburgers or pizza than traditional fare. 'I'm not against ramen or hamburgers, I'm against globalization,' said Vilà, who has published a humorous 'self-defence manual' for Catalan cooking. 'Here there are 50 ramen places and none that serve escudella,' a traditional Catalan stew containing pasta or noodles. Ruscalleda said: 'Young people are attracted to the new, so they order sushi or ceviche but they don't know about their own culture.' She shares the view that the biggest threat to traditional cuisine everywhere is that people have stopped cooking at home. In the meantime, it seems it is up to the culinary elite to maintain tradition, a paradox that Vilà accepts. 'We're in a transition because the grandmothers of the future don't want to stay at home cooking, they want to be out in the world,' he said. 'Obviously, a top chef is no substitute for a grandmother, but it's up to us keep the tradition alive.'
Condé Nast Traveler
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Condé Nast Traveler
elBulli1846 — Museum Review
Zoom out. What's this place all about? If you missed elBulli the first-time round—when over a million reservation requests a year competed for just 8,000 dining spots—here's its second serving. elBulli1846 is the museum dedicated to the restaurant crowned the world's best five times, before the ovens were switched off for good in 2011. The key ingredient in its success? Boundary-breaking chef Ferran Adrià, who, alongside brother Albert, used culinary alchemy as a palette cleanser from French Nouvelle Cuisine. Adrià pioneered molecular gastronomy—though he prefers the term 'techno-emotional cuisine'—and popularized the supersized tasting menu, whereby dishes became concepts and meals became multi-hour epics. (Case in point, the '1846' in the museum's name refers to the total number of recipes invented in elBulli's kitchen-lab). Today, the former restaurant building serves up food for thought: audio-visual installations deconstruct its backstory, before deeper questions are posed—where does cooking come from, and why do we eat the way we do? If Adrià is, as The New York Times once wrote, 'the Picasso of food,' then elBulli1846 is his culinary art gallery. A museum's permanent collection is its defining feature: How was this one? Sixty-nine exhibits trace the surprising evolution of elBulli—from a 1960s beachside shack named after a pair of bulldogs to a three-Michelin-starred powerhouse with its own publishing house. The kitchen is the natural highlight: A big screen plays archive footage of Adrià choreographing his cooks, while once-revolutionary tools, such as freeze-dryers, are displayed like surgical equipment. In the dining areas, which appear frozen in time as if in service, look for table 25; it was the most asked-for spot (once you see the ocean views, you'll get why). Beyond progressive culinary techniques, another revelation is the almost scientific precision to elBulli's operations—a tantalising insight into how a fine-dining experience was engineered from the inside out. Exhibits keep us coming back. What can we expect? Sixty-nine exhibits trace the surprising evolution of elBulli—from a 1960s beachside shack named after a pair of bulldogs to a three-Michelin-starred powerhouse with its own publishing house. The kitchen is the natural highlight: a big screen plays archive footage of Adrià choreographing his cooks as they bring a recipe to life, while once-revolutionary tools, such as freeze-dryers, are displayed like surgical equipment. In the dining areas, which appear frozen in time as if in service, look for table 25—it was the most asked-for spot (once you see the ocean views, you'll get why). Beyond progressive culinary techniques, another revelation is the almost scientific precision to elBulli's operations—a tantalising insight into how a fine-dining experience was engineered from the inside out. What did you make of the crowd? Gourmands geeking out; coming here really is a pilgrimage for those in the restaurant sector. Though the installations are inspiring whether you're a passionate home-cook, love fine dining, or are intrigued by the systems that make ground-breaking projects happen. On the practical tip, how were the facilities? The indoor-outdoor space is well engineered with wide paths and ramps. There's also a wheelchair available to borrow, plus lockers. Any guided tours worth trying? An audio guide can be downloaded to your smartphone (bring headphones), while in-person guided tours in English, which last for 2.5 hours, can be pre-booked in advance. It's obvious that elBulli1846 is a real passion project for staff, whose enthusiasm, knowledge and hospitality live up to that three-Michelin-star hype. Gift shop: obligatory, inspiring—or skip it? The shop runs heavy on reading material, most of which crosses that glorious intersection of beautifully aesthetic coffee-table books that you can actually sit down and read. There's also a quirky-but-nerdy selection of branded items, from postcards of iconic dishes annotated with the various elements, or a notebook with a flowchart of Adrià's creative process on the cover. You need none of it, but you'll want everything. Is the café worth a stop? Devastating but true: There's no café. Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged? Top-line advice? Don't turn up hungry. Over two hours, you'll work your way through an academic tasting menu of food-as-art—without a morsel of the edible exhibits you were hoping for. While the visit won't satiate the regret of never having eaten at elBulli, it still offers a moreish experience. Fabulously curated, warmly hosted, and set beside a beach, it's a day trip worth savoring—just not on an empty stomach.
