Situated in the Barri Vell of Girona just under a prosaic arch is this restaurant. The outside looks quiet and inviting with a few tables on the terrace, ideal for summer for contemplating the passers-by. It is non-smoking inside. The decoration is quiet and subdue with stone wall. What calls the attention is its spaciousness. You can have a full house without feeling oppressed. Tables are set wide apart from each other so guests can have privacy no matter where they sit.
I was there in 2 occasions, one for lunch and the other for New Year's Eve dinner. I am happy to say that in both occasions I was very satisfied.
The set lunch is of a very reasonable price, within 20 euros with aperitif and dessert. Food was prepared with excellent raw materials, carefully presented traditional Catalan dishes with a modern touch.
The New Year's Eve dinner of course was much more elaborated. To begin with we were given some snacks, nicely baked bread sticks with cheese.
For appetizers, oyster au gratin. It was the best oyster I had so far. It was full, round and juicy contrasted with the gratin. It certainly wetted our appetite.
For next, Foie terrine soup with salad. The salad gave a fresh taste to the smooth foie soup and the two went in harmony.
The next dish had one of my favourite ingredients: scallop. Scallops here, which mostly come from Galicia, are big and fleshy. The scallop with artichoke, trout's caviar and citric zest tasted of the sea. The scallop retained its suggestion of wilderness and it was cooked just to the right point, soft and coy.
Grilled cod with trinxat of Cerdanya, tomato and sweet potatoes is the third course. Cod, especially salted, is a very typical and popular Catalan dish, however, I am never wild about it. Mostly it is too salty and the firm meat is not my favourite. The trinxat de Cerdanya is also a traditional Catalan dish, with a mixture of potatoes and cabbage decorated with bacon. A robust peasant dish. Here it was used to hold the cod, on top of which went the tomato, and on the side creamed sweet potatoes. It was good, but as said, cod is not my favourite.
At this point, the meal would have been perfect for me, leaving me room for dessert. I could hardly finish the last course: Grilled duck with cheese sauce and turrón de jijona. I love duck, but it was really too much for me that I could hardly enjoy it. Turrón is a famous Spanish Christmas sweet, and the ones from Jijona is the gem of turrones.
Dessert was beautifully presented with mandarin, yoghurt and carquinyolis which, again, is a typical Catalan sweet almond biscuit. Usually one eat it with sweet wine, soaking it or just as an accompaniment. The almond flavour is too strong and the biscuit is too dry for my taste. But in this dessert they explored the possibilities of transforming tradition and presented a surprise.
Wine was included and they came with the courses. It was refilled as soon as finished. They were: Torre del Veguer Muscat, Tres Picos, Gramon Vi de Gel Riesling and Jane Ventura Vintage Reserva. They went very well with the dishes.
For coffee, there were petit fours and chocolates.
It is a tradition to follow each New Year count down with a grape, which is supposed to bring one luck for the coming year. I am still puzzled as to how people can do that. You can only be fast enough if you put them in your mouth without chewing. I tried, and I hope that this year would not be too unlucky for me!
Each of us was also presented with a bag full of New Year celebration stuff, paper, funny hat, balloon, etc. Afterwards, guests were ushered upstairs where music was playing and drinks were served and ground prepared for dancing. Every one looked a bit stiff, and we left before the atmosphere turned more relaxing.
All that costed 110 euros for each person. The food was excellent and the service was fast and professional. It is definitely a restaurant worth going to and it excels the others of the same level. The chefs Jordi Ribas and Christian Castillo came out at the end and greeted their guests.
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