“Molecular gastronomy" , “deconstructivist cooking”, “Nouvelle cuisine”.. Since the 90’s Catalonia is the land of a new school of cuisine.
Inspired by the limitless creativity of Ferran Adrià, the idea of this cuisine was, as the Chef of El Bulli was used to described it: “provide unexpected contrasts of flavor, temperature and texture. Nothing is what it seems. The idea is to provoke, surprise and delight the diner…. And to have an experience."
Today this “Nouvelle cuisine” is still alive and strong in Barcelona.
Few chefs, like Jordi Vilà, Carles Abella, are still inspired by the “Texturas” invented by Ferran Adrià..
Others, like Sergi Arola, Romain Fornell, Jordi Artal, Albert Raurich are going others directions more oriented fusion of culture like Mediterranean and Far East cuisine with new techniques…
They all reinvent daily the way we eat…
A true journey in Modern Gastronomy!
This is our selection of top Nouvelle Cuisine restaurants, to discover while you stay in Barcelona!
Editor's choice : Dos Palillos - Restaurant
Address :
C/ Elisabets, 9
Opening hours :
Tuesday to saturday - Close sundays and mondays // On tuesdays and wednesdays: open from 7:30p.m. to 11:30p.m. // On thursdays, fridays and saturdays: open from 1:30p.m. to 3:30p.m. and from 7:30p.m. to 11:30p.m.
Phone :
933 040 513
Metro/Bus :
Pl. Catalunya
Dos Palillos or when traditional spanish tapas get inspired by delicate savors of Asia…
Albert Raurich has been working at El Bulli from 1997 to 2007 where he was head chief for the last 6 years of his journey with Ferran Adrià … That is to say that he knows quite well about cuisine inspiration and innovation…
At Dos Palillos the chef decided to get his inspiration from the far east cuisine, that is mostly from Japan, China, Thailand and Vietnam. And what an inspiration!!
Imagine Asian savors married with Spanish traditional tapas and products like seafoods, fish, fresh vegetables of the market, prown, tuna, meat…
Imagine now tempura, raw dishes, woked dishes, steamed dishes, grilled dishes..
Albert Raurich’s tapas are pure creativity and grace..
We loved fresh seaweed sunomono with molluscs, Japanese burger, meat Gyoza,Cantonese style Iberian pork, prawn steamed dumpling..
Two degustation menus at 55 and 75€ but they prefer to say one hour and half menu or two hours menu..
Lunchtime menu at 20€
In november 2012 Dos Palillos recieved its first Michelin star.
Editor's choice : Moments - Restaurant
Address :
Passeig de Gràcia, 38-40
Opening hours :
Lunch: 1:30pm-3:30pm Tuesday-Saturday // Dinner: 8:30pm-10:30pm Tuesday-Saturday // Closed Sundays and Mondays
Phone :
93 151 87 81
Metro/Bus :
Passeig de Gràcia,
In the brand new and beautiful Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the table on everyone’s lips is with no doubt: Moments.
The Chef Carme Ruscalleda and her son Raül Balam are revisiting Catalan recipes and even inventing the first anti-aging menu of Barcelona..
On the Catalan side of the menu you will discover totally renewed classical dishes like Arroz caldoso de gamba con picada de pescador (rice dish with broth) - Fricandó (veal stew) and suquet (fish stew) - Shrimp Tartar- Seabass with fig chutney and hibiscus salt - Veal Cheeks with turnip vegetable ravioli and red fruits..
A delight and lot of imagination!!
But even more visionary and trendy: a “anti-aging” menu where the food chosen by Carme Ruscalleda and Dr. Manuel Sanchez - head of the Anti-aging Unit Clinic Planas- , specialist in the anti-age treatments, conceal only the most miraculous properties to preserve an “iron constitution”.
In this menu, mini pizza pies with artichokes and the Joselito ham, or macaroni with buckwheat accompanied by scallops and vegetables… a great idea!