CNN
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
14 Spanish dishes everyone should try – from churros to jamón
(CNN) – It's fair to say Spain was late to the table when it came to recognizing the global superpowers of food. While Italy and France have spent years in the limelight, Spain was biding its time. In recent years, however, people have come to celebrate the extraordinary flavors and variety of produce the cuisine has to offer. High-profile chefs such as Ferran Adrià, mastermind of the now-closed El Bulli restaurant, and the Roca brothers, founders of the El Celler de Can Roca, have brought Spain's alta cocina international acclaim. And in 2023, Spain had more restaurants on the World's 50 Best list than any other country. But the heart of Spanish cooking remains its rustic, homespun nature, a legacy of a time when hard-pressed Spaniards had to work the land for everything it would offer. These 14 dishes – from seafood and meat to rice and pastries – are essential to sample when you travel to Spain. Paella is perhaps the most famous Spanish dish of all, and certainly one of the most abused. Authentic paella originates from the region around Valencia, and comes in two varieties: Paella Valenciana, with rabbit and chicken; and seafood paella. Saffron gives the rice its color, and the base should be left to crisp into a mouth-watering black crust, called the socarrat. Spaniards only eat it at lunchtime. A staple among the small dishes that make up a classic tapas menu, patatas bravas – 'brave potatoes' – is named for its spicy sauce, rare in a land that generally shuns fiery food. The potatoes are cubed and shallow fried and served the same everywhere. The sauce can come in any number of ways, from spicy ketchup to garlic mayonnaise with a dusting of pimiento (smoked paprika), or both. One theory holds that the dirtier the bar, the better the bravas. This tomato-based Andalusian soup is most famous for being served cold. This can be quite a shock for those who aren't expecting it, but in the searing heat of a Seville summer, the attraction becomes clear. Its principal ingredients, aside from tomato, are peppers, garlic, bread and lots of olive oil. A common dish on tapas menus, pimientos de Padrón are green peppers that hail originally from the town of that name in Galicia, in Spain's lush, rainy northwest. Pimientos de Padrón are fried in olive oil and served with a deep sprinkling of salt. Though generally sweet and mild, their fame stems from the fact that the occasional pepper will be fiery hot – lending a Russian roulette element of surprise to eating them. Less well known to tourists, fideuà is a type of Spanish pasta similar to vermicelli. It's popular in Catalonia and Valencia in seafood dishes that rival paella for their taste and intricacy. Fideuà is typically cooked in a paella dish. Jamón, or cured ham, is the most celebrated Spanish food product. Legs of ham were traditionally salted and hung up to dry to preserve them through the long winter months. Jamón Serrano (of the mountain) is the most common kind and comes from white pigs; the more expensive Jamón Iberico (pictured) comes from black pigs. The best ham should be enjoyed in thin, melt-in-your-mouth slices on its own, with a little bread. 'Jamón is the staple of the Spanish table,' says chef José Pizarro, the brains behind José Tapas Bar, Pizarro and José Pizarro restaurants in London and a handful of other eateries. 'We eat it before we eat; its salty, acorn-laden taste is the perfect accompaniment to sherry and Cava, and it gets your juices flowing for the meal that is yet to come. 'It's brilliantly good value and a leg can last ages as long as you cover and store it properly. Look for 'waxy' fat: when you rub it, it should melt into your skin like candle wax.' The humble Spanish omelet can be made with chorizo, peppers and onions, among other ingredients, but purists will tell you it should only contain potatoes and eggs. The potatoes are diced and lightly fried before being added to the egg mixture and fried on a high heat; the trickiest part is when you have to flip the pan over to turn the tortilla. If you get it right, someone should shout 'Olé!' Get it wrong and you'll have gooey half-cooked tortilla