We live nearby and we’ve been seeing the red door for a few weeks now. Today, Saturday the 10th, my partner finally called to book a table. First thing he told me: I haven’t been assisted this nice for months. And he is a demanding one, my boy.
The entrance reminded me of a “colmado”, kind of a corner shop that was popular in Barcelona by the beginning of the XX century. The window display is full of gourmet products that they actually offer at the restaurant: L’Escala Anchovies, Ortiz Tinned Food, Champagne, etc.
Once inside, the bar is dominated by white and red. A very luminous space that invites you to have a vermut sitting on a stool.
When you pass the bar, you’ll find a complete different space: darker, elegant, more quiet and intimate. You’ll find yourself surrounded by huge walls of wine bottles and mirrors.
The concept consists of small plates, tapas to share, using their gourmet products. A menu with more than 20 different plates to choose from. Five to six plates is the average recommended for two people, saving space for the 7th: dessert! Although I have always room for chocolate 🙂
We started with the Russa Imperial amb ventresca de Conservas Ortiz (a salad with potato, mayonnaise, dried tomatoes and tuna fatty belly/loin).
Followed by my favourite. Bikini de foie mi-cuit Rougié, tòfona i poma (sandwich of Rougié foie mi-cuit, truffle and apple):
Anguila Kabayaki de Roset amb quinoa (Kabayaki eel from Roset, with quinoa):
Ravioli de vieira i cansalada de Can Mabres (scallop ravioli with bacon):
Taco de cua de bou Can Mabres amb ceba i salsa picant (bull tail taco with onion and spicy sauce):
Some more fish, Lingot de bacallà Club Royale a baixa temperatura (cod ingot Club Royale cooked at low temperature):
Last but never least: dessert. Waffle de Goofretti a la torrija amb gelat de vainilla (waffle with vanilla ice cream):
Manuela de Naveran, a white chardonnay from Penedès accompanied us all the way through. Fresh and fruity.
So our lunch for two cost us 65.70€ ($81):
- 1 Russa Imperial amb ventresca de Conservas Ortiz
- 1 Bikini de foie mi-cuit Rougié, tòfona i poma
- 1 Anguila Kabayaki de Roset amb quinoa
- 1 Ravioli de vieira i cansalada de Can Mabres
- 1 Taco de cua de bou Can Mabres amb ceba i salsa picant
- 1 Lingot de bacallà Club Royale a baixa temperatura
- 1 Toasted bread with spread tomato
- 1 Waffle de Goofretti a la torrija amb gelat de vainilla
- 1 Bottle of white wine Manuel de Naveran
- 2 Cortados
With only one and a half months old, La Barra del Gourmet has already become one of my favourites restaurants in Barcelona, and I’m a demanding lady too! The space, the service, the food, everything was as expected. And the expectations were high. Great value for money.
