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Ferran Adrià, one of the world’s top chefs, takes Redhot on a tour of favourite food haunts in his native Barcelona. By Sally Howard
Ferran Adrià is reassuringly well-rounded. The world-conquering Catalan chef – whose restaurant el Bulli, crouched in a picturesque cove of Cala Montjoi in the northern Costa Brava 80 kilometres from Barcelona, regularly tops international restaurant awards – draws attention to his barrel-like torso, habitually crossing and uncrossing his arms across it as he speaks. Yet, there’s nothing cuddly in Ferran’s invectives, especially on the subject of food: “You just can’t make real food for less than €20 a head – full stop – restaurants that do, forget it. Especially in Catalonia, where seafood is so important.”
Somewhat pedestrian concerns perhaps for Ferran Adrià, a chef famous for presiding over the bizarre, yet thoroughly modern, marriage of science and food – a movement that’s set the culinary world ablaze in recent years. Ferran is particularly notorious for wowing food critics with avant garde offerings such as foie gras ice cream and ‘foam that tastes like smoke’, but his ironic deconstructions of his native cuisine have also caused ripples in worldwide gastro circles. Consider, for example, a recent el Bulli menu entrant: ‘Kellogg’s paella’, assembled from Rice Krispies, an intense seafood reduction, flash-fried shrimps, shrimp sashimi and an ampoule containing ‘extract of shrimp heads’.
However today it’s the ‘mediocre tourist restaurants’ around Barcelona’s gaudy tourist strip, La Ramblas, that are making Ferran’s roux boil: ‘avoid them at all costs’ he chips. Happily though, the Catalan capital isn’t all about burnt, bright yellow paella. “No, it’s changed so much in recent years,” continues Ferran. “There are great new places opening up all the time and there’s loads of enthusiasm in Barcelona. It’s just happening now. Lots of fun, fusion joints and new wave cooking.” Below, Ferran gives us the top ten dining spots to visit in his home city:
Bar Pinotxo
Mercat de la Boqueria, tel: +34 93 3171731
“Barcelona’s best breakfast, by the entrance to the legendary Boqueria market. Owner Juanito Bayen makes great pa amb tomaqet (tomato-rubbed toast), grilled rock lobster and salt cod croquettes.”
Shunka
Sagristans 5, tel: +34 93 412 49 91
“I love Japanese food, there are a lot of similarities to Catalan cuisine, the freshness and use of lots of fish. This is the most authentic quality Japanese restaurant in Barcelona.”
Cal’Isidre
Calle Les Flors 12, tel: +34 93 441 1139
“King Juan Carlos’ favourite Barcelona restaurant and one of mine. Great traditional Catalan food.”
Comerç 24
Calle Comerç 24, tel: +34 93 319 210
“In El Born, the area of the historic quarter that’s becoming hot for new restaurants. It’s run by Carles Abellán, who trained under me at el Bulli. The dishes are presented with great art, try the bull’s tail with parmentier and potato foam.“
Rías de Galicia
Lérida 7, tel: +34 93 325 9171
“Excellent seafood in a city known for the quality of its selection. This is not a kitchen ruled by a chef, but by the best products available. The almejas a la marinera (clams sauted in olive oil, garlic, parsley and sherry) are exceptional.”
Saüc
Ptge. Lluís Pellicer 12, tel: +34 93 321 0189
“One of the new ‘contemporary cooking’ restaurants, and highly recommended. Their sautéed duck’s liver with a dark beer soup and octopus-and-saffron-potato salads are very elegant.”
Cal Pep
Plaça de les Olles 8; tel: +34 93 310 7961
“This is an old favourite. Fresh, in-season tapas from all regions of Spain served by Pep himself at a narrow bar surrounded by high stools.”
Quimet Quimet
Calle Poeta Cabanyes 34, tel: +34 93 442 3142
“A small bar in Poble Sec that’s known for great aperitivos. It’s a great place to go to whet the appetite, unique in all of Barcelona. It’s a family-run business, and it shows. A must-see.”
Moo
Hotel Omm Rosselló 265, tel: +34 93 445 4000
“Another of the new-wave restaurants. From the famous Roca brothers, who also run the Michelin-starred El Cellar de Can Roca in Girona. Modern Mediterranean, with dishes such as organic chicken with olives and mango and monkfish with wild mushrooms.”
Santa Maria Restaurant
Calle Comerç 17, tel: +34 93 315 1227
“A very chic creative tapas place, full of Barcelona’s beautiful people. The discovery menu, at only €36, is great value.”
Tongue twisters
A few of Ferran’s more bizarre culinary offerings…
Huevo esférico de espárragos blancos: egg yolk poached in a spherical albumen of asparagus sea-urchin mousse.
Caviar esférico de melón: a tin labelled Iranian Caviar filled with tiny beads made from melon juice.
Oreo cookies made with black olives and sour cream
Parmesan ice cream sandwich.
Nitrogen pistachios: freezing on the outside, crunchy in the middle.
El Bulli is open for a six-month season every year, but is harder to get into than freeform jazz
Try your luck at Restaurant El Bulli, Cala Montjoi, Roses, tel: +34 972 15 04 57
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