everywhere. Churros are a popular snack made from fried dough, cut into sausage shapes and doused in sugar. They're a favorite at fiestas, or street parties, when they're sold by roadside vendors. Dipping them in hot melted chocolate is pretty much the law. Another typical item on a tapas menu, croquetas are tubes of bechamel sauce encased in fried breadcrumbs, but a lot more tasty than that sounds. Jamón croquetas and salt cod croquetas are common varieties. They're tricky to make and are perhaps best enjoyed at a tapas bar, along with a cold beer. A classic tapas item, albondigas, or meatballs in tomato sauce, are served all over Spain. A tasty variation serves up the meatballs drizzled in an almond sauce, minus the tomatoes. A legendary dish spoken of in almost hushed tones by Spaniards, migas is a good example of how much of Spain's cuisine has evolved from peasant food. It's essentially dry breadcrumbs torn up and fried in a variety of combinations – often served with chorizo or bacon. Migas, handed down from agricultural laborers who had to be thrifty with their ingredients, is comfort food supreme – and in recent times has found its way onto fancy restaurant menus. A prized dish in Spain, bacalao, or salted cod, was brought back for hundreds of years by Spanish fisherman from as far afield as Norway and Newfoundland. The fish is not found in local waters, and it was salted to preserve it on the journey. It has to be left to soak in water for at least 24 hours to remove all but the slightest tang of salt. Bacalao is served in all manner of dishes; one of the most popular is with pil-pil sauce, made of olive oil, garlic and the juice of the fish, and typical in the Basque Country. A favorite of the northwestern Asturias region and based around the white fabe bean, fabada is a one-pot feast usually served with a mixture of pork meats. Chorizo, pork belly and bacon are common accompaniments, as is morcilla, Spanish blood sausage, which tastes far better than it should. Think it's impossible to fry milk? Think again. Leche frita, or fried milk, is a popular dessert made by whipping up milk, egg yolks and flour. This is left to chill and solidify, before being coated in breadcrumbs and fried. It can be served hot or cold.
Telegraph
06-05-2025
- Telegraph
The 22 best restaurants in Barcelona
Barcelona's impressive food scene covers all manner of cuisines. Head to the maritime district of Barceloneta if it's paella you're after, but if you want traditional Catalan dishes it's best to stick inland, in, for example, the Barri Gòtic or Gràcia, where you'll find tiled dining rooms and plenty of pa amb tomàquet (bread rubbed with tomato) and hearty stews. Tapas are not a Catalan speciality, but can still be found – from time-honoured classics on charming squares to deconstructed versions at those restaurants created in the aftermath of the gastronomic revolution spearheaded by superchef Ferran Adrià. Below our expert shares her favourite restaurants in Barcelona, including affordable menus and five-star venues. Do note that many restaurants close for a period in August, and occasionally the whole month. Find out more below, or for further Barcelona inspiration, see our in-depth guides to the city's best hotels, bars and nightlife, attractions, shopping and things to do for free, plus how to spend a weekend in Barcelona. Find a restaurant by type: Best all-rounders Can Culleretes The second-oldest restaurant in Spain, with a mention in Guinness World Records. Can Culleretes has been around since 1786, and many of its waitresses act like they have too. These redoubtable matrons chivvy customers into one of three main dining rooms, tiled and hung with oil paintings and photos of happy patrons, and then serve them no-nonsense but tasty Spanish dishes at really good prices. Try the wild boar stew, the suckling pig or the seafood 'pica pica' of plates to share. It can get busy with tourists, however, so you might want to book a later table. Area/neighbourhood: Barri Gòtic Contact: Prices: ££ Reservations: Recommended Casa Delfín Casa Delfín used to be something of a Mediterranean greasy spoon, serving deep-fried fish to workers, and there was much hand-wringing when it was sold and spruced up. The new owners did a