A very chic venue already awarded by a Michelin Star in 2011..
Editor's choice : Moo - Restaurant
Address :
Rosselló, 265
Opening hours :
1.30-4pm, 8.30-11pm Mon-Sat.
Phone :
+34 93 445 40 00
Metro/Bus :
Metro Diagonal
Located at the ground floor of superb and very design Omm hotel ,restaurant Moo, from now on advised by the Roca brothers (El Celler de Can Roca in Girona), is a contemporary wonder.
The Chef Felip Llufriu takes as a starting point the traditional Mediterranean food to carry out purified, modern and very personal interpretations of them. Roger Visuà, recently crowned better sommelier of Europe (wine cellarmaster), proposes for each dish, a glass of wine in agreement.
Very beautiful cellar.
Prices more than reasonable for such a level of esthetics and feelings.
As this hotel is very “hype” have an eye at the foyer cocktail bar, one of the hottest places around for a pre-dinner drink.
Editor's choice : Alkimia - Restaurant
Address :
Indústria, 79
Opening hours :
1.30pm-3.30pm Mon-Sat, 9pm-11pm Mon-Fri, Closed Saturday lunchtime, Sundays and public holidays
Phone :
+(34) 93 207 6115
Metro/Bus :
Metro: Sagrada Família / Bus: 15, 20, 45, 47
Jordi Vilà - Alkimia Barcelona
Jordi Vilà the Chef of Alkimia (alchemy in English) is part of the young guard of the New Catalan cuisine along with Chefs from Comerç 24 and Santa Maria. A new wave initiated several years ago by Ferran Adrià with the success which one knows.
Hidden behind the Sagrada Familia, this restaurant with minimalist decoration offers imaginative and very colored food, in only one word: astonishing!
To discover the creativity of Jordi Vilà, who takes traditional dishes from the region keeping the soul of the classics but giving them a modern edge, we can only advise you to choose one of the two tasting menus (65 and 84€).
“Dentro de Mar” - Alkimia
This will be the best way to enjoy this dish called “Dentro de Mar” or “the ocean and its shells”, a very iodized composition bathing in an amazing blue bubble or the very graphic “seabass with ink of cuttlefish and coconut milk”. Unforgettable desserts and very beautiful chart of the wines.
A major Chef… We like very, very much Alkimia. Do not forget to book!!
Editor's choice : Santa Maria - Restaurant
Address :
Comerç, 17
Opening hours :
From 1pm to 4 pm and from 8pm to midnight. Closed on sunday
Phone :
93 315 12 27
Metro/Bus :
Arc de Triomf (L1)
Santa Maria is a rare place. Tapas here are extremely creative, cooks from Ferran Adrià's school will surprise you with their imagination. A delight to taste all the tapas with the tasting menu at 17 and 27euros... Beautiful people's canteen. Always full, you better book...
We passed by again in May 2011 the menu did not change a whole. They fall asleep a little on their reputation. Caution. .lk
Discover two others nouvelle cuisine's restaurants: Comerç 24 and Alkimia
Editor's choice : Loidi - Restaurant
Address :
Mallorca, 248
Opening hours :
From 1pm to 3:30pm and from 8pm to 11pm. Closed on sunday night.
Phone :
00 93 492 92 92
Metro/Bus :
Metro: L3/L5 Diagonal or Passeig de Gràcia
To discover the work of Martin Berasategui but at low-cost. Not to hesitate to make a jump at the “popular” restaurant of the great Basque chef: the Loidi...
Every week a new menu at 37€ and a” Martin’s menu ” at 57€ ,which you can discover on their website.
Potatoe and black sausage millefeuilles with egg, Tuna belly tartar with grated lime and herbs oil, Tuna with yakisoba and tuna peel, Small cuttlefish beach sautée with garlic, parsley and reduced ink, Fricandeau… Broadly delicious… A very beautiful summary of the talent of Martin Berasategui.