Category: Spain

Comerç 24 – we want you to be happy!

Comerç 24 will never win awards for its service I suspect, based on our experience (the exception being the sommelier, who is one of the best). I know it must be boring to repeat the same menu options and descriptions of food all day long but most good restaurants manage it. It was bewildering to watch the waiter describe in detail the food on our plates for every course while gazing out the window.

On the food front however its exceptional. It began as before with a selection of olive oils of varying strengths and bread, an olive stuffed with anchovy, golden macadamia nuts and a Parmesan cheese straw. If anything these were the weaker elements in the meal before it really got started.

The Cod ice-cream and Tuna tartare being real standouts.

We had just finished commenting on Comerc 24 food – stating that it was never just good, it was always either “very good” or “sublime”, then came a course I did not enjoy (the steak and strawberries). I left most of it, and got a reaction that really showed just how much Comerc 24 do care about the customer experience.  When the waiter saw I had not finished the course he asked if there was any problems, when I said I had not really enjoyed it, he immediately insisted that I have a replacement, as quote “we want you to be happy”. The replacement course was delicious and delivered with apologies from the waiter, the sommelier and the restaurant manager!

For all its small flaws this is one restaurant we hope to return to.

Marks out of 10

Food 8.7

Service 7.5

Ambience 7

 

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Tram Tram – pulling out all the stops!

For reliability and good value for money, Tram Tram has always been a real winner. It pulled out all the stops on our most recent visit however.  The weather was so good, rather that sit in the small room at the front of the restaurant we were taken  through the restaurant, past the attractive private dining room into the courtyard. It was just lovely, the food was also among one of the highlights of our trip.

So glad we returned this time as it reinforced my belief that Tram Tram is somewhere very special.

See also Tram Tram – off the beaten track

Marks out of 10

Food 7.8

Service 7

Ambience 8

 

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What’s coming in September

This month we have plans to revisit some of the restaurants covered in this blog :-

London

Barcelona

  • Cinc Sentits – to support one of our all time favorite restaurants.
  • Comerc 24 – to see if it can deliver on a return visit.
  • Cuines Santa Caterina – for the Catalan sausage with foie gras.
  • El Jardi – to chill out.
  • Moovida – to enjoy their excellent bar food.
  • Tram Tram – to eat top quality food at a reasonable price
  • Tragaluz – because it’s open on a Public Holiday!

 

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El Celler De Can Roca – numbers do lie!

The S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list rates El Celler De Can Roca as number 5, not that the place is bad, far from it. It is just that I haven’t been to all the best restaurants in the world yet, and this one already is not in my top 5.  Actually I should have know better than trust this list, as last year I visited number 11 L’Astrance in Paris, again not bad – but not really worth in my view the acolades it receives. Plus this year Restaurant Gordon Ramsay – Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea did not even make the top 100, and that is most definately in my top 10.

El Celler De Can Roca is out in the suburbs of Girona, so about 1 hour on the train from Barcelona, then a 10-15 minute taxi ride.  It is a very stylish venue, and they had some nice touches, the one I especially approved off, was the complimentary Cava and water (not that we did not really pay for it in the bill – as El Celler De Can Roca is not cheap). This is a much nicer approach than staff pushing you to buy a glass of overpriced Champagne before your meal (one of my pet hates).

An easier alternative in the Roca Brothers empire, is to just stay in Barcelona and go to their restaurant at Hotel Omm , Moo.

UPDATE: March 2010 – El Celler De Can Roca, was awarded its third Michelin star this year.

UPDATE: April 2010 –  El Celler De Can Roca is now at number 4 on the S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list.

UPDATE: April 2013 –  El Celler De Can Roca is now number 1 on the S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list.

 

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Silenus – Losing its Midas touch?

Silenus was always one of the better restaurants in the Ravel area. We have had some really good dishes there,  but on a more recent visit the food was quite ordinary. It had shifted its direction from fusion to more traditional. However it may be on the way back to fusion as recent research shows it being described now as doing  International/Japanese cuisine (Japanese food is very trendy in Barcelona at the moment), so who knows.  On the plus side it is a fairly laid back  place to eat, so we may give it another try on our next visit to Barcelona.

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Marks out of 10

Food 5

Service 5

Ambience 5.5

 

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Moo and Moovida – Hotel Omm

Moo is the 1 star Michelin restaurant (part of the Roca brothers empire) situated in the Hotel Omm in Barcelona, (part of the Grupo Tragaluz).

It is very fashionable, very much a place to be seen. Normally in this sort of venue the food disappoints, but here for once  the food is actually good enough to match the atmosphere. Advanced booking is essential.

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Moo

Marks out of 10 – Moo

Food 7

Service 7

Ambience 7.5

Moovida is the informal bar/dinning area. This venue is an especially useful recommendation as you can normally do a walk in.  Its also a great place for food and people watching (unless you are facing the wall that might as well be an NCP car park. Etiquette apparently dictates that the woman sits looking into the room, getting the interesting view. While the man has to stare at a wall. I’ve lost count of the number of tables I’ve sat at looking at a fire exit sign…rant over).

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Moovida

Short video showing Hotel Omm, finishes with some images of that wall in Moovida:-

Marks out of 10 – Moovida

Food 7

Service 7

Ambience 7

 

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