great job, however, and preserved the spirit of the menu as well as many of the features of the bright and airy interior. Try chickpeas, spinach and black pudding to start, perhaps, followed by liver and onions with sherry or roast lamb with rosemary and thyme. The terrace is the place to sit, if the weather allows, and is open year round. Agua There is a line of similar restaurants along the seafront here, but Agua is the most fun for its laid-back atmosphere, sunny, split-level dining room and large, lively terrace. It does get quite busy, but there's a comfortable reception area with a bar, where you can order something to nibble on while you wait. The main menu covers the Mediterranean basics, from paella to spankingly fresh fish, along with really tasty steaks, creative salads and plenty of child-friendly dishes. Book well ahead for a table on the terrace, which sits right on the edge of the sand. Back to index Best for families Bella Napoli di Raffaele A hugely popular Italian restaurant, known for its pizza but it's a crime not to try its other dishes (the gnocchi, for example, or the linguine con bogavante – lobster) and a range of Italian craft beers. The Neapolitan waiters move adeptly through the packed dining areas, and are famous for their charm – they will guide you through the menu, but it's hard to go wrong. The Sofia Loren pizza is a favourite, with provolone, rocket and bresaola, and the house pizza with aubergine, basil and parmesan is also good. Leave room for the homemade tiramisu, which is superb. You can also get pizzas to go. Area/neighbourhood: Montjuic and Poble Sec Contact: 00 34 93 442 50 56 Opening times: Mon-Sun, 1.30pm-4pm, 8pm-11.30pm Prices: ££ Reservations: Recommended Pepa Tomate A sunny corner café and restaurant, with a cheerfully eclectic approach to décor. There's a short list of dishes that manages to cater to most tastes, whether you're after a fat burger and chips, a toasted sandwich or something a little more sophisticated – truffled tortilla, for example, or cod tempura with padrón peppers. Portions are generous, but leave room if you can for the creamy tiramisu, served in a Kilner jar. It's a great place to come with children, with a playground just outside and friendly waiters who will provide crayons to draw on the paper placemats. Envalira The place to come for good old-fashioned cooking in an unpretentious setting. It's not going to win any design awards, but Envalira can't be faulted on value. The speciality is paella and other rice dishes (such as arròs negre, the Catalan version made with squid ink), but this is also a good place to try dishes from all over Spain, particularly Galicia. Try, for example, tarta de Santiago, the Galician answer to bakewell tart. The restaurant is brightly lit and austerely (un)decorated, but if you book a table at the front near the bar you'll feel a little less hemmed in. Area/neighbourhood: Gràcia Contact: 00 34 93 218 58 13 Opening times: Tue-Sat, 1pm-11pm; Sun, 1pm-5pm Prices: ££ Reservations: Recommended Gelateria Italiana Deliziosa The last few years have seen a tidal wave of ice cream parlours opening in Barcelona, but for most people this family-run gelateria will always remain unbeatable. A refurb saw away with the olive-green wood panelling and 1960s fonts, sadly, but the ice cream is still made and sold fresh every day, with the purest ingredients. It's hard to pick a favourite, but the fig is a speciality, and the liquorice is good for novelty value. There is a second, smaller branch in the Born at Placeta de Montcada 12, near the Picasso Museum. Back to index Best for cheap eats Les Quinze Nits The Andilana group now owns an impressive nine restaurants around town, and though they all have different names, they all work on the same principles – extremely elegant dining rooms in attractive old buildings, with creative Mediterranean dishes at budget prices. These include all manner of fish and meat dishes, and some colourful salads. Les Quinze Nits was the first branch and continues to be the most popular, with queues snaking across the Plaça Reial (there is a no-bookings policy), but you can always try your luck at nearby branch La Fonda (C/Escudellers 10), which may have a shorter queue. Bormuth A split-level tapas bar that opens out on to two streets. Bormuth is friendly, lively and has reliably good food. The selection of tapas includes fresh options such as lentil salad and tabbouleh, along with all the classic croquetas, tortilla and so on, but my favourite is the fried aubergine drizzled with honey (a Cordoban recipe). Get there early for the tables on the street or in the open-fronted section facing the handsome façade of the Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria. Mosquito Mosquito seems to change its identity every few years, but the basic concept is cheap, quick and good Asian food. For the time being, that means Chinese dim sum, with a few other dishes from around the continent – Japanese gyoza dumplings, Thai curries, and noodle dishes – thrown in for good measure. My favourite is the Vietnamese pho (a steaming beef broth into which you stir herbs, chopped chilli and beansprouts to taste), though sadly this is only available at lunchtime. It can get quite chaotic in the cramped bar area – book one of the tables at the back if you can. Elisabets Elisabets is a wonderfully old-school place, with little by way of decoration but for a few old radio sets dotted around the walls. It specialises in the sort of food your grandmother used to make. No-frills, huge portions of osso buco and other stewy delights are served up as part of the fixed-price menu, though there is an à la carte menu, too. Note that Elisabets is only open until 5:30pm. Back to index Best for fine dining Shunka An excellent Japanese restaurant hidden down a side street near the cathedral. Time was, you would often see Ferran Adrià in here. However, a shake-up a few years ago meant that some of Shunka's finest chefs were moved to a new branch round the corner, Koy Shunka, which promptly gained a Michelin star, and this one was slightly relegated to second position. This one is far cheaper, however, and does what you'd expect – all varieties of sushi, tempura, teriyaki, noodles and plenty more – and well. Reserve a seat up at the bar surrounding the kitchen for a really good show. Area/neighbourhood: Barri Gòtic Contact: Prices: ££ Reservations: Recommended Alkimia There is a kind of alchemy going on at this restaurant where the deconstructed, theatrical takes on Catalan standards show Ferran Adrià's influence. An opening salvo of deconstructed pa amb tomàquet (the traditional bread rubbed with tomato) in a shot glass is just the beginning. Jordi Vilà is a serious chef, with a Michelin star to prove it, and his dining room has a serious air. The restaurant sits within the microbrewery and gastro space of the Fábrica Moritz, and has a separate dining area – Al Kostat (At The Side) – with a simpler, more accessible (read also: cheaper) menu. Area/neighbourhood: Eixample Contact: Prices: £££ Reservations: Recommended Compartir Little sister to the distinguished Disfrutar (currently at the top of the World's Best Restaurants list and at which you are unlikely to secure a table without some serious forward-planning), Compartir is run by the same team and has a similar approach to playful haute cuisine – at a lower price tag. Its cavernous dining room is fun and relaxed – driftwood is suspended from the ceiling and elegant deco curves are balanced by rustic Catalan tiling – and a complement to dishes that look as good as they taste. The marinated sardines with emulsions of carrot and coconut are a standout – a Pollock on the plate and a flavour explosion on the tongue. Area/neighbourhood: Eixample Contact: Prices: £££ Reservations: Recommended Cinc Sentits Every accolade – including two Michelin stars – has been deservedly heaped on Cinc Sentits and its haute take on Catalan cuisine. To maximise the diner's experience of what chef Jordi Artal can do, these days the restaurant only serves fixed menus – eight courses for €185 (£154) or 10 courses for €200 (£166). Expect dishes such as pigeon served three ways, including a paper pouch containing 'false rice' made from its thigh, and some table-side theatre. The restaurant is also known for its wine selection, and wine pairings are available for each menu. There is a chef's table for those that like to watch the action close up. Back to index Best for walk ins Milk Milk performs all sorts of functions. It's a stylish but relaxed place for a late-night drink, a restaurant that feels more like a really good pub (with grub to match – from homemade burgers and steak sandwiches, to smoked salmon fishcakes and the occasional foray into Asian cuisine), and it's a great place for a relaxed brunch with the papers. Choose from eggs Benedict, banana and walnut pancakes or just a good old-fashioned fry-up, and maybe treat yourself to a bloody Mary or a mimosa. Best of all, you can rock up for brunch any time up to 4:30pm. El Atril Here, you can sit in the stone-walled dining room or under umbrellas on the little Plaça de Sant Cugat. In season, one of the best things to order is a big bowl of moules et frites, but there's plenty more to choose from, including sea bass with truffle, tuna tartare with a tapenade of sundried tomatoes and olives, and pork with quince alioli. Light and healthy options include inventive salads and a vegan burger. Brunch is served at weekends. Quimet i Quimet Everybody's favourite tapas bar is about the same size as a large wardrobe, and it can be a struggle to abide by the 'no standing on the pavement' rule. It's still worth it, however, for the wonderful montaditos – delicate little arrangements balanced on a slice of French bread and made in front of your eyes. Highly recommended is the smoked salmon with cream cheese, soy sauce and honey, but there's no real list. The bar also specialises in wine (bottles of every vintage line the walls) and conservas (tinned seafood), most of which is surprisingly good. Chez Coco This is the place to come for a date, if you can get one of its cosy high-backed booths. It's a charming space, with many original features such as oak panelling and a tiled mosaic floor. More recent decorative additions include plunging chandeliers, cobalt blue upholstery on the booths, and an open kitchen hung with copper pans, where various kinds of bird roast slowly on rotating spits. The menu is French and fairly ambitious, but the best bet is to stick to the fried poussin and fat wedge chips, which are excellent and reasonably priced. Back to index Best for seafood Cal Pep Not quite a tapas bar, not quite a seafood restaurant. Cal Pep does have a cosy dining room at the back and a terrace to the side, but if you sit there you'll miss all the fun. Better to stand at the bar (or wait your turn patiently behind those at the bar) and watch the cooks working the stoves. There is no shtick here apart from superbly fresh seafood, served simply and on plates designed for sharing. Non-fish eaters will also find plenty to eat, however – try 'the tortilla trampera' with chorizo and alioli. Can Solé Another of Barceloneta's excellent paella restaurants, this one a little more upmarket than most (with prices to match), and attentive waiters – there can't be many restaurants that provide reading glasses to diners. There are two specialities: paella in various forms, and what is known as 'grandmother's spoon food' – steaming hotpots of chickpeas with chorizo, lentil and potato stew, onion soup with a poached egg and Emmental stirred through it, and so on. There is a quiet dining room upstairs, but the best place to sit is downstairs by the open kitchen where you can watch the action. Set Portes An elegant old paella and seafood restaurant, under an arcaded walkway down near the port. It's been around since 1836, and the great and the good to have graced its tables are immortalised in little plaques on the backs of the chairs. Despite its vast size – there are several dining rooms – and history, sympathetic lighting and accommodating waiters make it feel both cosy and friendly, something quite unusual in a restaurant of this stature. The food is excellent, respecting old recipes while occasionally adding a new twist. If you're feeling extravagant, go for the zarzuela – a tasty casserole with lobster. Back to index How we choose Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller's taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations. After stints living in Seville and Madrid, in 2001 Sally Davies settled in Barcelona's El Born, a stone's throw from Ciutadella Park and the Santa Caterina market, two of her favourite places anywhere.
CNN
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Try the simple, Catalan stew that Eva Longoria describes as an ‘explosion of flavors'
Sometimes, the simplest dishes are the most satisfying. Suquet, a traditional Catalan seafood stew, is that kind of dish. Its origins are humble — fishermen on the crystal clear waters of Catalonia's Costa Brava historically prepared it on their boats with the catch of the day, making for a quick and easy meal to fuel a hard day's work. Fishermen still make suquet on their boats today. Over the years, as Spanish cuisine underwent a gastronomic revolution, the dish has also come to embody a tension at the heart of Catalonia's distinct culture: between el seny, the practical, and la rouxa, the innovative. The acclaimed chef Ferran Adrià transformed the humble suquet into a gourmet experience at El Bulli, the avant-garde Catalan restaurant that was voted the world's best a record five times and where Adrià served as head chef. Suquet was the first dish that Adrià learned to cook professionally, infusing traditional ingredients and methods with the creative spirit of modern Catalan gastronomy. The version he served at El Bulli until it closed in 2011 was made with red prawns, potato balls and seawater from the neighboring Cala Montjoi. But in the first episode of the CNN series 'Eva Longoria: Searching For Spain,' Adrià returns to suquet's roots and prepares the stew on a boat, with his signature elevated twist. 'That particular dish is so simple, but when you're eating it, you're like, 'What's happening in my mouth?'' Eva Longoria tells CNN. 'It's an explosion of flavors.' What makes suquet stand out, Longoria adds, is the quality of the ingredients. Even if you don't have the saltwater and fresh fish of the Mediterranean Sea at your fingertips, you can still give Adrià's adaptation a whirl at home. Just use the freshest seafood and produce you can find and maybe get a little creative — in the true Catalan way. This recipe is courtesy of Ferran Adrià. Makes 4 servings Ingredients For the shrimp, essence and broth 28 shrimp (2.5 ounces each) Olive oil For the potatoes 24 small potatoes For the aioli 3 cloves of garlic Salt 150 grams olive oil (5.3 ounces) For the suquet 24 turned potatoes (from previous preparation) 20 grams aioli (0.75 ounces) 150 grams shrimp broth (5.3 ounces) shrimp essence 4 cloves of garlic 20 grams chopped parsley (0.8 ounces) 1 ripe tomato, around 65 g (2.3 ounces) 5 grams sweet paprika (0.2 ounces) 100 grams saltwater (about 2/5 of a cup) 60 grams butter (about 1/4 cup) 50 grams liquid cream, 35% m.g. (1.8 ounces) 50 grams olive oil (1.8 ounces) Salt For finishing 24 sprigs of fresh parsley Olive oil Salt Instructions For the shrimp Separate the heads from the shrimp tails. Peel the tails and remove the intestines from each tail. Using a sharp awl, make a 2 cm long incision in the widest part of the tail. For the shrimp essence Sauté the shrimp heads in a hot pan with a little oil. Press the heads one by one to extract all the juice. Strain the juice through a strainer and store in the refrigerator. Save the heads to use for the broth. For the shrimp broth Put the heads in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Strain and save the broth. For the potatoes Peel the potatoes. With the help of a sharp awl, turn the potatoes until they are as round as possible. Store covered with water at room temperature. For the aioli Place the peeled garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle and pound to a fine puree. Add a little salt. Combine with the mortar and pestle and add the oil in a thin stream. (The consistency should be similar to mayonnaise.) For the suquet Peel the garlic and cut into 0.2 cm brunoise slices (tiny cubes). Make two superficial cross-shaped incisions on the bottom of the tomato. Using a skewer, remove the base of the tomato stem. Immerse in boiling water for 15 seconds. Remove with a skewer and cool in water and ice. Peel, quarter and remove the seeds. Cut the tomato into 0.3 cm brunoise slices. Whip the cream. Sauté the potatoes in a hot frying pan with olive oil for 15 minutes. Do not let them brown. Add the chopped garlic, brown lightly and add the tomato and parsley. Brown for 1 minute and add the paprika. Moisten the potatoes with the sea water and the shrimp broth. Bring to a boil, and when the potatoes are cooked, remove from heat. Add the butter, 30 grams (a quarter cup) of whipped cream, the shrimp essence and the aioli. To serve In a hot frying pan with a little oil, cook the shrimp with salt. Place 7 suquet potatoes and 7 shrimp each in four bowls. Ladle the suquet broth into each bowl and grill lightly over a grill pan. Finish each dish with 6 sprigs of fresh parsley.
